Hello, my thrifties. This week, we’re gonna cool off with this Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa. Picture this: you, lounging on your deck, a late summer breeze, and a bowl of this chilled gazpacho waiting for you!
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
Best of all, this gazpacho is like dining on a bowl of budget brilliance. “How?” You might ask. Keeping these costs down usually isn’t about what you’re eating, but all about the timing and savvy shopping strategies. The time is now! The strategies are below.
About Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
First of all, a disclaimer. I have my Classic Gazpacho. already on this site! I love that Gazpacho; it came from my Mom back in the 70s.
So why another recipe? This one is fabulous and super easy, and has a fun cherry tomato salsa garnish. It’s a slight adaptation of one I found in Food & Wine with a couple of my touches.
Making Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
The recipe is simple. Roughly chop all the veggies (peeling, trimming, and deseeding, first, of course, the ones that need it.) Toss everything in the blender and finish by drizzling in the olive oil as the blender runs.
Then mix the salsa ingredients at let them sit at room temperature for about an hour to blend the flavors. When ready to serve, dish out the gazpacho and top with the salsa fresca.
Options for this or any Gazpacho:
This particular recipe calls for Sherry Vinegar. I love it in vinaigrettes, and the reason vegetables taste so good at restaurants? Chefs sometimes mist them with Sherry Vinegar before they’re sent to the table.
If you have to sub, try red or white wine vinegar. The strength will vary with different vinegars; add to taste.
Other topping options could be croutons (make them from old bread – a boxed grocery store crouton will not work here) or a few of the veggies used in the recipe, finely chopped.
Storing:
Store in the fridge, with the Gazpacho and Salsa in separate containers. Use within three to four days. Mix both items before serving, then combine them at the table.
Gazpacho can be frozen, but it’s not ideal; it can become watery. Thaw in the fridge and stir back together or reblend. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if needed.
Imperfect Farm Stand Tomatoes
Saving Money on Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
The big question: How do we turn ordinary tomatoes and garden veggies into a chilled masterpiece that’s as easy on your purse as it is on your palate? Let’s get into it.
- The best pricing (and the best flavor) for this savory summer soup is mid to late summer when the veggies are in season.
- If you can’t find great prices at farm stands or farmers markets at least time your gazpacho making to the sales at the grocery, or seek out alternatives like your big box store or discount markets like Aldi or Lidl. If you are near an Asian market, you might find great deals.
- When you get your veggies home, make them last longer with this two-minute, simple trick: Toss them in the fridge in their bags, but once chilled, take them out, turn the bags inside out, and put the veggies back. Condensation promotes rot, and this simple exercise keeps your veggies out of that condensation that forms as they chill.
- Don’t waste any part of your veggies or fruit! Wash them well and use peelings and sometimes seeds to flavor your “Spa Water.”
Spa Water on a Budget: This one is made from cucumber seeds and peelings
Tomatoes: We’re not gonna use those snobby heirloom tomatoes that cost an arm and a leg. Seek out the uglies. Along with the “character,” they have tons of flavor, and you may find them at a discount. A friend and I split a crate we found at a farm stand at a steep discount. If that’s not an option, see hint #2, above.
Cucumbers: Look for sale. Plain old US Kirby-style cucumbers are less than the fancy ones, even after the seed removal is factored in. They can last a good while wrapped in a paper towel and placed in a loosely closed bag in the veggie drawer.
Bell Pepper: Bell peppers can be super pricey! Discount grocery stores are your best bet. If you have some languishing in the fridge, use it in recipes like this, where looks don’t matter; a few wrinkles never hurt anyone. This recipe calls for red bell pepper partially because of the sweetness and partially because it contributes to the coloring. The reds are pricier; the budget-minded option is green bells.
Olive Oil: A drizzle of olive oil adds luxuriousness. Quality trumps quantity. Keep several types of olive oil for cooking and for flavoring. A good virgin olive oil is what you are looking for in this recipe (it doesn’t have to be a great one, but not the cheapest), and you’re likely to find great pricing at your buyer’s club or discount stores.
Vinegar: Surprise! Vinegar pricing is seasonal, even if vinegar isn’t. Basic white & apple cider, and the fancy varieties of vinegar will usually be on sale during Lent. Look for summer specials, too. Sales are often unadvertised, and again, this is a great item to find at your buyer’s club or discount stores.
Cherry Tomatoes: The recipe calls for a mix of colors, and frankly, that can be pricier than tomatoes that are just ordinary red. Watch for sales; they’ll last several days to a week. Or shop at your discount stores, where the prices are usually fabulous.
Frugal Friends, when you make this Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa, you can savor the dish and savor the fact that you brought it to the table on a budget, without compromising on flavor. And you can savor the fact that this is not only delish but so healthy! This dish is also a great save when you realize you have just too many tomatoes and they need to be used asap! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
Mollie
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
- Total Time: 20 minutes plus chill
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
Gazpacho:
- 2 1/2 pounds large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 cup tomato or vegetable juice (such as V8)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salsa Fresca:
- 2 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the gazpacho:
Add tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, salt, vinegar, and tomato juice to a blender. Pulse until broken down and blend until smooth. With blender running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust flavors, adding more salt or vinegar as desired. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 to 4 days.
Make the salsa fresca:
Stir together cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Let salsa fresca stand, uncovered, at room temperature up to 1 hour.
When ready to serve, stir the gazpacho together and adjust seasonings with additional salt and/or vinegar to taste. Place in bowls and top with salsa fresca and fresh herbs if using.
To make ahead or store, refrigerate both items, the gazpacho and the salsa in separate containers, tightly covered.
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