Turkey Gazpacho Salad

Pin It

What do you do when you are stuck in between seasons and you have a craving for fresh garden vegetables after a long cold winter?  Try making this salad to satisfy the palate and tummy with a terrific 'tweener of a recipe.

The vegetables called for in this dish can be found year 'round with quality taste.  Those sweet little cherub tomatoes are my go-to when the garden is without bounty.  Either freshly roasted or jarred roasted red bell peppers can be used; whichever you have on hand.  The creamy dressing is made with 1/4 cup of the sun-dried tomato pesto (I can't speak for the end results when using the store-bought variety).  The dressing does make quite a bit and I don't like over dressed salads, so I dress half the vegetables and turkey with dressing and pass the remainder as needed per individual.  Enjoyed as a hearty main dish salad meal or served over a bed of greens for a light lunch, this is a dish to get your taste buds ready for Summer.

Printable Recipe

Turkey Gazpacho Salad
serves 6-8

2/3 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 roasted red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 small English cucumber, quartered, seeded and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups croutons
1 1/2 pounds cooked turkey meat, shredded or diced
1/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, pesto, balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil; set aside.  (Dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

In a large bowl, add half of each of the following-- peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and croutons. Spoon half of the dressing on top of the vegetable mixture.  Add the turkey meat and toss to combine.  Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pile the salad into a large serving dish, then top with the remaining vegetables.  Garnish with olives and parsley and serve the remaining dressing on the side.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from delicious.