Smoked Cherry Tomatoes with Basil and Goat Cheese
These Smoked Cherry Tomatoes with Basil and Goat Cheese are the perfect side dish for any BBQ! Easy to prep with a show stopping taste, you'll have yourself one super-simple AND healthy summer side dish!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 122kcal
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 25-30 cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar,
- ⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled and divided
- ¼ cup fresh basil, sliced and divided
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Rinse the cherry tomatoes and place them in a bowl.
- Next, grab a handful of fresh basil and slice into thin strips and set aside.
- In a gallon size plastic bag, add the tomatoes, fresh basil, Balsamic vinegar, ½ of the goat cheese crumbles, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Close the plastic bag and shake well to combine all the ingredients. Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours.
- After the tomatoes have marinated, start preparing your smoker by getting the wood chips or chunks ready, filling your water pan (add the liquid smoke in this step if you wish to) and then light your smoker.
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- While the smoker is preheating, pour the cherry tomatoes and remaining marinade onto a piece of long aluminum foil.
- Fold the aluminum foil around the cherry tomato mixture and form into a loose pouch. Before closing the pouch, add 1 Tablespoon of water. Slightly close the aluminum pouch, leaving a small opening.Expert Tip: The reason you want to seal the foil pouch loosely and leave a small opening is so the tomatoes don't dry out and become shriveled during the smoking process. This method also allows just enough smoke to enter to provide that smoky flavor. You can also opt to poke holes in the foil packet with a fork to allow the smoke to penetrate the tomatoes.
- Place the foil pouch containing the tomatoes in the smoker and smoke for 1 hour.
- After they are done smoking, open the aluminum pouch and pour the tomatoes into a bowl.
- Top with additional fresh sliced basil and goat cheese crumbles. Add a bit of fresh ground pepper and you are ready to eat!
Notes
- Use light flavored wood chips or chunks such as apple, cherry, oak, or pecan.
- Make sure to let your smoker preheat fully before starting to cook to ensure as much smoke flavor is captured
- Try adding Liquid Smoke to the water pan for additional smoky flavor.
- Using a flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar really brings out the flavors in your food, but it's fine to use unflavored.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg