This is a bit of a non-recipe recipe, but since we’re all eating whole cucumbers right now (which I love, they are an underrated summer veg!), I figured it was time to pull in the cucumber toast!
Think of this as a better take on the cucumber finger sandwiches they serve at high tea. It’s a fancy toast at its finest, using zippy, herby cucumber salad to top a cheesy, creamy toast. I like to use plant-based cheese for this, but really any cheese will do!
Step 1 – Make the cucumber “salad”
This is more of a cucumber topping than a salad, of course. It’s really just the basis for the toast. I like slicing the cucumbers as thinly as possible to get the best possible bite. Here is what you need:
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, loosely packed
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Mix this all together (don’t forget to chop the herbs!) and season to taste. I love a few extra cracks of black pepper here.
Step 2 – Assemble your cucumber toast!
For me, the key to this toast is thiiiiin layers. Thin layer of cheese + thin layer of cucumber = maximum bite enjoyment. This is a delicate toast! Which means you can eat seven of them. And I often do.
I like to mix up the cheese in a bowl before I spread it. This makes it super creamy and easy to spread into an even layer (see the photo above). This is the plant-based cheese I like to use!
Then I evenly layer the cucumbers on top, and there you have a beautiful toast! Olive oil on top makes it extra delicious, so don’t skip it.
And that’s it for this cucumber toast! A short and simple one today. But I love it so so much.
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!
Classic Cucumber Toast
Equipment
- 1 sharp chef's knife or mandolin
- 1 Toaster
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1/4 cup fresh dill loosely packed
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves loosely packed
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices bread of choice
- 3 ounces creamy, spreadable herbed goat cheese you can also opt for herbed cream cheese, or a plant-based equivalent
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Use either a mandolin or a knife to slice the cucumber as thinly as possible.
- To a large bowl, add the cucumber slices. Finely chop the dill and mint and add them to the bowl.
- Zest in 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest. Juice in half the lemon, which is a little over 1 tablespoon.
- Add the granulated sugar and salt to the cucumbers, along with the tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Mix, taste, and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- Toast the bread to your preferred crispness. Spread the cheese evenly onto each toast, and thinly layer the cucumbers on top.
- Drizzle with highly quality olive oil and serve!
