A summery cucumber salsa made full of flavor and a little kick, paired with tangy goat's cheese and toast. What a lovely appetizer this is!
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This family consumes ridiculous amounts of salsa in any given week, along with equally ridiculous amounts of tortilla chips. If we were smart we would buy stock in Tostitos.
And as much as we love the traditional flavors of tomato-based salsas, it's been fun to experiment with different main ingredients - especially during the summer months with so much inspiration from fresh produce!
Spicy Island Salsa with Pineapple & Coconut was born from our ingredient exploration, as was this Cucumber Salsa recipe.
Why you'll love it
This salsa combines the cool, crisp taste of cucumber with bold red onion and fiery habanero peppers. It's an addictive blend of savory ingredients for a salsa that's both refreshing and exciting.
This salsa is perched on little baguette toasts with crumbles of goat cheese. Imagine this little bites out on your appetizer table, or as a midday snack. The tang of the goat cheese pairs nicely with the fresh, spicy flavors of the salsa.
🔪 How to make this Cucumber Salsa on Toast with Chèvre
Step 1: Slice the cucumber
Peel and seed the cucumbers, then dice them into small pieces.
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Step 2: Prepare the onion and habanero
Dice the red onion and add them to the bowl with the cucumber. De-seed and dice the habanero, and add the pieces to the bowl as well.
Step 3: Assemble the salsa
Add the remaining salsa ingredients to the bowl and stir everything together. Refrigerate the salsa for 1-2 hours to let the flavors meld.
Step 4: Assemble the toasts
Toast small slices of bread or baguette, and spread each with goat cheese. Top them with the cucumber salsa and serve!
Tips:
- Habanero is one of the hottest peppers out there which is why this recipe only calls for half of a habanero. I love how the bright orange flecks of pepper look with the green and purple in this salsa, too. You could even use a bit less pepper if you want to dial back the heat even further.
You should also try this salsa with some crunchy, salty tortilla chips. It's hard to find a salsa that does not go with tortilla chips!
The recipe for Cucumber Salsa On Toast With Chèvre is below. Here are a few more fresh salsas to try as well!
💬 How did you like this salsa? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Cucumber Salsa with Chèvre on Toast
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Ingredients
- 3 large cucumbers, washed well
- 1 medium red onion (approx. 11 ounces)
- ½ of one small habanero pepper, washed
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (bottled or squeezed from about ½ of a fresh lime)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus extra if making toasts with chèvre)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 mini baguette or small cocktail bread, approximately 7 ounces
- 8 ounces classic chèvre goat cheese
Instructions
Make the salsa:
- Peel off and discard the skin. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon-sized measuring spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into long strips, lay them together and cut across to cut them into small pieces (about ½-inch sized.) Place cut cucumber into a large bowl.
- Finely dice the red onion and add them to the bowl.
- Wear gloves to keep the oils from the habanero off your skin. If you’re not using gloves keep your hands away from your face while handling the pepper and then wash them well after.
- Slice the habanero in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membranes. Slice the two halves of pepper into thin strips and then cut across the strips to dice them. Add the diced pepper to the bowl.
- Add the vinegar, lime juice, oil, salt and black pepper to the bowl, and stir well to combine everything. Cover and refrigerate the salsa for about two hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- This makes about 6 cups of salsa
To prepare the Cucumber Salsa on Toast with Chèvre:
- Slice the mini baguette or a cocktail bread loaf into 15 small slices. Toast the slices until they are lightly browned. Allow the toasts to cool completely.
- Spread each toast with approximately ½-ounce of Chèvre (about a tablespoon.)
- Top the cheese with a teaspoon or two of Cucumber Salsa, pressing the salsa into the cheese to help it stay put. Add a very tiny pinch of salt (just a few grains) to the tops of each toast. Serve them immediately.
- Makes 15 servings
Notes
- Habanero is one of the hottest peppers out there which is why this recipe only calls for half of a habanero. I love how the bright orange flecks of pepper look with the green and purple in this salsa, too. You could even use a bit less pepper if you want to dial back the heat even further.
Nutrition
Jane says
How long can you keep this in the refrigerator after canning?
Nancy Mock says
Hi Jane! After making the cucumber salsa, it can be stored in the fridge for three to five days. Eventually the cucumbers will get watery, so you want to enjoy it before then. Also, I want to mention that I have not tested this recipe for water bath canning, so it should just be stored in the fridge in a covered container. Thanks for the great question, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!