Cucumber Bruschetta with Tomato and Kalamata Olives
This refreshing summer snack replaces the bread in traditional bruschetta with crispy, crunchy cucumbers. Topped with a flavorful, tangy tomato, olive and caper mix….you won’t be able to eat just one….or two. Or three. (I stopped at 5.)
The winter took a toll on me. I ate so.much.food. And sat around….a lot. Before I knew it I had gained an extra 10 pounds. I say extra because it was on top of some weight that I had already decided was extra. So this was additional “extra” weight. (If you say “extra” too many times it starts to not even sound like a word. Extra. Yep. Weird.
Anyway, I recently lost that additional “extra” weight by cutting back on fast food and eating less bread, pasta and sugar. Don’t get me wrong….I STILL eat them occasionally but I was, pretty much, living on them all winter long. Purely out of convenience….and my love of McDonald’s french fries didn’t help.
Summer makes eating healthier so much easier. The fresh fruits and vegetables are everywhere you turn….talk about convenience! The fruit is, literally, like eating candy and just as satisfying. And the tomatoes…..oh.boy. I mentioned before how I have a love/hate relationship with tomatoes. I refuse to buy them when they’re not in season. It’s just not worth the disappointment to bite into a mealy, pale tomato in the dead of winter. It makes me miss summer that much more. But summer tomatoes are like biting into a waterfall of juicy, tangy sunshine. I can’t think of anything better.
I love bruschetta….I love how a simple tomato salad perched on top of a small piece of bread can be so satisfying…so filling…so happy. I don’t love that I always feel compelled to eat ALL of the bruschetta like I’ll never have it again. The bread can be a problem for me. I had to find a way to fix it but without sacrificing the flavor or the crunchy contrast to the topping. And so…I sliced up some cucumbers and called them bread. Yep. It was a happy, happy day.
Drizzled with a bit of aged balsamic vinegar, this will surely be a hit at any dinner or poolside party. Nobody wants to be a glutton when they’re wearing a bikini but these little babies are super skinny….to keep you super skinny. 🙂
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Bruschetta with Tomato and Kalamata Olives
Ingredients
- 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 english cucumber, sliced on an angle 1/4 inch thick
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss together all ingredients tomato through olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Arrange the cucumber on a platter and spoon the tomato mixture in the middle of each slice. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.
- Note: The tomato mixture can be made up to 24 hours in advanced and refrigerated in an airtight container.
33 Comments on “Cucumber Bruschetta with Tomato and Kalamata Olives”
Ooh! What a great idea! Pinning for later!!
Gorgeous photos! I love bruschetta and I love the twist using a cucumber! 🙂
Whatay a lovely idea. bookmarked to try soon. 🙂
Siri
Thank you!
I don’t know what it is about colder temps that make us want to curl up in a bread basket and never come out. “Winter weight” is real. Normally I would scoff at skipping bread with bruschetta but the cucumbers totally make it work!
I totally thought skipping bread for bruschetta was silly….until the winter weight. 🙂
This looks so pretty and perfect for summer!
Thanks!
What a great way to use up cucumbers and make a healthier option for bruschetta.
I love bruschetta! On things, in things, over things, I just love it!
Me too! It’s so yummy!
Ugh, I completely feel you on the “extra” weight. This winter was brutal, all I wanted was comfort food! But now, I need to lose the weight and eat fresh, fresh, fresh! this is perfect for that. I love the idea of serving the bruschetta on cucumbers instead of bread!
I won’t make this a habit but it certainly cuts back on the carbs for a lighter snack. 🙂
congrats on losing that weight! this recipe is so brilliant – I’m totally making it this weekend. 🙂
Thanks, Lauren! I hope you enjoy it.
Best idea for Bruschetta I’ve ever seen!!
Thank you! {takes a humble bow} 🙂
What a great idea!!! How healthy too!
Thanks, Ginny!
YUM! I love me some bruschetta – never thought to use zucchini as the base 🙂 But I can’t give up my crusty Italian bread so think I’ll chop up the zucchini (which I just got a bunch from my CSA) and add to your glorious topping. Funny – I crave McDonalds’ French fries in the winter too….
Zucchini would be great too! I love bread sooooo much that I had to give it a bread with some of the recipes. I didn’t give it up entirely though.
These look so tasty! It’s like a Greek salad on a cucumber 🙂
It is!!! Need a little feta next time. 🙂
Oh my gosh this looks absolutely delicious and beautiful! I definitely want to make this for the next party I host! Yum! I pinned it!
Thanks for the pin!!!
I never would’ve thought to use the cucumber…love this!
Thanks!
This is just brilliant. It’s perfect for using up cukes from the garden AND for just plain healthy eats!
Thanks, Rebecca! I love that I can eat 10 of these without guilt. 🙂
Congrats on getting yourself back to a place you want to be – I am still working on that too because it’s so easy to want comfort foods in the winter! These look crunchy, flavorful, and delicious – my mouth is watering!
Thanks, Marisa! It’s still a work in progress.
Everything about this is perfect. I am with you, this winter was so hard! This bruschetta looks light and delicious 🙂
Thanks! Praying for a mild winter…with rainbows and butterflies this year. 🙂