Cucumber and Tomato Salad
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
2 pinches black pepper
2 cucumbers, quarter lengthwise, then slice*
2 large tomatoes, wedge, then cut wedges in half
1 large onion, sliced and rings separated (vidalia or red preferred)
1. Dressing: In a bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, thyme, and pepper; whisk thoroughly.
2. Salad: In another bowl, combine cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion; toss to combine.
3. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Mix again before serving.
* For a crisper salad, core the cucumber to remove the seeds before slicing.
Notes/Variations: I like balsamic vinegar the best, but vegan red wine vinegar is also very good, and any vinegar will do. Halved cherry tomatoes can be used instead of whole tomatoes. Any oil on hand can be used instead of olive oil. For a low-fat version, you can use water instead of oil.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
My new favorite salad recipe!! I make it all the time! :) I make it with red wine vinegar but everything else I kept the same.
I've made this a couple of times now and it is simple and tasty. The first time I used balsamic vinegar and the second time I used red wine vinegar. While I love balsamic vinegar, I preferred the red wine with the cukes. I also used about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves instead of a tsp. of dried (I assumed that was dried based on the amount) and I used fresh basil the second time with the red wine vinegar instead of cilantro. You can adapt this to using whatever fresh herbs you like.