Crisp, creamy, and dressed in a zippy vinaigrette, this is the best Avocado Salad! It’s a fresh, flavorful accompaniment to any meal. Avocado lovers unite—and make this recipe ASAP!
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Why You’ll Love This Avocado Salad Recipe
- It’s a Delightful Mix. Salads are like friend groups. Everyone brings something different to the table and when you put it all together, it just works. (There are many sitcoms built around this concept!) The combination of creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, and crisp green onions all comes together in a perfectly balanced bite.
- An Effortless Side Dish. Sometimes you’re making a time-consuming main dish and you want a side that you can just throw together. Other times, you simply want every element of your dinner to be easy. Either way, this avocado salad is a no-cook side dish that comes together with very little effort and time.
- Healthy and Fresh. This is the kind of recipe that just makes you feel good when you eat it. Plus, avocados are packed with healthy monounsaturated fat—and that healthy fat helps you better absorb the lycopene in tomatoes. Synergy!
- A Summer Staple. Avocado salad is made for pairing with Grilled Chicken Breast and Grilled Salmon, but that’s not the only reason I love it for summer. Like my Creamy Cucumber Salad and Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad, this avocado salad uses cucumbers and tomatoes, two veggies that gardens and farmers’ markets have in abundance during the summer months.
- Avocados. That’s it. That’s the reason.
How to Make Avocado Salad
The Ingredients
- English Cucumber. Adds a crisp contrast to the creamy avocado.
- Kosher Salt. Some for seasoning, some for drawing out the excess liquid from the cucumber. (Don’t worry, much of the added sodium will drain off with the water.)
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. This is a recipe where it’s worth it to use a high-quality oil if you have one on hand. (No need to buy one if you don’t, though!)
- Red Wine Vinegar. Gives your vinaigrette zip and zing.
- Honey. Balances the zip and zing with a little sweetness.
- Garlic. If you’re a garlic fan, you may be side-eying the single clove of garlic in this recipe, but add more and it will overwhelm your avocado salad.
- Black Pepper. Freshly ground is best.
- Hass Avocados. Pitted and then sliced or diced—your call.
- Cherry Tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are just fine too.
- Green Onion. Add only the green parts for a milder flavor, or include the white ends for a more pronounced onion flavor.
The Directions
- Cut the Cucumber. Scoop out the cucumber seeds, then cut each half lengthwise and slice into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Salt and Drain. Transfer the cucumbers to a colander and toss them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Drain over a sink or bowl.
- Make the Dressing. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Assemble. Add the drained cucumbers to a large bowl with the avocado, tomatoes, and green onions.
- Dress. Pour the dressing over the avocado salad and gently stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Add Some Fresh Herbs. Fresh cilantro, basil, parsley, or even mint will add some herbaceous flavor to this avocado salad.
- Make It a Meal. Cooked quinoa will take your cucumber avocado salad from side to light meal. You might want to make extra dressing to make sure there’s enough to go around!
- Toss in Some Cheese. You can’t go wrong with feta cheese, or try queso fresco and pair your avocado cucumber tomato salad with a Tex-Mex main dish like Chicken Quesadillas.
- Swap the Cucumber for Jicama. Like cucumber, it adds a crisp texture to the mix, but you don’t need to salt or drain it so you can get your salad on the table even faster!
- Switch Up the Vinaigrette. Lime juice or lemon juice also add zippy flavor, along with vitamin C, which helps slow the browning of the avocados a bit. Apple cider vinegar works in this recipe too.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a day. The avocado will brown and there will be a bit of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Just give it a good stir, then serve it with a slotted spoon!
Leftover Ideas
Tuck your leftovers into lettuce cups for lunch the next day, or use them as a topping for Grilled Chicken Tenders.
What to Serve with Avocado Salad
- Chicken. Pair avocado salad with Baked BBQ Chicken or Smoked Chicken Thighs.
- Seafood. For a lean protein option, serve avocado salad with Grilled Shrimp or Salmon Patties.
- Burgers. I love fries, but sometimes I want a lighter side for a Turkey Burger or Vegan Burger. Avocado salad is fabulous!
- Whole Grains. Avocado salad is also perfect for Meatless Monday when you round it out with healthy, fiber-rich carbohydrates like brown rice or farro.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Non-Slip Cutting Board. A must-have when you’re chopping veggies for a salad!
- Mixing Bowls. These mixing bowls are elegant enough to use for serving too.
- Colander. I love this one because it fits over a sink.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Choose Your Avocado Wisely. Plan on making your avocado salad today? Then buy an avocado that’s ripe! Otherwise, you’ll want to buy an unripe avocado. (Note that this is risky, though, because you don’t know exactly when the avocado will ripen. Build some flexibility into your meal plan and you can make it work, and place the avocado in a paper bag if you need to speed up the ripening process.)
- Don’t Prep (Too Far) in Advance. The oil in the vinaigrette will slow down the browning of the avocados, but they won’t stop it completely. (They’re kind of like bananas that way!) You can safely assemble this salad up to 2 hours in advance and gently press a layer of plastic wrap over the top, but any earlier than that is dicey if you’re making avocado salad for a party (i.e., you have people to impress). If you have to, you can leave out the avocados and add them just before serving.
- Stir Gently. As you stir, the avocado will break down a bit, making the salad creamy. This is good! But you don’t want to stir too much because you do want the avocados to more-or-less hold their shape.
Avocado Salad
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Crisp, creamy, and dressed in a zippy vinaigrette, this Avocado Salad is a fresh, flavorful accompaniment to any meal. So easy to make too!
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Ingredients
- 1 medium English cucumber
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 medium clove garlic grated or minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium/large ripe Hass avocados pitted and sliced or diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
Instructions
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to remove the seeds. Cut in half lengthwise once more (so you have 4 long batons), then cut each baton crosswise into 1/2-inch slice.
- Place the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Toss to coat, then place the colander over a sink or bowl and let the cucumbers drain for at least 5 minutes or up to 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- In a large bowl, place the avocado and cherry tomatoes.
- Shake the colander with the cucumbers to remove excess water, then add them to the bowl with the avocado mixture. Add the green onions.
- Pour the dressing over the top, then with a large spoon, stir gently to combine. The avocados will break down a little bit and make the other ingredients creamy and glossy. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately or cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed against the top and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Give the mixture a gentle stir just before serving.
Video
Notes
TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover avocado salad for up to a day. The avocado will brown and there will be a bit of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Just give it a good stir, then serve it with a slotted spoon!
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gPotassium: 882mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 867IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
How Do You Keep Avocado from Turning Brown in Salad?
There’s no way to prevent avocados from turning brown in a salad, but using an oil-based dressing will help slow the process, as will storing the salad with a piece of plastic wrap pressed over the top to limit oxygen exposure.
How Do You Prepare an Avocados for a Salad?
Once you slice and open the avocado, remove the pit by placing a chef’s knife over the pit and giving it a firm tap. You should be able to lift the pit out with the knife. Then, cut the avocado into slices or cubes without piercing through the skin and use a large spoon to scoop out the cut fruit.
Should You Refrigerate Avocados?
Only ripe avocados should be refrigerated. Unripe avocados need to be stored at room temperature.
Is It Okay to Eat Brown Avocado?
Brown avocado is safe to eat; it’s simply not as appetizing and it can sometimes be a little bitter.
Related Recipes
With its healthy fats, avocado is a super food—and it’s also super delicious! Here are some more avocado recipes to try:
