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    Home » Salads

    Avocado Salad

    Published: Jul 28, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Avocado salad is creamy, crunchy, and refreshing, and it's all you need for a quick lunch or light dinner during the hot summer months.

    Creamy avocado, ripe and juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, tangy red onion, and fresh parsley meld together to perfection to create a tasty, nutritious, and fulfilling summer salad.

    avocado salad with cucumber and tomatoes
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Questions
    • More Avocado Recipes
    • More Salad Recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegan salad recipe collection!

    The best thing about avocado salad is that it is light, fresh, summer-friendly, while being nutritious, and fulfilling.

    With its healthy fats and plenty of fiber, the avocado makes this salad a good candidate for a quick everyday summer lunch.

    To be honest with you, we often have it as a main for dinner, served with crusty bread or rosemary focaccia.

    We keep this recipe simple, so you can make it without running to the store. However, please take this as a guideline and customize it with your favorite add-ins.

    For example, some good add-ins we tried are:

    • crispy air fryer chickpeas
    • spicy roasted chickpeas
    • drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
    • black olives or Kalamata olives
    • air fryer croutons
    • oven baked croutons
    • diced bell pepper
    • pasta (fusilli, rotini, farfalle)
    • chopped lettuce
    • arugula

    When it comes to the dressing, we like to use extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic or red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, without mixing the ingredients into a vinaigrette.

    If you want a salad with a bolder and poppier flavor, then try our Italian dressing, mustard dressing, or our cilantro and lime juice dressing for a Mexican twist.

    avocado salad

    Ingredients

    ingredients for avocado salad

    Avocado

    You'll need ripe avocados.

    How to choose ripe avocado at the store?

    First: look for the stem. It's generally better if the avocado has it still on. This way, it will stay fresh for longer after buying it.

    Second: look at the color. Ripe avocados are generally darker than unripe ones. So try to find ones with a dark green, almost black color.

    Third: avoid shiny ones. Ripe avocadoes generally have a dull, matte peel. Shiny avocados usually are unripe.

    Fourth: avoid indentations or bruise spots. If you see evident bruises that are soft to the touch, that's not good. I wouldn't recommend buying those, even if they are on offer. There's not much you can do with bruised, overripe avocado.

    Fifth: feel it. If the avocado yields to firm, gentle pressure, you know it's ready to eat. To feel the avocado, pick it up in the palm of your hand, and apply gentle pressure with the whole hand. Do not squeeze with your fingertips as you might damage the avocado.

    If the avocado feels mushy, it could be overripe. However, if the avocado feels hard (it does not yield to gentle pressure), you can still buy it and let it ripe at home for a couple of days. To speed up ripening, put the avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana for a couple of days.

    Tomato

    Use ripe tomatoes that are firm to the touch. We recommend most tomato varieties to make this avocado salad recipe, from cherry tomatoes to grape tomatoes, from Heirloom tomatoes to Yellow Cherry or San Marzano tomatoes.

    We recommend mixing two or more varieties to have different textures and colors in the salad.

    Cucumber

    You can use English cucumber, American garden cucumber, or Persian cucumber. We like to keep the peel on, but you can peel it if you prefer or remove only part of the peel.

    Onion

    We recommend red onion for an avocado salad. It reminds us of guacamole, and its sharp, slightly spicy flavor melds perfectly with avocado's creamy and mellow taste.

    Slice it as thin as you can, then if you like a milder flavor, soak it in cold water for ten minutes before using it in the salad. You can substitute scallions, shallots, or spring onions for the red onion.

    Also, if you are more of a garlic fan, you can substitute a crushed garlic clove for the onion or add both.

    Olive oil

    Extra-virgin olive oil would be the best choice to add a fruity flavor and tie together the other ingredients.

    Lemon

    Lemon juice adds a fresh, vibrant kick to the salad; however, don't add too much of it because it can make the meal too acidic. Fresh lime juice would also work, especially if combined with fresh cilantro.

    You can replace it with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste or red wine vinegar.

    Fresh herbs

    Our herb of choice for this salad is flat-leaf parsley. It's fresh, easy to find, and everyone loves it. As a second choice, we have chopped fresh basil, which has a rounder flavor than parsley and fits perfectly with tomatoes and avocado.

    We can also recommend chives, dill, and cilantro, although not everyone likes that, so double-check with your peeps before adding it in.

    Salt and Pepper

    To taste great, avocados and tomatoes require a good pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

    Add-ins

    Our avocado cucumber and tomato salad is delicious as is. However, if you feel like turning it into a more substantial main, then you can add one or more of:

    • crispy air fryer chickpeas
    • spicy roasted chickpeas
    • drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
    • black olives or Kalamata olives
    • air fryer croutons
    • oven baked croutons
    • diced bell pepper
    • chopped lettuce
    • arugula
    • corn
    • pasta (fusilli, rotini, farfalle)
    all chopped veggies for the avocado salad

    Instructions

    Important before you start! If you are making the salad ahead of time, add the avocado at the last minute, just before eating the salad. This way, it won't go brown.

    Step 1: Prep the Veggies

    Cut the red onion in half, then into thin slices. Pinch the onion with your fingers to separate the layers.

    finley chopped onion

    If a raw red onion is too sharp for you, soak it in cold water for ten minutes before adding it to the salad.

    soaking the onion in cold water

    Dice the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. For example, you can cut cherry tomatoes in half and larger tomatoes into wedges.

    chopped tomatoes for avocado salad

    Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then in half again, and finally into smaller pieces.

    diced cucumber

    Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, then score it with a knife to create small squares. Finally, scoop it out to add it to the other ingredients.

    scoping out the avocado

    Step 2: Mix the Veggies

    Add chopped tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, and onion to a large bowl.

    Next, add finely chopped parsley, balsamic vinegar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice), extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    ingredients in a bowl

    Mix gently until the vegetables are coated in the condiments and slightly creamy from the avocado. Taste and adjust for salt before serving.

    avocado salad in a bowl

    Variations

    Avocado Pasta Salad

    avocado pasta salad
    Avocado pasta salad with dill, chickpeas, and olives.

    Our favorite variation is avocado pasta salad, which you can make by adding a short pasta type to this recipe. There's something about adding pasta to it that makes this avocado salad even better.

    Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. It's important that you salt the pasta water.

    Drain the pasta, run it under cold water for 15 seconds, then add it to the other ingredients. You might need to add more olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    Add a can of rinsed chickpeas to make this an even more nutritious and fulfilling meal with a complete and healthy plant-based protein profile.

    Bruschetta with Avocado Salad

    bruschetta with avocado salad
    Bruschetta topped with avocado salad.

    If you follow your site, you know that we are huge fans of bruschetta (toasted bread slices with fresh toppings), and we eat it often as a quick lunch or dinner.

    This avocado salad is the perfect topping for a delicious avocado and tomato bruschetta.

    You don't have to change anything; toast some bread slices, brush them with garlic while still warm, and top them with a couple of tablespoons of the salad.

    Drizzle with good olive oil, and boom! The best bruschetta ever. Avocado and tomatoes on crunchy bread are irresistible.

    Avocado Salad + Add-Ins

    crispy chickpea and olives with avocado salad
    Avocado salad with crispy air-fried chickpeas, olives, and dill.

    Pick one or more of these delicious add-ins to make your avocado salad more personal:

    • crispy air fryer chickpeas
    • spicy roasted chickpeas
    • drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
    • black olives or Kalamata olives
    • air fryer croutons
    • oven baked croutons
    • diced bell pepper
    • chopped lettuce
    • arugula
    • corn
    • pasta (fusilli, rotini, farfalle)

    Our favorite is crispy air-fried chickpeas, black pitted olives, and fresh dill.

    Serving Suggestions

    While this avocado salad is a great side dish to most mains, we like to serve it as a main dish with a slice of crusty bread and a couple of add-ins such as olives and chickpeas.

    Avocado salad is nutritious and fulfilling, making for a perfect light lunch or a quick and healthy dinner.

    Storage

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The salad won't be as crisp, but it'll still be tasty.

    Some juices might float around from the cucumber and tomatoes; you can drain those and add fresh olive oil and parsley.

    Questions

    What pairs well with avocado in a salad?

    Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, tangy red onion, and fresh herbs such as basil and parsley pair perfectly well with avocado.

    According to the vegetarian flavor bible from Karen Page, other ingredients that pair well with avocado are asparagus, black beans, corn, fennel, garlic, grapefruit, greens, lemon, lime, lettuce, mango, orange, quinoa, scallions, spinach, and yogurt.

    How long will avocado stay fresh in a salad?

    Avocados will stay fresh for about 12 to 24 hours if you add lemon juice to the salad, which slows the oxidation of the avocado.

    More Avocado Recipes

    If you love creamy avocado, get fresh inspiration from these avocado-packed recipes:

    • avocado spread
      Avocado Spread
    • guacamole
      Guacamole
    • Tofu Salad with dressing
      Tofu Salad
    • Tofu scramble on bread with vegetables
      Tofu Scramble

    More Salad Recipes

    A fresh bowl of salad is a vibrant and healthy meal, especially if you combine it with wholesome plant-based protein. Here are some of our most liked salads, perfect as side dishes or as main meals:

    • Cucumber tomato salad
      Cucumber Tomato Salad
    • simple side salad
      Side Salad
    • tomato salad served on a platter with crusty bread
      Tomato Salad
    • Rice salad with olives and tomatoes
      Rice Salad
    • zucchini salad
      Zucchini Salad
    • chickpea salad
      Chickpea Salad
    • Italian Salad
      Italian Salad
    • chickpea pasta salad
      Chickpea Pasta Salad

    Or get inspiration from our list of 25 most loved salads, including grain bowls and winter salads.

    For many more side dishes ideas, check out our sides category page.

    Recipe

    avocado salad

    Avocado Salad

    Author: Nico
    Avocado salad is creamy, crunchy, and refreshing, and it's all you need for a quick lunch or light dinner during the hot summer months.
    Creamy avocado, ripe, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, tangy red onion, and fresh parsley meld together to perfection to create a tasty, nutritious, fulfilling summer salad.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main, salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 257 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 ripe avocados diced
    • 1 crisp cucumber chopped
    • 1 pound tomatoes cherry, Roma, heirloom, or a mix
    • ½ medium red onion finely sliced
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions
     

    STEP 1: PREP THE VEGGIES

    • Cut the red onion in half, then into thin slices. Pinch the onion with your fingers to separate the layers.
      finley chopped onion
    • If a raw red onion is too sharp for you, soak it in cold water for ten minutes before adding it to the salad.
      soaking the onion in cold water
    • Dice the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. For example, you can cut cherry tomatoes in half and larger tomatoes into wedges.
      chopped tomatoes for avocado salad
    • Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then in half again, and finally into smaller pieces.
      diced cucumber
    • Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, then score it with a knife to create small squares. Finally, scoop it out to add it to the other ingredients.
      scoping out the avocado

    STEP 2: MIX THE VEGGIES

    • Add chopped tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, and onion to a large bowl. Next, add finely chopped parsley, balsamic vinegar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice), extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
      ingredients in a bowl
    • Mix gently until the vegetables are coated in the condiments and slightly creamy from the avocado. Taste and adjust for salt before serving.
      avocado salad

    Notes

    If you want a salad with a bolder and poppier flavor, then try our Italian dressing, mustard dressing, or our cilantro and lime juice dressing for a Mexican twist.
    Check out our "VARIATIONS" chapter to see how to make:
    avocado pasta salad
    • avocado pasta salad,
    • bruschetta with avocado salad,
    • avocado salad with crispy chickpeas and olives, or
    • pick one or more of these favorite add-ins to make your own:
      • crispy air fryer chickpeas
      • spicy roasted chickpeas
      • drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
      • black olives or Kalamata olives
      • air fryer croutons
      • oven baked croutons
      • diced bell pepper
      • chopped lettuce
      • arugula
      • corn
      • pasta (fusilli, rotini, farfalle)

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Avocado Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 257 Calories from Fat 198
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 22g34%
    Saturated Fat 3g19%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 15g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 804mg23%
    Carbohydrates 16g5%
    Dietary Fiber 8g33%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 1345IU27%
    Vitamin B6 0.4mg20%
    Vitamin C 31mg38%
    Vitamin E 4mg27%
    Vitamin K 84µg80%
    Calcium 34mg3%
    Folate 106µg27%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 0.3mg15%
    Magnesium 46mg12%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this recipe, you might also like:

    • Vegan Pasta Recipes such as pomodoro and vegan carbonara
      40 Vegan Pasta Recipes
    • best eggplant recipes including mains and side dishes
      24 Best Eggplant Recipes
    • 20 Easy Zucchini Recipes
    • Tasty vegetarian meal ideas
      30 Tasty Vegetarian Recipes
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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

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