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Summer Avocado Salad
This summery avocado salad with crisp bell peppers, crunchy cucumbers, and juicy tomatoes is bursting with flavor and nutrition.
A good salad has lots of contrasting colors, textures, and flavors. This avocado salad has it ALL: buttery chunks of avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp yellow bell peppers, crunchy cucumbers, fresh herbs, and a tangy vinaigrette. If you have time, let the salad sit for at least 20 minutes before adding the avocados. This process draws out the juices from the vegetables, especially the cucumbers and tomatoes, and flavors the vinaigrette. Also, be sure to use a light hand when mixing in the avocados; they will start to break down the more you toss them. Serve the salad as a light lunch or side dish to grilled meats for supper.
What You’ll Need To Make Summer Avocado Salad
Be sure to choose perfectly ripe avocados for the salad. A ripe avocado should yield to pressure when gently squeezed with the palm of your hand. If your avocados ripen before you’re ready to use them, pop them in the fridge; this will significantly slow down the ripening process. If you need to speed up the ripening process, place the avocados in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana and fold the bag shut. Let the fruits (yes, avocado is a fruit!) sit together overnight on the counter and the avocados will ripen quickly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, water, salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic.
Add the cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, basil, and chives. Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 3 hours ahead).
Right before serving, add the avocados to the salad.
Gently fold in the avocados, being careful not to mash them.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve.
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Summer Avocado Salad
This summery avocado salad with crisp bell peppers, crunchy cucumbers, and juicy tomatoes is bursting with flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (or a combination of basil and mint)
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 2 large avocados, halved, pitted, and diced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, water, salt, black pepper, sugar, and garlic. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 3 hours). Right before serving, gently fold in the avocados, being careful not to mash them. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 254
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 399 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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OMG. LOVED it. Did not change a thing. Perfect. making it again.
So awesome and healthy! Even my husband loved it and he’s a picky eater. The only recommendation is to add spinach or romaine lettuce as the recipe makes a lot of delicious dressing.
Jenn,
Like all of your recipes, this was AMAZING. Perfect! I followed exactly according to the recipe. I love all of your recipes. Keep em coming!
Pam
Made this salad over the weekend and had to make it again the next day because it’s so delicious! Absolutely wonderful!
This salad had become my go-to this summer. All my favorite veggies are even better mixed together!
Lovely salad even the next day. Love lots of avocado. Thanks for a great suggestion when I’m running out of ideas. You never fail to surprise snd delight. You take the guesswork out of meal planning!
This salad is absolutely delicious! It’s light, fresh, flavorful and filling. I love this so much, and can’t wait to enjoy it with our home grown tomatoes! YUM.
P.P.S.
I opted to include fresh mint as suggested. Wonderfully bright in flavor!
Pam
I prepared this salad over the 4th of July weekend and it was a big hit. It is very refreshing to have with your summer barbecue.
A nice change from green salads and very refreshing! Thank you!
Pam
PS.
Wondering where your son is heading to college next year?
Haven’t tried this yet, but this looks like it would be delicious with shrimp added to it or even salmon or chicken. Jenn, have you tried that?
Hi Laurie, I haven’t tried it, but I agree 100% that it would be delish with either.
This is delicious.
Salad is fine. No need to put any sugar in.
My husband and I tried this salad for the first time tonight. Wow!!! Make.this.salad.immediately; you will love it ❤️. My husband said he could eat it everyday. It’s a perfect summer salad. It’s fresh, crunchy, and very colorful. Thanks again, Jenn, for another delicious recipe.
Hello Jenn,
I hope that all is well. Thank you for another delicious recipe. I made it yesterday and this summer salad was definitely a hit. Please keep posting new recipes. I never miss any as they come directly into my inbox.
So easy and delicious! I didn’t even add herbs because I didn’t have any. I served it over greens with some black beans and it was perfection.
Another great salad by Jenn! The crunch was excellent!!! Sooooo easy to put together and quite colorful!!
How do the leftovers fair in the refrigerator? Wondering if I should halve the recipe if that’s all I intend to use.
Hi Suzie, The avocado will discolor, but the salad keeps well for 1 to 2 days. If you’d like to make the whole batch, I would just hold off on adding the avocado until right before serving each time.
This salad was delicious and beautiful! Paired it with pork chops and maduro, a great meal.
Hi. Can I use seasoned rice vinegar? If yes, would I use less sugar?Thank you, Suzie
Yes and yes 🙂
Hi Jennifer – Do you recommend seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar for this recipe? Thank you, Barrie
Hi Barrie, I use unseasoned and have updated the recipe – thx for catching that!
Any difference if I use olive oil instead of vegetable? Looks like another winner!
Hi Jackie, I prefer the neutral flavor of vegetable oil here, but a good olive oil will work too.