If you're looking for a light, healthy salad this avocado, tomato, cucumber salad might be for you. It's easy to put together and versatile. You can make a meal of this with some toasty bread on the side or serve it as a side salad to just about any protein. It's light, refreshing and filled with fresh basil and dill.
Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber Salad: The Ultimate Summer Salad
Can every salad be considered a summer salad? I think we work with a very broad definition when using the term summer salad. For me, I just like saying it. It sounds like it's going to be good when you call it a summer salad, right? Ultimately, I was undecided on a proper name for this. I realize the avocado, tomato, cucumber salad part is important, but just as important are the fresh herbs. One cannot underscore enough the pop of herbaliciousness that dill and basil bring to the table. Don't skip that. Splurge on the herbs.
I do enjoy a finely diced shallot in a salad like this and the hint of raw onion is perfect. Too much and it could ruin the salad. That's why I like to dice it as fine as possible. The vinegar and oil tame the raw flavor as well, so I think it's a good balance. Meanwhile, we have the lonely, little radishes. Does anyone else feel like radishes are lonely? I feel bad for them at times because they seem like a forgotten salad ingredient. They add a bright flavor, crunch and color and I think we should definitely use them more in salads! Go radishes!
Craving More Awesome Salads? Thought so:
- Hearty Summer Salad
- Jonah Crab & Asparagus Salad w/Basil Vinaigrette
- Warm Goat Cheese Salad w/Toasted Pine Nuts & Dried Cherries
- Kale, Radish & Parsley Salad w/Fennel Carrots & Walnuts
- Thai Lettuce Wraps w/Rotisserie Chicken
- Steak Salad w/Bobby Flay's Pickled Red Onions & Bleu Cheese
I hope you give this awesome salad a try. The herbyness is refreshing, the buttery avocados and the pop of salt from the feta cheese will bring a smile to your face. I love this salad on a day that's been too hot to deal with anything... or anyone. A day when I don't want my oven on, I just want a bowl of healthy.
I encourage you to get to your kitchen and make delicious homemade food. There has never been a better time to learn how to cook beautiful meals with all your favorite foods. Gather around a table and break bread with your loved ones. Take some quiet time to enjoy each other's company and share the story of your days. Put down the devices and share the tradition of sitting down for dinner each night. I know when I do this, it always makes me feel better.
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Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber Salad w/Basil, Dill & Feta
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This light, herby, avocado, tomato, cucumber salad is a great healthy meal option or side salad to any protein!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ an English cucumber
- 4-5 avocados
- 1 heaping tablespoon shallot or onion, finely diced
- 3 large radish, diced
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
- 2 heads Boston leaf lettuce (bibb lettuce)
- ½ cup white vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus extra
- salt & pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Feta cheese (optional topping)
Instructions
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half and put in a large bowl.
- Cut English cucumber into sticks and then into cubes. Set aside.
- Finely dice the shallot or regular onion (yellow, white, red - doesn't matter). Set aside.
- Chop the fresh dill. Set aside.
- Remove skin and pit from avocados and dice into cubes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the avocados.
- Add avocados the bowl with the cherry tomatoes and add the vinegar too. Mix together well and set aside. I like to coat the avocado with the vinegar soon after cutting them. It helps preserve the avocados so they don't turn brown.
- Dice radish into small, bite-sized cubes.
- Stack, roll and slice the fresh basil. I like to cut basil near the end of preparation since it can get dark spots quickly. The basil is still good and perfectly fine to eat when it gets the dark spots. But I like cutting it right before I’m using it.
- Add shallot, cucumber, radish, dill, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper to the tomato/avocado bowl. Mix well.
- Lay out the Boston Bibb Lettuce on a plate (2-3 leaves of the lettuce per plate) and spoon the avocado, tomato, cucumber salad on top. Top with feta cheese if using and garnish with any additional dill and basil on hand.
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