Avocado Salad

No need to worry about wilting lettuce—this avocado salad makes all of the crunchy, cool vegetables the stars of the show! Avocado, tomato, cucumber, green onion, and cilantro are all tossed together for a no-lettuce salad that's full of flavor and texture. The three-ingredient salsa verde dressing lets each ingredient shine! One can never have too many delicious avocado recipes, so keep this simple salad handy for a healthy side. 

What is in avocado salad?

As long as avocados are the star, it is an avocado salad, and this recipe is all about the wildly popular fruit. Make sure to pick the best avocados possible and store your avocados properly! Complementing its natural creaminess and bright green color, avocado is paired with cucumber, vibrant heirloom tomatoes, green onion, and fragrant cilantro. The dressing is incredibly flavorful and simple since it uses salsa verde as the base. Crack open a jar—or make homemade tomatillo salsa—and whisk in some lime juice and oil for a quick salad dressing.

Is there a way to ripen a hard avocado?

If you've ever let an avocado hang out too long on the countertop, you know that they can most certainly ripen. The easiest and best way to ripen an avocado is to let it sit in a sunny spot on the counter. It can take a few days, depending on how much ripening needs to take place. To speed along the process, try placing an avocado in a paper bag on the countertop. This traps the ethylene gas that the avocado produces causing it to ripen more quickly. You can place other ethylene gas-producing fruits, such as apples or bananas, in the bag with the avocado to help it ripen even more faster. 

How do you keep avocado green in a salad?

Citrus juice is one of the best (and most delicious) defense mechanisms against oxidation (or, an avocado turning brown). This recipe has some tart lime juice in the dressing and the avocado gets tossed in even more juice. The avocado will eventually start to turn brown but the lime juice helps keep it bright green for longer. It's best to go ahead and serve this salad soon after you make it so that the avocado is as fresh as possible.

What does avocado salad pair well with?

This refreshing salad is the perfect complement to juicy grilled steak, marinated chicken, or baked salmon. It also makes a delicious cookout side dish with burgers and hotdogs!