This tomato avocado salad is a zesty blend of avocado, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno and red onion, all tossed in a lime dressing. A simple yet satisfying dish that is great for picnics and potlucks.
I am a huge avocado fan, I love to make avocado fries, avocado toast and this refreshing avocado salad. It’s got all the same flavor components of guacamole, how can you go wrong with that?!
I could eat avocado every day and never get tired of it! One of my favorite ways to eat avocado is in this colorful tomato avocado salad. It’s got creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, a bit of a kick from fresh jalapeno and the most delicious tangy dressing.
How do you make avocado salad?
This salad is a blend of tomatoes, avocado, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro, all tossed in a 2 minute homemade dressing. Simple mix everything together and serve! I recommend serving this salad immediately. If you need to prepare it in advance, you can cover the salad and store it in the refrigerator for one hour. You can use any type of tomato you like in this dish – I used small vine ripened tomatoes which I cut into quarters, but you could also use halved cherry tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes.
How to choose an avocado
You want to make sure you’re choosing ripe avocados for this salad since they’re the main flavoring agent in the recipe. Ripe avocados are typically a dark, almost black color. Stay away from green skinned avocados as they are likely underripe. A ripe avocado should yield to gentle pressure but it shouldn’t be overly soft. Your avocados should be on the firmer side so that they don’t turn to mush in the salad. You can also check your avocados for ripeness by peeling back the small stem on top. If the avocado is green under the stem, it’s ripe.
How do you keep avocado from turning brown?
The best way to keep the avocado in this salad from turning brown is to coat it in dressing as soon as it’s cut. The dressing contains lime juice, and the acid in the lime juice will help to preserve the green color of the avocado. That being said, eventually the avocado may still show some discoloration, so it’s best to eat this salad soon after it’s prepared.
Avocado salad variations
While I typically prepare this salad as written, sometimes I add other ingredients into the mix for a new flavor combination.
- Protein: Add diced grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a meal.
- Cheese: Add crumbled feta or cotija cheese for a fun twist.
- Olives: This salad would be great with sliced black olives.
- Beans: Black or pinto beans are a great addition to this salad.
- Vegetables: You can add other veggies such as corn, cucumber, radishes or bell peppers.
Is avocado salad healthy?
Avocados are very healthy and contain 20 different vitamins and minerals. They are also high in healthy fats, low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. The other ingredients in this salad, such as the tomatoes, lime juice, jalapeno and cilantro, are also great choices for a healthy diet.
Try this salad for your next summer party, it pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, fish or steak. This salad always gets lots of compliments, it’s so fresh and people just can’t get enough of it.
More great salad recipes
Tomato Avocado Salad Video
Tomato Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups tomatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large avocados peeled, pitted and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, then minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, avocados, red onion, cilantro and jalapeno in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 1 hour.
Nutrition
This post was published on June 2, 2019 and was updated with new content on May 6, 2020.
Very refreshing and simple recipe! Love the dressing!