This tomato cucumber avocado salad is fresh, easy to make and perfect as a side dish during a Summer barbecue. It’s light, full of flavor and easily customizable.
This might be an unpopular onion, but this time of year I crave lots of fresh salads. But definitely not the boring kind with wilted lettuce, a few shriveled tomatoes and flavorless dressing.
My three bean salad has been a favorite as of late, but I splurged on some beautiful heirloom tomatoes and just had to put them to good use!
This tomato cucumber avocado salad is fresh, has juicy, crispy and creamy elements and is so full of flavor thanks to lots of fresh basil and red onion.
It takes only about 10 minutes to prep and is sure to be a hit at any summer get together (or a trip to the beach!)
You can definitely add mozzarella if you aren’t vegan/dairy free, but it’s honestly delicious exactly as is!
Ingredients
Heirloom Tomatoes: Heirloom tomatoes are non-hybrid and pollinated naturally by birds, insects or humans. They come in all shapes, colors and sizes and look beautiful in this salad!
They can be on the pricey side, so you of course can use regular tomatoes for this recipe if that’s all you have. Even halved grape or cherry tomatoes would be delicious! Just make sure they’re nice and ripe and brightly colored.
Cucumber: The cucumber adds such a nice crunch that complements the softness of the avocado and the acidity in the cucumber. There’s no need to peel cucumbers for this salad, but you are welcome to if you like!
Avocado: The avocado adds a really nice creamy contrast next to the other ingredients. Be sure to use a ripe avocado for best results and add it to the salad at the very end. If you are going to prepare this salad in advance, I do not recommend adding the avocado the night before. You’ll want to add it right before you serve so it stays fresh and doesn’t turn brown.
Basil: I’m a BIG basil fan, so I add lots of basil to this tomato cucumber salad.
Red Onion: Since this salad has such a simple dressing, we’re getting a lot of flavor from the other ingredients, largely the red onion.
EVOO & Vinegar: A little olive oil and balsamic vinegar plus salt and pepper is all you need to dress this salad! Simple is best in this recipe, I promise!
How to make this recipe
Core the tomatoes and chop into bite sized pieces. Add to a large bowl.
Slice the ends of the cucumber off, discard and chop the cucumber into bite sized pieces. Add to the bowl.
Slice or chop the onion, I like to use a mandoline to get thin strips.
Add to the bowl with all remaining ingredients aside from the avocado. Toss together until combined.
Let marinate for about 15 minutes to allow the tomatoes to soften and the flavors to blend. Add the sliced avocado and gently toss to combine. Enjoy!
Does it keep?
Yes! This tomato salad will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. It will get quite juicy as it sits, so you can use that as a dip with some good hearty bread.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this tomato cucumber avocado salad as a side with other summer dishes such as corn on the cob, burgers, or grilled salmon. It can also make a great lunch with some chickpeas thrown into the mix or some grilled chicken.
Make it herby
I’m kind of obsessed with basil, so I like to keep the focus on it, but you are welcome to add any other fresh or dried herbs of your choice to this salad. Fresh parsley or a pinch of Italian herbs would be delicious!
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Heirloom Tomato Cucumber & Avocado Salad
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 4 large heirloom tomatoes
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 avocado
- ½ red onion
- ½ cup chopped basil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Core the tomatoes and chop into bite sized pieces. Add to a large bowl.
- Slice the ends of the cucumber off, discard and chop the cucumber into bite sized pieces. Add to the bowl.
- Slice or chop the onion, I like to use a mandoline to get thin strips.
- Add to the bowl with all remaining ingredients aside from the avocado. Toss together until combined.
- Let marinate for about 15 minutes to allow the tomatoes to soften and the flavors to blend. Add the sliced avocado and gently toss to combine. Enjoy as is or with your favorite bread on the side.
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