Quick and easy (10 minutes!) Cucumber Avocado Salad recipe finished with the most delicious cilantro honey vinaigrette! Crisp, cool and refreshing, this healthy Southwestern salad is perfect for summer!
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Cucumber Avocado Salad Recipe
Meet your new favorite refreshing summer salad!
Crunchy, fresh, and incredibly easy to make (think 10 minutes or less type of easy), this healthy salad is going to become a family favorite!
Crisp, cool cucumber coins, creamy slices of avocado, delicate scallions, pungent red onions, crunchy radishes, nutty pepitas and salty crumbled queso fresco tossed in a silky, luscious, herbaceous honey cilantro vinaigrette.
This easy avocado cucumber salad is summery fresh, packed with nutritious ingredients and rocking bright, flavorful Southwestern vibes!
It’s ridiculously quick and easy to prepare which makes it the perfect side dish for potlucks, picnics and backyard barbecues. Or, it makes a wonderful grab-and-go lunch, or you can serve it topped with crispy chickpeas or a grilled protein for a healthy, light summer dinner!
Basically, this simple salad is absurdly versatile! Made with fresh ingredients and ready in a flash, you are going to want to make this green beauty again and again!
How to make avocado salad?
This easy cucumber avocado salad is easy to make and can be prepared, ready and on the table in about 10 minutes! To keep the prep time for this salad down to a minimum, be sure to use a Mandoline to thinly slice the cucumbers and radishes!
- Make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Make the salad. In a medium bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, sliced avocados and half of the green onions. Drizzle with enough of the dressing to generously coat. Toss the ingredients gently to combine.
- Garnish and serve. Arrange the cucumber and avocado mixture in a serving bowl or platter. Scatter the remaining green onions, radishes, red onions and cheese on top. Drizzle with desired amount of the remaining dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
What dressing for avocado salad?
You can use a wide variety of dressings or vinaigrettes for avocado salads. However, since avocados are rich and creamy, they pair best with a silky, light olive oil based vinaigrette.
This cucumber avocado salad is served with a flavorful, luscious honey cilantro vinaigrette.
How to eat this healthy salad?
Avocado salad is best served cold or slightly chilled.
While this avocado salad is packed with textures and Southwestern flavors, there are numerous ingredients you can add to customize this salad or turn it into a more substantial main meal.
Below are some ingredients you can add to customize avocado salad:
- Lettuce
- Hard boiled eggs
- Tuna
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Crispy roasted chickpeas
What to eat with avocado cucumber salad?
Avocado cucumber salad can be served on its own as a light main course, or it can be served as a side to accompany a wide variety of dishes. Since this salad is extremely versatile, it will pair well with numerous entrees!
Below are a few dishes that pair well with avocado cucumber salad:
- Chicken
- Steak
- Pork
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Shrimp
- Lobster
- Crab
- Tofu
Will avocado turn brown in salad?
Once you cut an avocado it will turn brown due to oxidation. Avocados contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase and once that enzyme comes into contact with oxygen in the air it oxidizes, which turns the surface of the avocado flesh brown.
The best way to prevent an avocado flesh from turning brown is to reduce its contact with air as much as possible.
How to keep a salad made with avocados fresh?
There are many ways to keep an avocado salad fresh and prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown.
- Toss or brush the sliced avocado with citrus juice. The avocado slices in this salad recipe are tossed with a cilantro vinaigrette which contains lime juice. The lime juice will keep the avocados fresh and prevent them from turning brown.
- Use plastic wrap. If you want to prep the avocado in advance, place plastic wrap over the cut side of the avocado and gently press the plastic to adhere. Just make sure the plastic wrap is tightly secured to the avocados flesh to prevent air from coming into contact with the flesh.
- Cut the avocado right before serving. The absolute best way to keep an avocado salad fresh is to prepare and cut the avocado as close to serving as possible.
How to pick the best avocado?
One of the keys to this recipe is to use a good, ripe avocado. While picking out the best avocado can be tricky, below are some tips to help you select the best avocado from the market.
- A ripe avocado gives to gentle, firm pressure. It should feel just barely soft, and not “mushy” or hard to the touch.
- Ripe avocados will be slightly darker in color. A firm, not ripe avocado will be bright green in color while an overripe avocado will be dark brownish in color.
- If your avocado is ripe and ready to eat, but you aren’t ready to make the salad, store it in the refrigerator to prevent the fruit from becoming overripe.
- If your avocado is firm, and not yet ripe, place it in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple to speed up the ripening process.
Is avocado salad healthy?
Avocado salads are flavorful, rich and are a wonderful addition to a healthy diet!
Avocados are known as a superfood. They contain powerful health benefits and are prized for their high nutrient value. Loaded with healthy fats, fiber and numerous important nutrients, it’s no wonder avocados are extremely popular among health-conscious individuals.
As well, this avocado salad also contains hydrating, low-calorie cucumbers. Cumbers contain various antioxidants, several important vitamins and minerals, and have numerous health benefits.
How many calories in this salad?
The exact number of calories in an avocado salad will depend entirely on the recipe and specific ingredients used. This Avocado Cucumber Salad serves four people and has approximately 320 calories per serving.
If you love avocados then you are going to go nuts over this creamy cucumber salad! Fresh, fabulous and 100% satisfying, you are going to want this salad in your recipe rotation all summer long!
Until next week, friends, cheers – to a healthy summer salad you will actually love!
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More avocado recipes:
The best Cucumber Avocado Salad recipe 👇
Cucumber Avocado Salad
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 2 English Cucumbers – thinly sliced
- 2 Hass Avocados – pitted peeled and sliced
- ¼ Cup Green Onions – sliced
- 2-3 Radishes – sliced
- ½ Red Onion – thinly sliced
- Queso Fresco – crumbled, to taste
Dressing:
- ¾ Cup Cilantro Leaves – gently packed
- 1 clove Garlic – peeled
- 1 small Jalapeno Pepper – halved, seeded & roughly chopped
- 3-4 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil (SEE NOTE)
- 3 TBS Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 TBS Honey
- ½ tsp Cumin
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper – to taste
Optional Additions: Little Gem Lettuce, Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), Shredded Rotisserie Chicken, Flaked Salmon, Flaked Tuna, Crispy Chickpeas
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender or food processor. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Puree until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper (see note). Set aside.
- Make the salad: In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, avocado and half the green onions. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat. Toss gently to combine.
- To serve: Arrange the cucumber and avocado mixture in a serving bowl or platter. Scatter the remaining green onions, radishes, red onions and cheese on top. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Start with 3 tablespoons of oil in the dressing. Add more, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. For a richer, thinner dressing, use the full 4 tablespoons of oil.
- If you want to make this salad a couple hours in advance, prepare the recipe as instructed, however do not add any salt! Salt will cause the cucumbers to seep water and the salad will become watery. Cover the salad tightly with plastic wrap, and gently press the plastic to adhere to the top of the salad to keep the oxygen out. Exposure to oxygen will cause the avocados to turn brown.
- Dressing can be made in advance and stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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Yep, a new favorite go to summer salad! Can’t wait to dig in!
I’m always up for quick and easy summer salads Chey! And this one looks fantastic. I’m loving the combination of fresh veggies and that light dressing is just perfect. Pinned and so excited to try! Happy weekend!
As a salad guy, I’m giving my approval for this delicious avocado cucumber salad. It’s the right combination of textures and flavours, and it’s satisfying while being light, refreshing, and healthy (Meaning: you’re allowed to have a larger dessert). Beautiful, Chey!
What a perfect summer salad and cucumber and avocado is such a great combination. Loving all the flavour you’ve packed into the dressing, too 🙂
Cucumber and avocado are one of my favourite combo too….simple yet very tasty!