Mexican Avocado Salad

This simple avocado salad is one of my favorite summer salads. With a creamy, buttery texture, it’s the perfect accompaniment for anything coming off the grill.

My Mexican avocado salad is light, simple, and ready in just 10 minutes.

Ready for the best salad of your life? This avocado salad is so dreamy that I know it will quickly become a mainstay recipe in your house.

Inspired by a salad I had in Sedona, Arizona, this avocado salad highlights how delicious simple ingredients done well can be. Ripe avocado, juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs, olive oil and a little red onion.

See below for tips for success and more details, or head to the full recipe below.

Why I love this recipe

I had never heard of avocado salad until I attended my cousin’s wedding a few years ago in Sedona. Besides the magic of being in the middle of nowhere, underneath a canopy of stars and trees, none of us could stop talking about the Mexican avocado salad that was served for dinner.

I’m pretty sure my sisters and I asked for at least three more helpings. It was so simple yet mind-blowing. Even though I eat avocados almost daily, it never occurred to me that I could make a salad out of them and not much else.

Now I make this avocado salad at least a few times a month during the summer. It’s perfect with anything that comes off the grill, and I’ve been known to scoop it with tortilla chips when I want additional salt and crunch.

My recipe has evolved to sometimes include sliced cucumber and more tomato, but that’s about as much liberty as I will take with it.

The contrast of texture and flavors is a must-try. I like serving this with grilled proteins in the summer, as the buttery taste of the avocados pairs well with bright, acidic flavors. It’s also great with typical Mexican fare, like my black bean tacos.

Ingredients

This salad recipe highlights the buttery flavor and texture of the avocado. Adding too many ingredients will detract from that, which is why I keep it simple: fresh herbs, some thinly sliced red onion and juicy tomatoes for contrast, olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

• Red onions: Because raw onions can be overpowering, I recommend thinly slicing them when adding to this salad. If you want less of an oniony taste, then I recommend tossing them in a little red wine vinegar first.
• Ripe tomato: If you want to make this when tomatoes aren’t in season, then you can omit the tomato or use cherry tomatoes instead.
• Fresh lime juice and lime zest: Alternatively, you can use fresh lemon juice 

Substitution Notes

You can substitute very thinly sliced shallots for the red onion if you’d prefer. I’ve done that before and it works, sub in 2 small shallots for the 1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onions.

You can also use cherry tomatoes instead of ripe tomatoes, though if you choose to add the tomatoes then I recommend only using good, in-season tomatoes as unripe tomatoes won’t taste the same.

Lime juice is my preferred acid in this recipe, but lemon juice can be used instead.

How to Make

Ready in just 10 minutes!

Prep the Ingredients

Because the salad comes together quickly, I recommend prepping all of the ingredients first: slicing the avocados, chopping the tomatoes, and thinly slicing the onions.

If you plan on cutting the avocado more than a few minutes before serving this, I recommend tossing it with fresh lime juice to prevent browning.

How to Cut an Avocado

For avocado salad, I think the avocado looks best sliced into strips or large dice. Since it will break down slightly as it’s tossed with the other ingredients, you want large chunks for easy eating.

To cut an avocado, slice in half then remove the pit. I do this by firmly placing my knife into the pit and then turning it slightly so that it gives to release. From there, I slice the avocado right in its shell, then use a spoon to remove the avocado from the skin. This tip works really well if the avocado is ripe, but not overly ripe.

Toss together

Once the ingredients are prepped, toss everything together in a medium bowl and season as desired with more salt, pepper or fresh lime juice as desired. This avocado salad is kinda like a chunkier version of my guacamole and very adaptable to personal preference.

Variations on this Avocado Salad

Instead of chopped tomatoes, you can sub in halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes instead. 

You can sub in other herbs as well, like fresh chopped parsley or basil instead of cilantro. If you want additional veggies, fresh chopped bell pepper is also great in this avocado salad. For vegetarians, crumbled feta cheese or cojita cheese also make for a great addition in this side dish.

For a heartier salsa, you can also add in corn kernels or black beans.

If you are looking for other avocado salad recipes, check out my white peach, tomato and avocado salad recipe.

Nutrition Notes from a Dietitian

We go through so many avocados at my house, with my kids and I splitting one almost every morning. They are such a yummy source of good fats and I love watching his sweet face light up every time I ask him if he wants some ‘cado. I also love that it’s a healthy food we both enjoy so much together.

Heart-healthy avocados are a good source of fiber (11% of your DV) which long-time readers know is something that I am always preaching about. Dietary fiber adds bulk to the diet and can help you feel fuller faster, which increases satiety and helps manage weight.

Pretty cool, right? When it comes to weight management (and gut health) fiber is key. Diets rich in healthy foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

I always get asked about nutrition recommendations and for the most part, I like to keep it pretty simple. Eat more plants! That’s my #1 tip as only 10% of us are eating the recommended intake per day. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help control weight and blood pressure, and of course, avocados are a healthy, nutrient-dense fruit.

Plus, they taste really, really delicious and isn’t that the best part? It’s amazing when nutrition and taste go hand-in-hand. I hear too often that clients think eating healthy, especially for weight loss, means sacrificing flavor. That couldn’t be further from the truth, especially when avocados are involved!

More Healthy Avocado Recipes

• Guacamole Salad
• Avocado Pesto Hummus
• Mango Avocado Spring Rolls
• Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Pepita Salad with Orange and Avocado
• Roasted Tomato Guacamole 

Go enjoy this Mexican Avocado Salad, and then come back here and tell me how much you love it!
Make sure to leave a comment and a rating; your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!