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This tomato and avocado salad brings together some of the best flavors of summer with chunks of buttery avocado, juicy tomatoes, crisp corn kernels, sweet onion, and fresh cilantro. Topped with a creamy lime dressing that enhances the natural flavors of the produce without overwhelming them, this salad is an easy-to-make side dish that’s as pretty to look at as it is delicious.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Over the years, this salad has become one of our go-to side dishes for serving with simple, warm-weather entrées like grilled steaks, chops, or chicken. The contrast in texture and flavor between the juicy tomatoes and creamy avocados, along with the tangy lime dressing and fresh cilantro, creates such a satisfying medley of flavors and textures we don’t find any other sides are needed to round out a meal. We’ve written the recipe to serve four, but it’s easy enough to scale up to six servings or down to two if desired.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- Avocados: There are many varieties of avocados, but the California-grown Hass is the most popular and widely available. You may find them in stores year-round, but peak season for Hass avocados runs spring through fall. To avoid waste, stores usually sell avocados that aren’t ripe yet, so plan ahead and let your avocados ripen at room temperature. When shopping, look for plump avocados with the button of the stem still in place. Avoid fruit with blemishes and dark spots. Avocados are ripe when they yield to gentle pressure (see more tips below).
- Tomatoes: Choose a firm flesh tomato that holds the seeds in place when sliced. Beefsteak is our go-to for this dish just for that reason. Avoid the “tomatoes on the vine” that are so popular in stores these days as they tend to lose their seeds easily once cut.
- Corn: The sweet flavor of fresh-shucked corn sliced from the cob is arguably the best choice for a salad, but defrosted frozen corn is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Look for brands labeled “baby” or “super sweet” for the best flavor and texture.
- Sweet Onion: Look for onion varieties labeled as sweet such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui. Avoid any that have soft spots or have sprouted and store them in a cool dry place until you’re ready to use them. If you cut into your onion and find that it’s a little too pungent, try soaking the slices in cool water for a few minutes. This helps to mellow that overpowering flavor by diluting the sulfur compounds. Tip: It works for shallots too.
- Cilantro: The fragrant, herbaceous flavor of cilantro makes it our go-to herb for this salad, but we understand that not everyone is a fan. Fresh chives would be our second choice, with minced Italian parsley being a close runner-up.
- Lime: Fresh-squeezed lime juice is our choice for the light, creamy dressing for this salad, but you could definitely use lemon juice instead.
How to Make Avocado Tomato Salad
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
PREPARE THE DRESSING: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
ADD THE SALAD INGREDIENTS: Add the tomatoes, corn, onion, and cilantro and toss to coat them with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the avocados and gently toss to combine (see tip below).
ADJUST THE SEASONING AND SERVE: Taste and adjust the seasoning, then arrange the salad on a serving platter or individual plates. Sprinkle with a bit of crushed red pepper if desired, garnish with lime wedges, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Ripe avocados have a delicate, creamy texture that breaks down easily if handled too roughly. This won’t affect the flavor of your salad, but it definitely doesn’t look very nice. To minimize this, always make avocados one of the last ingredients you add to a salad, and when you toss them with dressing, do it gently and carefully.
How to Ripen, Store, and Prepare Avocados
Avocados are both delicious and nutritious, but it requires a little know-how to handle them properly. Here are a few tips:
RIPENING: Unripe (firm and green) avocados can take 4 to 5 days to fully ripen at room temperature and for best quality, we do recommend letting them ripen at their own pace. That being said, you can speed up the process by placing avocados in a brown paper bag along with a single banana or apple. The ethylene gas produced by these fruits should shorten the avocado’s ripening time to 2 to 3 days. You’ll know your avocado is ripe when it yields to gentle pressure. If you’ve accidentally let it get soft, you’re better off using it in a spread or a dip rather than a salad.
STORAGE: Uncut, ripe avocados can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Cut fruit should be drizzled with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, then placed in an airtight container and used within a day. Ripe avocados can also be mashed or puréed with some added lemon juice and frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost pureed avocados in the refrigerator and use them for guacamole or a salad dressing. Freezing will cause a slight loss of flavor and the texture will be somewhat less creamy and a little watery.
PREPARING: Here’s how to easily slice or cut up an avocado.
- Slice the avocado lengthwise, all the way to the pit, and all the way around.
- Gently twist the two halves apart, then give the pit a single whack with the blade of your knife so that it sinks in at least 1/8 inch. Twist the knife a little and the pit should rotate enough that you can pop it free and remove it.
- Carefully run a teaspoon along the inside of the avocado skin to loosen the flesh and remove it in one piece.
- Place the avocado half, cut side down on a board, and slice or cut as needed.
- If you don’t plan to serve cut avocados immediately, and drizzle them with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.
Discover More Avocado Salads
Avocados pair beautifully with shrimp, and we’ve got a simple dinner salad recipe that makes the most of that flavor combo. It’s one of our “what we eat when we don’t feel like cooking” favorites. Shrimp cocktail salad is made with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, sweet onion, sliced avocado, shrimp, and a modified version of a classic, horseradish-based cocktail sauce as dressing.
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (or frozen and defrosted)
- 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, (or chives and/or flat-leaf parsley )
- 2 Hass avocados, cut into chunks (see notes)
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing by whisking the olive oil, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and sugar together in the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
- Add the tomatoes, corn, onion, and cilantro and toss to coat them with dressing, being careful not to break up the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the avocados and gently toss to combine (see notes).
- Taste again and adjust the seasoning if needed, then arrange the salad on a serving platter or individual plates.
- Sprinkle with a bit of crushed red pepper if desired, garnish with lime wedges, and serve.
Notes
How to Cut An Avocado
- Slice the avocado lengthwise, all the way to the pit, and all the way around.
- Gently twist the two halves apart, then give the pit a single whack with your knife so that the blade sinks in at least 1/8 inch. Twist the knife a little and the pit should rotate enough to pop it free and remove it.
- Carefully run a spoon along the inside of the avocado skin to loosen the flesh and remove it in one piece.
- Place the avocado half, cut side down on a board, and slice or cut as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this last week with Campari tomatoes. It was delicious. I think I’ll double the dressing recipe and try it on regular salads too.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the salad Bruce. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Great recipe especially for this time of the year!!