Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto

Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Basil Pesto – healthy recipe packed with nutrients and lots of fresh ingredients!  Perfect Spring and Summer salad!   Small fresh Mozzarella cheese balls are delicious when combined with avocado in this easy salad that also features red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions.  The dressing for this avocado salad couldn’t be easier to make – just combine fresh basil pesto with lemon juice!  Basil pesto makes a perfect salad dressing as it is packed with olive oil.

One of many reasons that I love Summer is that it’s a perfect time of the year to make salads. I’ve been making all kinds of salads, including my favorite beet salad with spinach, goat cheese, and cashews and strawberry spinach salad.  Well, now I’ve got another favorite!  This recipe just screams Summer!  I love using red and yellow cherry tomatoes (each sliced in half) in this avocado salad because they add natural color and look really good with the small fresh Mozzarella cheese balls and other diced ingredients.   So easy to make!  Just combine all the ingredients together, toss with a simple basil pesto dressing and the salad is ready!

Ingredients for Avocado Salad

1/2 pound red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound yellow cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
2 avocados , diced
1 cucumber , sliced
1/3 cup red onion , diced
8 ounces small fresh mozzarella cheese balls

How to make easy basil pesto dressing for avocado salad

My favorite salad dressing for salads is just plain olive oil.  Which is why basil pesto (which has olive oil as one of its ingredients) makes a perfect salad dressing for my avocado salad.

To make the dressing, just combine fresh basil pesto (I used 1/4 cup) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. After you add the dressing to the salad, season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste.

I used to make my own basil pesto all the time, but these days you can buy really good pre-made fresh basil pesto in the store, so I just used store-bought basil pesto for this avocado salad.

Main dishes that go great with Avocado Salad

Many grilled meats, such as grilled chicken, grilled pork, grilled or roasted lamb will go great with this salad. Also, since this avocado salad is very Mediterranean, any Mediterranean style main dishes will do.  And don’t forget about the fish.  Such as salmon or trout.  I cook fish a lot, and here are some of my favorite fish recipes go with this avocado and mozzarella salad:

Trout Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter Herb Sauce

Steelhead Trout with Caper-Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

Cilantro Lime Honey Garlic Salmon baked in foil

The following Mediterranean chicken recipes will also be perfect to go with this avocado salad:

Pesto Chicken and Veggies

Pesto Chicken, Veggies, and Tortellini

Pesto Chicken Pasta with Mushrooms

My other favorite Avocado Salad recipes

• Balsamic dressing goes really well with avocados, tomatoes, and Mozzarella cheese. Try it for yourself in this recipe: Tomato Basil Avocado Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Dressing
• Greek style ingredients, tortellini, and avocados? Why not: Greek tortellini salad with tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, feta cheese
• Berries and avocados are some of my favorite salad ingredients. Add mango and cashew nuts, and you will really enjoy this Summer salad: Strawberry Spinach Salad, with Blueberries, Mango, Avocado, and Cashew nuts
• For radish lovers, add avocados to your salad: Radish Avocado Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Green Onions

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Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Healthy and delicious Spring and Summer salad: Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto.  Simple recipe that uses fresh ingredients: tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, fresh small Mozzarella cheese balls, red onions, and basil pesto dressing.  

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 264 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Avocado Salad Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 pound yellow cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 avocados , diced
• 1 cucumber , sliced
• 1/3 cup red onion , diced
• 8 ounces small fresh mozzarella cheese balls

Salad Dressing:

• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine halved red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced cucumber, diced red onion, small fresh mozzarella cheese balls.

2. Add basil pesto and lemon juice to the salad and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Use more basil pesto, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 264 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 14mg5%

Sodium 142mg6%

Potassium 585mg17%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 525IU11%

Vitamin C 21.9mg27%

Calcium 177mg18%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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