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Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto is a healthy recipe packed with nutrients and lots of fresh ingredients! Perfect Spring and Summer salad! Serve it as a side dish or as a complete meal! This recipe can be easily made ahead and is perfect for potlucks, picnics, block parties, and other Summer festivities.
Tomato Cucumber Avocado 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 tomato cucumber 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.
Healthy Summer Salad
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, 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), diced cucumbers, and diced avocado in this 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!
The Ingredients
- ½ pound red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ pound yellow cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- 8 ounces small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
How to make easy basil pesto salad dressing
My favorite salad dressing for salads is just plain olive oil. This 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 ¼ 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.
What to serve with it
Many grilled types of meat, such as grilled chicken, grilled pork, and grilled or roasted lamb will go great with this salad. Also, since this avocado salad is very Mediterranean, any Mediterranean-style main dish 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 that 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:
Other Healthy Salads
- 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
Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto
Ingredients
Avocado Salad Ingredients:
- ½ pound red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ pound yellow cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 avocados diced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- 8 ounces small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
Salad Dressing:
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Want to make basil pesto from scratch? Here is a super flavorful and creamy 20-Minute Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
We made this for a quick dinner and it came out beautifully! We will definitely be making this again soon 🙂
This looks like the perfect way to use all of the garden veggies. I can't wait for my garden to come in.
Made this tonight and we loved it. Definitely a step up from the traditional tomato mozzarella salad. Adding to our recipe book for sure!
I love anything with avocado in it. Mozzarella is the perfect light cheese to have with this, or feta you want a bit of extra zing. If you are making this ahead you shouldn't add the avocado until the end otherwise it goes brown. I don't think it tastes any different it but doesn't look so good on the plate!
Can you make this ahead of time?
You can. I would slice avocado and add right before serving otherwise avocado might turn brown.
What if I mixed the diced avocado with lemon juice, could I make it hours ahead of time without the avocado turning brown?
Can you make it the night before and add avocado right before serving? Also could you add rice to the dish?
Can someone please tell me how much is a Serving Size? Is it One cup? Thank You!
What sort of lemon juice do you use for the dressing please? Freshly squeezed or something else? Thanks.
I used the freshly squeezed lemon juice - I always prefer to use the freshly squeezed lemon juice, especially for salads!
I found that it keeps well for about a day if you omit the onion. Number one suggestion for anyone making it is to use quality sea salt when seasoning. It really makes a different in how bright the salad is.
Do you have a particular store brand fresh pesto you like best?
Not really. I just use whatever is available in the store.
Super yummy, a great summer meal not just a salad.
Yes, it makes a great lunch!
Hi,
Entertaining 30 family members on Friday. I am looking forward to serving this gorgeous salad. I may make 2 or 3. Thank you.
Mary P.
Wow! 30 people! Enjoy!
Delicious! I added 2 cups cooked bow tie pasta and 1 orange bell pepper chopped.
Thank you! Those are great additions!
I love your salad recipes. Where do buy such little mozzarella balls ?
I bought these at Whole Foods if I remember correctly.
Made this yesterday, and everyone loved it. Makes a large size bowl, plenty for a potluck. Julia, thank you for sharing this recipe! Will be making this again soon.
Sheila, you are very welcome! I am glad everyone enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
How long will this salad last?
Because of the nature of this salad it's better to make just enough not to have leftovers. Otherwise avocados will turn brown, Mozzarella cheese would not be as bright, and other veggies could get soggy.