This delicious Avocado Cucumber Salad is the perfect healthy summer side dish recipe. It's super easy to make and has tons of flavor. Plus it's a naturally vegan + gluten-free + paleo recipe and can easily be made Whole30 compliant!
We are bringing back this Avocado Cucumber Salad in this 23rd Throw Back Thursday post. Can you believe we've been doing #tbt for almost two years? Crazy!
In case this is your first time here, it's the one time a month when I search through the archives here and find delicious recipes that have not so delicious photos attached to them. I remake and often rewrite the recipe, retake the photos, and share the makeover with you.
This Avocado Cucumber Salad was a favorite of mine for a long time. It's crazy easy to make and the crunchy cucumbers with the creamy avocados is a combo that's hard not to fall in love with.
The original recipe comes from Bon Appétit. I've adapted the recipe mostly by changing the process of how it is made and how it is served. I like to keep things simple so the recipe is altered to reflect that. I've made it the original way and my way both many times and my simple version tastes just as good as the original.
Here's to keeping life simple! 🙌
Original post date: July 8th, 2012
I've made this avocado cucumber salad several times since finding Bon Appétit waiting for me in my mailbox last month. It even made an appearance at The Supper Club a few times.
Everything works about this salad: the crunchy but slightly softened cucumbers, the creamy avocados, the earthy cilantro and the hint of spice that tingles your tongue.
That this salad can be made ahead of time and transports easily is a bonus. For some serious cuteness factor, put it in single serving sized mason jars and pack it along for your picnic. Or make a giant bowl of it and bring it to a BBQ, or serve this perfect side dish at your own party.
What's up with pre-salting the cucumbers …
Making this cucumber and avocado salad requires you to do something called maceration, or so Bon Appétit says. It's basically tossing the cucumbers in a little salt and sugar then letting them sit at room temperature while some of the juice is drawn out of them.
The process softens the cucumber just a little and makes a sort of dressing for the salad. Yum!
If you make this Cucumber Avocado Salad make sure to snap a pic and tag @theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create.
- ¼ cup minced ginger
- 2 English cucumbers, quartered and sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (use coconut sugar for paleo, omit for Whole30)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Thai red chili
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
- Juice from ½ lime
- 2 avocados, diced
- ¼ cup each: basil leaves and cilantro, chopped
- Place the ginger, cucumbers, sea salt, sugar (if using), garlic, and red chili in a large, resealable plastic bag. Squish the bag around a little so that everything is mixed together. Set the bag aside on your counter for a half hour.
- Pour everything from the bag into a salad bowl. Add the celery, oil, and lime juice and toss well. Season to taste with sea salt. Add the diced avocados, basil, and cilantro and gently toss once more.
- Serve within a half hour.
You can prepare it ahead of time by combining the cucumbers and spices in the bag but NOT sprinkling the salt and sugar over. Place the bag in the fridge for up to 8 hours. When you are ready, take the bag out of the fridge, add the salt and sugar, let it sit for a half hour then continue with the rest of the preparation.
The original photos of this Avocado Cucumber Salad:
If you’re interested in learning a few tricks that I did to improve my food photography, check out the posts 10 Food Photography Tips for New Food Bloggers and The 10 Best Food Photography Props to Improve Your Food Photography and The Food Photography Equipment I Use.
Kristen Stevens
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Kristen is the person working behind the scenes at The Endless Meal. She takes all the pics, creates all the recipes and eats all the leftovers. 
Made this for some friends at our BBQ. Its is AMAZING!!!! Love the tastes and textures. Another winner – Thanks Kris.
This looks simply delicious with both of my favourite green ingredients!
Thanks, Angie!
This looks really great! I’ve been wanting to make it ever since I saw it in Bon Appetit, so I’ll definitely have to give it a try soon!
I too love all the green. This is a good recipe when you want to use up some of the cucumbers from the garden. This salad looks cool and fresh.
Mmmm…love all of the green! This looks delicious!