Our simple Avocado Salad is the perfect lunch or dinner that is full of light & fresh flavors! Made with crisp lettuce, grilled sweet corn, fresh herbs, feta cheese, and the best salad dressing. During those warm months of summer you will be making this summer salad on repeat!
The Best Avocado Salad Recipe
During this time of the year we are always looking for a new, delicious salad recipe and this easy avocado salad might be our new favorite! Feel free to make it an avocado chicken salad by adding some grilled chicken breasts on top or divide between smaller bowls and make it a healthy side dish that can be enjoyed with any of your favorite grilled foods. Or keep enjoy a meatless meal by keeping it as-written in the recipe card or toss in a hard boiled egg, if you do want a little bit of protein!
Looking for Another Fresh Salad Recipe?
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Ultimate Summer Salad!
What You Will Need
- fresh basil – the primary flavor in the vinaigrette dressing on top!
- feta cheese – perfect addition to the avocado salad dressing and on top of this healthy lunch.
- extra virgin olive oil – base to any homemade salad dressing. Option to sub with avocado oil.
- shallot – a mild onion flavor that is blended into the vinagrette.
- rice vinegar – added for just a little bit of tanginess.
- salt and pepper – simple ingredients that are always a must! We use kosher salt, but sea salt works too.
- fresh corn on the cob – an essential ingredient of the summer, highly recommend cutting grilled corn off the cob but any corn kernels will work (i.e. canned corn or frozen corn).
- romaine lettuce – the base of this easy salad, but any mixed greens would work – iceberg lettuce, fresh spinach, etc.
- ripe avocados – one of our all-time favorite, basic ingredients!
- crisp cucumber & green onion – more fresh veggies on top to add lots of crispness.
- fresh dill – a fresh herb that is a great addition to really lighten and brighten just about anything.
How To Make An Avocado Salad
The first steps to making this simple recipe are to place all of the dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and blend on high until smooth.
Now prep and gather all of the salad ingredients.
If you grilled your ears of corn, use a sharp knife and cutting board to remove the corn kernels from the cob. Add those and the rest of the main ingredients to a large bowl.
Top with the salad dressing and mix to combine everything together!
Best Way To Serve An Avocado Salad
This fresh avocado salad is so versatile and can be enjoyed so many different ways! We love to eat it as a main dish and if we feel like we need some protein, we add some grilled chicken, hard boiled egg, or grilled shrimp. Or split this salad recipe into smaller bowls and enjoy as a side dish recipe with some grilled steaks, a beer can chicken, or grilled pork chops! Just make sure you also enjoy with some grilled bread or crusty bread.
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! This salad is great as-written in the recipe card, but it would also be great with chopped red onion, bell pepper, crispy shallots, juicy tomatoes (cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes), fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, etc.
Yes, the dressing can be made and stored in the fridge. The corn can be cooked and kept in the fridge. And most of the other fresh ingredients can each be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, just mix together when ready to eat. Also, be sure to wait on cutting the avocado until serving so it doesn’t turn brown.
Fresh avocado will turn brown fairly quickly after cutting into the skin. It can still be eaten, but doesn’t look great. Therefore, it is best to wait until serving to cut an avocado!
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Avocado Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grill + Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
The BEST Avocado Salad ever! So much flavor is packed into this salad you are going to have it on repeat all summer long!
Ingredients
Basil Feta Vinaigrette:
- 0.5oz fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (reg. or dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- 3/4 cup light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
Grilled Corn
- 2–3 ears of sweet corn, shucked (remove outer leaves and silk strands)
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
Avocado Salad:
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 4oz feta cheese, crumbled (reg. or dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- kosher salt + ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Dressing: Place ingredients in a small food processor. Blend 3-4 minutes until smooth (if the feta doesn’t become completely smooth, that’s okay – the flavor is amazing). Taste and add any additional salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
- Grill Corn: Ensure grill grates are clean and preheat grill to 450 degrees F. Place clean, shucked ears of sweet corn on a plate or baking sheet. Very lightly drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to massage oil into each ear of corn. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Grill sweet corn on direct heat for a total of 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice with grill tongs. Remove when corn is slightly charred. Let cool slightly and then cut kernels away from the cob.
- Build Salad: Divide lettuce, avocado, cucumber, feta cheese, green onions, dill and grilled corn kernels between 4 bowls.
- Serve: Add dressing and toss to combine. Add fresh cracked pepper, as desired and serve with some grilled bread!
Notes
- Corn: if you don’t want to grill your corn you can prep it the same, but wrap in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees F. Unwrap and place under broiler until starts to char, just a bit. Canned corn will also work in a pinch.
- Dairy-Free: easily sub in a dairy-free feta cheese (crumbled) to make this recipe dairy-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 338
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 340.4 mg
- Fat: 32.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 21 mg
Laurie says
Really good. A beautiful presentation and so fresh and delicious. I didn’t change anything but I do like a little more tang in my dressings so next time I will add some lemon or white wine vinegar. The ratio of 1:12 is too oil heavy IMO.
Erin says
Glad you enjoyed it, Laurie! And yes, feel free to tweak the dressing – everyone is different with what they prefer!
Lisa says
3/4 cup of olive oil seems like a lot. Is that not reflected in the calories? How much of the dressing do you use?
Erin says
Hi Lisa – the dressing is included in the nutrition facts so it is assumed all of it is used. The nutrition facts provided are an estimation so feel free to calculate on your own if you prefer! Hope that helps!
Kathy says
If I’m using fresh basil from our garden, about how many cups is 0.5oz? I don’t have a scale. Thanks in advance
Erin says
Hi Kathy – .5oz fresh basil is roughly 1/4 cup loosely packed. Hope that helps!
Kathy says
Seasoned or UNseasoned rice vinegar? And, not EVOO? I never buy light olive oil. But maybe the EVOO will mess with the rice vinegar (?)
Erin says
Unseasoned rice vinegar, Kathy! I will update the recipe card – thanks!
jenalys says
SO DELICIOUS. the amount of dressing was a very good amount, def more than 4 servings in my book, so we chopped up some extra cucumbers, corn, and romaine. also added more vinegar, but other than those changes, this was amazinnnng. I’ll probably try with some grilled shrimp next time!
Bridget Montag says
Grilled shrimp would be amazing on this salad! Glad you loved it and thank you so much for your review!
Sarah says
I rarely like anything healthy and I am obsessed with this salad. I am usually a bread, cheese, and ice cream kinda girl but this salad is addicting. I’ve made it every week (sometimes twice) since trying it out. I do use low fat feta and the flavor is still fantastic. The amount of dressing comes out to be a lot but it works well on other salads and dishes and I find myself using it on other meals throughout the week. Definitely a must try!
Bridget Montag says
Awesome – so glad you are loving it! Thanks for leaving a review, Sarah!
Katie says
Can’t wait to try this! How long will the dressing keep when made ahead of time?
Bridget Montag says
You could definitely make the dressing the day before you plan to use it, but if it sits in the fridge for too long the basil will begin to turn a brown-ish color. Just be sure to store it in the fridge and give it a mix before using.
Stout says
5oz of Basil is an incredibly large amount.
Erin says
Ah sorry – it’s supposed to be .5oz – just updated it! Thanks!
David says
The basil amount stays the same for all 3 size preparations. I’m guessing the .5oz is for the smallest, then just double or triple for the other two.
Bridget Montag says
Correct, not sure why it isn’t changing the amount of basil. We will look into that and sorry about any confusion.