Name: Salad with Avocado Vegetarian Recipe
Ingredients: Mixed Greens (5 oz / 140g): A generous base of your favorite lettuce blend – think spring mix, spinach, arugula, romaine, or butter lettuce for varied texture and flavour.; Ripe Avocados (2 large): The star of the show, providing creaminess and healthy fats. Choose avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure. Pitted, peeled, and diced or sliced.; Cherry Tomatoes (1 cup / approx. 150g): Halved or quartered if large. They add a burst of juicy sweetness and acidity. Grape tomatoes work perfectly too.; Cucumber (1 medium): Seeded (optional) and diced. English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers offer great crunch and freshness without waxy skin.; Red Onion (1/4 cup): Thinly sliced. Adds a pungent bite and beautiful colour. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the flavour if preferred.; Sweet Corn (1 cup / approx. 165g): Canned (drained and rinsed), frozen (thawed), or freshly grilled kernels. Adds pops of sweetness and texture.; Black Beans (1 can, 15 oz / 425g): Drained and thoroughly rinsed. Provides plant-based protein and fiber, making the salad more substantial. Chickpeas can also be used.; Bell Pepper (1 medium, any color): Seeded and diced. Red, yellow, or orange peppers add sweetness, crunch, and vibrant colour.; Fresh Cilantro (1/4 cup): Roughly chopped. Adds a bright, herbaceous flavour that pairs beautifully with avocado and lime. Parsley can be substituted if you’re not a cilantro fan.; Optional additions: Radishes (thinly sliced for peppery crunch), toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (for texture), crumbled feta or goat cheese (if not strictly vegan).; Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1/3 cup / 80ml): The base of the dressing, providing richness and healthy fats. Choose a good quality oil for the best flavour.; Fresh Lime Juice (1/4 cup / 60ml): Approximately 2-3 limes. Provides essential acidity and brightness. Freshly squeezed is key.; Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar (1-2 teaspoons): Optional, to balance the acidity. Adjust to your taste. Honey can be used if not strictly vegan.; Dijon Mustard (1 teaspoon): Helps emulsify the dressing and adds a subtle tangy depth.; Garlic (1 clove): Minced or pressed. Adds aromatic flavour.; Salt (1/2 teaspoon): Or to taste. Enhances all the flavours.; Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon): Freshly ground, to taste. Adds a gentle spice.; Optional: A pinch of cumin or chili powder for a subtle smoky warmth.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to create this vibrant and delicious vegetarian avocado salad:

For the Salad:

Mixed Greens (5 oz / 140g): A generous base of your favorite lettuce blend – think spring mix, spinach, arugula, romaine, or butter lettuce for varied texture and flavour.
Ripe Avocados (2 large): The star of the show, providing creaminess and healthy fats. Choose avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure. Pitted, peeled, and diced or sliced.
Cherry Tomatoes (1 cup / approx. 150g): Halved or quartered if large. They add a burst of juicy sweetness and acidity. Grape tomatoes work perfectly too.
Cucumber (1 medium): Seeded (optional) and diced. English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers offer great crunch and freshness without waxy skin.
Red Onion (1/4 cup): Thinly sliced. Adds a pungent bite and beautiful colour. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the flavour if preferred.
Sweet Corn (1 cup / approx. 165g): Canned (drained and rinsed), frozen (thawed), or freshly grilled kernels. Adds pops of sweetness and texture.
Black Beans (1 can, 15 oz / 425g): Drained and thoroughly rinsed. Provides plant-based protein and fiber, making the salad more substantial. Chickpeas can also be used.
Bell Pepper (1 medium, any color): Seeded and diced. Red, yellow, or orange peppers add sweetness, crunch, and vibrant colour.
Fresh Cilantro (1/4 cup): Roughly chopped. Adds a bright, herbaceous flavour that pairs beautifully with avocado and lime. Parsley can be substituted if you’re not a cilantro fan.
Optional additions: Radishes (thinly sliced for peppery crunch), toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (for texture), crumbled feta or goat cheese (if not strictly vegan).

For the Lime Vinaigrette Dressing:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1/3 cup / 80ml): The base of the dressing, providing richness and healthy fats. Choose a good quality oil for the best flavour.
Fresh Lime Juice (1/4 cup / 60ml): Approximately 2-3 limes. Provides essential acidity and brightness. Freshly squeezed is key.
Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar (1-2 teaspoons): Optional, to balance the acidity. Adjust to your taste. Honey can be used if not strictly vegan.
Dijon Mustard (1 teaspoon): Helps emulsify the dressing and adds a subtle tangy depth.
Garlic (1 clove): Minced or pressed. Adds aromatic flavour.
Salt (1/2 teaspoon): Or to taste. Enhances all the flavours.
Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon): Freshly ground, to taste. Adds a gentle spice.
Optional: A pinch of cumin or chili powder for a subtle smoky warmth.

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Instructions

Follow these simple steps to assemble your delicious Salad with Avocado Vegetarian Recipe:

Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, optional maple syrup/agave, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. If using cumin or chili powder, add it now. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well combined and slightly emulsified (thickened). Alternatively, place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary – you might prefer more lime, sweetness, or salt. Set aside. This allows the flavours to meld while you prepare the salad.
Wash and Prep the Vegetables: Thoroughly wash and dry the mixed greens. If using whole heads of lettuce, chop or tear them into bite-sized pieces. Place the greens in a large salad bowl. Wash and prepare the remaining vegetables: halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion (soak in cold water if desired), dice the bell pepper. Drain and rinse the canned corn and black beans very well under cold running water until the water runs clear; this removes excess sodium and starch. Roughly chop the fresh cilantro.
Combine Salad Ingredients (Except Avocado): Add the prepared cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, corn, black beans, bell pepper, and chopped cilantro to the large bowl with the mixed greens. Gently toss these ingredients together to distribute them evenly. At this stage, you’re building the colourful and textured base of your salad.
Prepare the Avocado: Wait until just before serving to prepare the avocado to minimize browning. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh. Dice or slice the avocado as desired. Tip: To help prevent immediate browning, you can gently toss the avocado pieces with a tiny squeeze of extra lime juice.
Add Avocado to the Salad: Gently add the diced or sliced avocado to the salad bowl. Be careful not to toss too vigorously at this point, as you want the avocado pieces to remain relatively intact and creamy, not mashed.
Dress the Salad: Drizzle about half to two-thirds of the prepared lime vinaigrette over the salad. Gently toss everything together until the ingredients are lightly coated. Start with less dressing; you can always add more if needed, but you can’t take it away. Over-dressing can make the salad heavy and wilt the greens quickly.
Serve Immediately: Taste the salad and add more dressing, salt, or pepper if desired. Serve the Salad with Avocado Vegetarian Recipe immediately for the best texture and freshness. Enjoy the delightful combination of creamy avocado, crunchy vegetables, and zesty dressing!

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 550