Easy Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

Some salads ask you to cook, chill and plan ahead, and then there is this one. Diced cucumber, ripe tomatoes and avocado are tossed with finely chopped red onion, good olive oil, fresh lime juice and plenty of black pepper, and the bowl is ready in the time it takes to wash the board. There is no cooking and no marinating, just crisp, juicy and creamy pieces in every forkful. It is the salad we make when the kitchen is warm and dinner needs something fresh beside it right now.

The balance is what makes it work. Cucumber brings crunch and coolness, tomato brings juice and gentle sweetness, and avocado brings the richness that turns a simple chopped salad into something satisfying. The lime dressing is deliberately simple so it lifts everything without hiding it, much like the clean flavours in our Easy Greek Salad, which uses the same idea of letting ripe vegetables and a bright dressing do the work.

Serve it alongside grilled chicken, fish or burgers, spoon it over toast for a quick lunch, or set it out with chips as a fresher alternative to salsa. If you enjoy tomato salads in summer, our Easy Caprese Salad is another good one to try next. This version is lighter, crunchier and faster, and the even dice means a little of each ingredient in every bite.

Cut everything to the same size

Aim for half-inch dice on the cucumber, tomato and avocado so the salad eats evenly and the dressing coats every piece. Large avocado chunks break apart and smear, while tiny cucumber dice disappear into the juice at the bottom of the bowl. A similar size also looks right in the striped bowl from the photograph, with green, red and white showing in every spoonful. Take the extra minute to trim neatly.

Dress it at the last minute

Lime juice and salt draw water from cucumber and tomato almost immediately, and they soften avocado if the bowl sits too long. For the crispest result, chop the cucumber, tomato and onion first, whisk the dressing in a small bowl, and only dice the avocado and toss everything together when you are ready to serve. The salad is still pleasant after half an hour in the fridge, but its first ten minutes, when the edges are sharp and the pepper is fragrant, are the best.

Ingredients

• 2 large English cucumbers (500 g), diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes (450 g), diced and loose seeds scooped out
• 2 ripe avocados (300 g), diced just before mixing
• 1/2 medium red onion (60 g), finely diced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (8 g)

Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Dice the cucumber and tomato. Cut the cucumbers into half-inch cubes and tip them into a large mixing bowl. Dice the tomatoes to a similar size, scooping out the loose, watery seeds with a teaspoon as you go so the salad stays chunky rather than soupy. Drain off excess juice before dressing.
2. Soften the red onion bite. Finely dice the red onion and soak it in a small bowl of cold water for five minutes, then drain well and pat dry. This soak removes the harsh raw edge, leaving sweet flavour and purple colour without the bite. Drain thoroughly so it does not thin the dressing.
3. Whisk the lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt and black pepper until slightly thickened and evenly speckled. Taste on a piece of cucumber and adjust calmly: a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, more lime if it tastes heavy. The dressing should be bright and peppery throughout.
4. Dice the avocado last. Halve the avocados, remove the pits and cut the flesh into half-inch cubes while it is still in the skin, then scoop the cubes out with a spoon over the salad bowl. Working last keeps the colour fresh. If an avocado is very soft, cut it slightly larger so the cubes hold together when tossed.
5. Toss gently and rest briefly. Pour the dressing over the bowl, scatter in the cilantro and drained onion, and fold everything together with a large spoon using just four or five turns from the bottom. Stop as soon as the avocado looks glossy and coated, because overmixing breaks the cubes and clouds the dressing. Rest five minutes, then serve within ten.
6. Serve with a final finish. Spoon into a serving bowl, ideally striped as in the photograph, to show off the colours. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutrition estimate

Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

Storage & reheating

This salad is best eaten within an hour of tossing, while the cucumber is still crisp and the avocado is bright. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to limit air, though the cucumber will soften and the avocado may darken slightly. Do not freeze it. To work ahead, chop the cucumber, tomato and onion up to 4 hours early and chill them separately, then add avocado and dressing just before serving.

Easy Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq, FryDaily editor · Published 21 October 2026

Crunchy, creamy and bright - a no-cook salad ready in 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings  ·  Scale: 1x2x3x

Prep15 minutes

Cook0 minutes

Total15 minutes

Servings4 servings

Calories168 kcal

Save on PinterestCook Mode

Ingredients

• 2 large English cucumbers (500 g), diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes (450 g), diced and loose seeds scooped out
• 2 ripe avocados (300 g), diced just before mixing
• 1/2 medium red onion (60 g), finely diced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (8 g)

Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.

Instructions

1. Dice the cucumber and tomato. Cut the cucumbers into half-inch cubes and tip them into a large mixing bowl. Dice the tomatoes to a similar size, scooping out the loose, watery seeds with a teaspoon as you go so the salad stays chunky rather than soupy. Drain off excess juice before dressing.
2. Soften the red onion bite. Finely dice the red onion and soak it in a small bowl of cold water for five minutes, then drain well and pat dry. This soak removes the harsh raw edge, leaving sweet flavour and purple colour without the bite. Drain thoroughly so it does not thin the dressing.
3. Whisk the lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt and black pepper until slightly thickened and evenly speckled. Taste on a piece of cucumber and adjust calmly: a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, more lime if it tastes heavy. The dressing should be bright and peppery throughout.
4. Dice the avocado last. Halve the avocados, remove the pits and cut the flesh into half-inch cubes while it is still in the skin, then scoop the cubes out with a spoon over the salad bowl. Working last keeps the colour fresh. If an avocado is very soft, cut it slightly larger so the cubes hold together when tossed.
5. Toss gently and rest briefly. Pour the dressing over the bowl, scatter in the cilantro and drained onion, and fold everything together with a large spoon using just four or five turns from the bottom. Stop as soon as the avocado looks glossy and coated, because overmixing breaks the cubes and clouds the dressing. Rest five minutes, then serve within ten.
6. Serve with a final finish. Spoon into a serving bowl, ideally striped as in the photograph, to show off the colours. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Calories: 168 kcalProtein: 2 gCarbohydrates: 9 gFat: 14 gSaturated fat: 2 gSodium: 150 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 3 g

Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.

Frequently asked questions