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This quick and easy Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad is kid friendly, vegetarian and gluten-free. It's the perfect healthy side dish for a picnic, potluck or just a quick weeknight dinner!The weather has been absolutely perfect for summer picnics these days: warm, sunny, with a light breeze but not too hot or humid! It also helps that the parks around our neighborhood have tons of nice shady picnic spots, and eating outside with kids means less mess to clean up!
And of course, since I'm obsessed with salads this summer, what else would I make for a picnic other than... a salad? 🙂
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
How to make Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
This recipe is super simple. It's full of fresh cucumbers, summer tomatoes, avocados, chickpeas, feta and spices. No cooking required: just chop your veggies, toss and serve. It's even better a few hours later once the salad has had a chance to marinate in the dressing a bit!
Step 1: Chop all your veggies to be about the same size and add to a large salad bowl.
Step 2: Combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together. Pour over the veggies and stir to combine.
What makes this salad healthy?
- High in Fiber: 1 serving of this salad provides 4g fiber which is great for a side dish as part of a well balanced meal!
- Vitamins and Minerals: The tomatoes and cucumbers are a great source of vitamins B, C, K, potassium and magnesium, and cucumber is great for promoting hydration. Healthy fats from the avocado and B vitamins from the feta round out this good for you and hearty salad.
- Low Calorie: Each serving of this salad, including the dressing, comes in at under 150 calories. That's much healthier than most store bought salads and salad dressings which will run you 300 calories or more per serving!
Will kids enjoy this avocado cucumber tomato salad?
Salads can be hit or miss for young kids because of all the raw veggies which can be hard to chew. But luckily this salad has "softer" veggies and ingredients thanks to the avocados, chickpeas and feta which makes it easier for little mouths to chew!
My kids loved this salad, but pickier kids may shy away from this since the veggies are very front and center. If you have veggie-resistant kids, I'd recommend serving a "fairy portion" of this salad alongside a bigger meal and encourage them to try as many bites as they are old to help expand their palates over time!
How do you make salad dressing from scratch?
Making salad dressing at home is so simple, and it's much healthier (and cheaper!) than store bought.
You just need 4 simple ingredients: Olive oil, an acid (vinegar, lemon juice, etc.), salt and pepper. You can dress it up with fresh herbs, garlic, etc. but at its core - it's just those 4 ingredients!
This simple dressing is packed full of flavor, using a mixture of lemon juice, herbs, olive oil and garlic. You can whisk the dressing, or even easier: put all of the ingredients in a mason jar and give it a good shake.
How to serve this Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
You can use this salad in so many different ways:
- Serve it over mixed greens for lunch
- Stir in a cup of cooked quinoa for a more hearty dish
- Use it as a filling for a pita or a wrap (which is also a great way to use up the leftovers).
- Serve it as a side dish for a bigger spread - it's a perfect make ahead dish to take to a picnic, pot luck or barbecue!
Top tips for making Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- To let the flavors fully sing, leave the salad to marinate in the dressing for at least two hours.
- You can mix up the fresh herbs in the salad dressing - I chose basil and oregano but you can try parsley, dill, or even marjoram!
- Cut all of your veggies to be about the same size as the chickpeas so each bite feels consistent.
- If you don't have feta, you can use goat cheese or even small chunks of brie would work well.
- If you want to make this vegan friendly, just omit the cheese!
- Keep the salad in the fridge in an airtight container, it will keep for up to 3 days, but is freshest 24 hours after making it.