A very simple and healthy tomato and avocado salad from Panama. A quick 10-minute salad sprinkled with a simple dressing of lime juice and olive oil.
Actually, the only difficulty this salad might pose is choosing the right avocado. I don't know about you, but it took me years to get to know the right avocados. And by the right avocado, I don't mean the right sort of avocado, but a ripe, ready-to-eat avocado.
My main problem was to determine when avocado was good to eat. Several years ago, I would only able to buy unripe avocados in the supermarket. So, whenever I wanted to have some, I had to buy it, place it in the kitchen, and wait...
That was OK; with a bit of organization, we would be able to enjoy a nice avocado on toast, make Mexican Deviled Eggs with Avocado, Tomato Avocado Mozzarella Salad, or a Spicy Avocado Spread. But it would have been pretty annoying if I had more immediate plans with the avocado.
Things changed nowadays, and most supermarkets sell ready-to-eat avocados. But just because they are advertised as ready to eat, it doesn't mean that they are always so, many times they are beyond ready to eat, meaning you cut them open only to be appalled by their brown flesh and their disgusting smell.
How to choose a ripe avocado?
- Take a look. Avocados come in different colors, from bright green to brown, depending on the sort, so choosing by color is not always a good idea. Mostly you should choose an avocado with smooth skin, free from blemishes or indentations.
- Feel it. For me, this is the main criterion. I take the avocado in my hand and feel it gently without pressing it too much. A ripe avocado should feel soft but not too soft or mushy. By avocados that have already turned bad, I noticed that the skin becomes rather leathery and doesn't touch the flesh of the avocado anymore. Keep away from those avocados; you can be sure that they are bad in this case.
- Check the stems. If you touch it and the stem comes off immediately, chances are that the avocado is overripe, so leave it. Have a look at the area underneath the stem; if it's green, the avocado is good. If it's brown, the avocado is probably bad.
- Looking at the stem is the best test you can do with avocados that you have at home. If you bought unripe avocados and are waiting for them to get ripe, check the stem daily.
- I try not to get it off the avocado until I am pretty sure that the avocado is good to eat.
- But I try to move it gently with my finger every day. When I notice that it's about to give, then I know that the avocado is good.
How to ripen avocados at home?
- On the counter: Most of the time, I place them on the counter and let them be, checking every day as indicated above. The ripening will take at least 3 days, in my experience, but it greatly depends on the state the avocado was in when you bought it.
- Paper bag: However, if you want to accelerate the process a little bit, place the avocados in a brown paper bag together with an apple or a kiwi. The apples and kiwis contain a hormone that accelerates the ripening process.
- Once the avocado is ripe, you can place it in the fridge. This will help it keep healthy for 2 more days. Here you can find more detailed information on how to ripen avocados at home.
What to serve with avocado and tomato salad?
You can have this avocado and tomato salad as a very light and healthy lunch or dinner on its own with just a little bread on the side.
The salad also makes a wonderful side dish; we had it with skillet chicken breast, Sweet Chili Dip and Potato Wedges. You can also have it with fish or with some eggs (poached or fried) on top.
More delicious salads
Tomato and Avocado Salad – Panamanian Food
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chopped parsley or coriander
Instructions
- Prepare avocado: Halve the avocado, remove the pit, and peel the avocado. Cut into slices. Place the slices into a bowl and gently toss them with the juice of half the lime.
- Slice the tomatoes and cut the red onion into thin slices as well.
- Arrange the salad on two plates. First, the tomato slices, followed by the onion rings, and then the avocado slices.
- Drizzle the salad with olive oil and more lime juice to taste, and add some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle the salad with chopped parsley or coriander.
Marvellina|What To Cook Today says
Love how simple this recipe is but I know it tastes good! Love the flavors from red onions and cilantro add to this salad
mjskitchen says
A gorgeous salad and perfect for homegrown tomatoes.
Anca says
Looks delicious. I keep my avocados that are not ready to eat in the same basket with the bananas. It will be ready to eat faster.
Sissi says
So simple but obviously so good if made with good ripe tomatoes! I eat many avocados and usually buy only one ripe and the rest unripe, so that I can eat them gradually.