If you’ve been cooking the Mediterranean way for a time, you already know how to build a salad-a great one-out of anything: vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, herbs. And you’ve probably already observed that lettuce isn’t exactly our go-to ingredient. From the all-popular tabouli, to balela, grain bowls, and my latest grilled zucchini salad–no lettuce! Adding another craveable, no-lettuce salad to the list: simple Mediterranean avocado salad.
Side note. Avocados are not a native Mediterranean ingredient, they were introduced to parts of the Mediterranean as late as the 1980’s. But because of their nutritional value, they have been enthusiastically adopted into Mediterranean cooking and the Mediterranean lifestyle. I love them for everything from salads to chilled Avocado Soup and even Green Smoothies!
Why this avocado salad recipe works?
There isn’t a ton of fuss going on here. We’re talking just-ripe, creamy avocados, combined with tomatoes, cucumbers, and shallots. I love to change up my basic vinaigrette once in a while. This time, I used Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and a generous pinch of all-natural za’ataar (a special spice blend of Mediterranean wild thyme and sesame seed.)
In place of croutons, I used grilled cubes of halloumi cheese. Halloumi is a bit of an unusual Cypriot cheese made from sheep’s, goat’s, and / or cow’s milks. It’s salty, sturdy, and somewhat rubbery, so it can easily withstand the heat. When grilled correctly, halloumi melts nicely on the inside, while forming a golden crisp surface. I love to use it to add a salty, savory note to fresh salads, from this avocado salad to Grilled Halloumi Salad with Fresh Peaches. You can omit the halloumi here, but if you want to add a little touch of decadence to your avocado salad, I’d highly recommend it.
More Recipes to Try:
Herbed Couscous Bowls with Roasted Cauliflower 5 from 12 reviews
1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/4 cup Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 1/2 tsp za’atar spice, more to sprinkle Salt and pepper
Mediterranean Pomegranate Tomato Salad Easy Asparagus Recipe with Mediterranean Salsa Easy Potato Casserole, Egyptian-Style Turkey Lasagna Soup
