Avocado and Onion Salad

By Ali Slagle

Published Feb. 17, 2023

Avocado and Onion Salad
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(156)
Comments
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Avocado, onion, oil and vinegar are all that’s needed for ensalada de aguacate y cebolla, with rich, creamy avocado against the assertive crunch of onion, plus oil and vinegar accentuating the contrast. According to “Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America” (W. W. Norton, 2012) by Maricel Presilla, this combination is found in many Caribbean and Andean traditions, served as a starter or alongside almost any dish but especially rich stews and meats. Florida avocados are larger and can taste greener than buttery Hass avocados; when they’re in season, use them for this salad. While sometimes embellished with tomato, watercress, tropical fruits or seafood, start with the simple recipe below, and see why it’s a mainstay on so many tables.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2large Florida (West Indian) or 4 Hass avocados
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1small white onion, thinly sliced into rings
  • 3tablespoons red wine vinegar or lime juice, plus more as needed
  • 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

201 calories; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 2 grams protein; 309 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    For clean avocado wedges, halve each avocado and remove the pit. Place the halves cut sides down, then cut through the skin into 1-inch thick wedges. Peel the skin off. Arrange the avocado on a platter or plates. Sprinkle with salt. Separate the rings of the onion and arrange them on top of the avocado. (You may not need all the onion.) Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with vinegar and olive oil. Take a bite of avocado and onion together and adjust seasonings with more salt, pepper, oil and vinegar until the combination is rich with a slight pucker. Eat right away.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
156 user ratings
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Comments

YiaYia

If the thought of the raw onion puts you off this lovely salad, I recommend putting the thin onion slices in with the vinegar & salt for 10-15 minutes to take the edge off their sharpness. Just add the oil after. Oh yum

andrea

Handy avocado tip I picked up on some tv cooking show - slice the avocado into quarters, not halves - gets the pit out easier and makes peeling easier.

Ron Smith

Possible suggestion is to use a sweet onion or a red onion. My mouth is watering as I write this.

Erik

Didn’t change a thing. Used lime juice. Brilliant!

Ana

This avocado salad is added aloneside many Cuban dishes. If you add slice olives and sprinkle over the top it's a nice accent to the creamy avocado.

Ben

Used tarragon vinegar, which goes really well with avocados. Salted the onion for 10 minutes or so, and then tamed it with vinegar for roughly a half hour before drizzling over the avocado. I feel like a bit of arugula would do well tossed in with this; maybe next time.

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