Description
Refreshing summer medley salad combines crisp greens, heirloom tomatoes, and cucumber with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Mediterranean-inspired ingredients create a light, perfect dish for warm afternoons when you crave something fresh and nutritious.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 avocados, diced
- ½ lb (227 g) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ lb (227 g) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 8 oz (226 g) small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
- ⅓ cup (53 g) red onion, diced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) basil pesto
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Assemble fresh tomatoes, avocados, cucumber, red onion, mozzarella balls, basil pesto, lemon, kosher salt, and black pepper in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Vegetable Composition: Meticulously dice tomatoes into uniform cubes, slice avocados into elegant wedges, chop cucumber into thin translucent rounds, and finely mince red onion to create a harmonious Mediterranean-inspired foundation.
- Flavor Layering: Distribute miniature mozzarella balls evenly throughout the vegetable medley, then generously drizzle basil pesto to infuse the salad with herbal complexity and rich texture.
- Citrus Enhancement: Squeeze fresh lemon juice across the ingredients to introduce bright, zesty undertones that will elevate and balance the salad’s overall flavor profile.
- Final Integration: Gently toss all components using a large spoon, ensuring complete coating and seamless blending of textures and flavors, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Optional Refinement: For enthusiasts seeking an intensified herbal essence, add an extra dollop of basil pesto to amplify the salad’s aromatic dimensions.
Notes
- Ingredient Freshness Matters: Select peak-season, ripe produce for maximum flavor and vibrant colors, transforming an ordinary salad into an extraordinary summer experience.
- Precision in Chopping: Uniform vegetable cuts ensure balanced texture and even pesto distribution, creating a harmonious bite in every forkful.
- Lemon Juice Tip: Add citrus just before serving to prevent avocado browning and maintain the salad’s bright, fresh appearance.
- Pesto Power Boost: Drizzle extra pesto strategically for enhanced herbal notes and a luxurious Mediterranean-inspired finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg