Name: Avocado Cucumber Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 large ripe Hass avocados, pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 large English cucumbers (or 4 Persian cucumbers), sliced into ¼-inch rounds or half-moons; ¼ medium red onion, very thinly sliced or finely diced; ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (or fresh dill, or a combination); 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, roughly torn (optional but lovely); Optional add-ins: 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved, ½ cup corn kernels, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 jalapeño thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1½ lemons) or fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 small garlic clove, minced (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder); ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for gentle heat); 1 teaspoon honey or agave (optional, for a touch of sweetness to balance)

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If you need a salad that comes together in under 10 minutes, requires absolutely zero cooking, looks absolutely gorgeous on the table, and tastes like something from your favorite trendy health cafe — this Avocado Cucumber Salad is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Creamy, buttery avocado cubes paired with crisp, cool cucumber slices, fresh herbs, a zesty lemon dressing, and just the right amount of seasoning — it’s one of those deceptively simple recipes that delivers flavor and satisfaction so far beyond what the ingredient list suggests.

This avocado cucumber salad recipe has become one of the most saved and shared summer recipes on Pinterest for genuinely good reasons. It’s the perfect solution for those scorching days when turning on the oven feels absolutely out of the question, when you need something impressive to bring to a cookout, or when you’re trying to eat fresh and clean without spending an hour in the kitchen. It hits all the marks — cool and creamy, light and satisfying, nutritious and delicious — all at the same time.

Whether you’re serving it alongside grilled salmon, tucking it into a wrap, spooning it over rice, or eating it straight from the bowl with a fork while standing at your kitchen counter (we’ve all been there and there’s zero judgment here), this fresh avocado cucumber salad is one of those recipes you’ll turn to again and again throughout the warmer months. Let’s make it!

History & Background

The story of avocado cucumber salad is a fascinating culinary tale that draws from two very different ancient food traditions that came together in the modern American kitchen to create something genuinely magical.

Avocados have one of the longest and most storied culinary histories of any ingredient in the Americas. Archaeological evidence from the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico suggests that avocados were consumed by humans as far back as 10,000 years ago, and they were cultivated in Mexico and Central America by at least 5,000 BCE. The Aztecs called them “ahuacatl” — a word that eventually became the Spanish “aguacate” and then the English “avocado.” The Aztecs prized avocados so highly that they were used as currency and considered a symbol of fertility and abundance. Spanish conquistadors encountered avocados in the 16th century and brought them back to Europe, from where they eventually spread throughout the world.

Avocados arrived in the United States in the mid-1800s, primarily through Florida and California, where the climate proved ideal for cultivation. For most of the 20th century, avocados were considered a specialty or exotic ingredient in mainstream American cooking. Their transformation into a beloved, ubiquitous American food staple came through waves of immigration — particularly from Mexico and Central America — that brought avocado-centered culinary traditions into American kitchens and restaurants. By the 1990s and 2000s, avocado had become firmly embedded in American food culture, a journey that culminated in the now-iconic avocado toast moment of the 2010s that cemented the fruit’s status as a cultural phenomenon.

Cucumbers have an equally ancient history on the other side of the world. Native to South Asia, cucumbers have been cultivated for over 3,000 years and appear in the food records of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Romans were so enthusiastic about cucumbers that Emperor Tiberius reportedly demanded them on his table daily. Cucumbers spread through the Mediterranean, across Europe, and eventually to the Americas through European colonization, becoming a beloved garden vegetable throughout the Eastern United States from the colonial period onward.

The specific pairing of avocado and cucumber in a salad format is a product of modern California cuisine — that sunny, health-conscious, ingredient-forward cooking style that emerged from California in the 1970s and 1980s and spread across the country. California chefs and home cooks, surrounded by extraordinary avocado and produce abundance, began pairing these two cooling, refreshing ingredients in salads and side dishes that celebrated their complementary textures — the creamy richness of avocado balancing the crisp, cooling lightness of cucumber in perfect harmony.

The avocado cucumber salad as it exists today on Pinterest boards and food blogs across America is a beautiful reflection of that California culinary tradition — fresh, simple, ingredient-forward, health-conscious, and deeply satisfying.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Once you make this avocado cucumber salad for the first time, you’ll understand immediately why it has become one of the most-pinned, most-made summer salad recipes in American home cooking. It checks every single box that matters to home cooks today.

Here is everything that makes this creamy avocado cucumber salad absolutely impossible to resist:

Ready in just 10 minutes — from refrigerator to table faster than any delivery order
Zero cooking required — perfect for hot days when your kitchen needs to stay cool
Naturally vegan and gluten-free — works for every dietary need at any table
Keto and low-carb friendly — avocados and cucumbers are both excellent low-carb choices
Incredibly versatile — works as a side dish, light main, appetizer, wrap filling, or toast topping
Nutritionally exceptional — packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and vitamins
Budget-friendly — avocados and cucumbers are among the most affordable fresh produce items available
Great for entertaining — looks absolutely stunning on any table with almost no effort
Endlessly customizable — add tomatoes, red onion, corn, black beans, feta, shrimp, or jalapeño to make it your own
Kid-friendly — the mild, creamy flavor of avocado is one that most children genuinely enjoy

Ingredient Notes

Avocados — The creamy, buttery star of the show, and the most important ingredient to get right. For this salad, you need avocados that are perfectly ripe — neither underripe and hard nor overripe and brown. A perfectly ripe avocado yields gently when pressed with your thumb without feeling mushy. The skin should be dark (almost black for Hass avocados, the most common variety) but not shriveled. If your avocados aren’t ripe yet, place them in a paper bag with a banana or apple at room temperature for 1–2 days — the ethylene gas from the banana accelerates ripening remarkably effectively. For this salad, cut avocados into medium chunks rather than small dice so they hold their shape and stay visible in the finished dish.

English or Persian Cucumbers — English cucumbers (long, thin-skinned, seedless) or Persian cucumbers (small, firm, thin-skinned) are the ideal choices for this avocado cucumber salad. Their thin skin means no peeling required, their minimal seeds mean no waterlogging, and their mild, clean flavor is a perfect backdrop for the creamy avocado. If using regular garden cucumbers, peel them and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds before slicing to prevent excess moisture from making the salad watery.

Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice — This is the essential acid element that does double duty in this recipe — it brightens and balances all the flavors in the dressing, and it performs the critical function of slowing the browning of the avocado. Fresh is absolutely mandatory here. Bottled lemon or lime juice lacks the vibrant, complex acidity of fresh-squeezed and can impart an off-flavor to such a delicate salad. Use whichever citrus you prefer — lemon gives a more classic, neutral brightness while lime adds a more tropical, slightly more assertive character.

Fresh Herbs — Cilantro and/or Dill — The herb choice defines the personality of your avocado cucumber salad significantly. Fresh cilantro gives it a more Mexican or Tex-Mex inspired character — bright, citrusy, and vibrant. Fresh dill gives it a more Scandinavian or Eastern European character — cool, aromatic, slightly grassy. Fresh mint brings a cooling brightness that is especially refreshing in summer. You can use any combination or all three. For cilantro-averse cooks, fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil make excellent substitutes.

Red Onion — Adds a sharp, savory bite and beautiful purple color that contrasts gorgeously with the green avocado and cucumber. Always use very thin slices or small dice for this delicate salad — you want the onion present in every bite but never dominating. Soaking the cut onion in cold water for 10 minutes mellows the intensity significantly while preserving the crunch and color.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil — A light drizzle of good quality olive oil adds richness and helps carry the fat-soluble flavor compounds from the herbs and garlic throughout the entire salad. Since the flavors here are very clean and simple, a good olive oil will be immediately noticeable and is worth using your best bottle.

Garlic — Just one small clove of freshly minced garlic or a half teaspoon of garlic powder adds a savory depth that rounds out the dressing beautifully without being overwhelming. For a more subtle garlic presence, rub the inside of your serving bowl with a cut garlic clove rather than adding it directly to the dressing.

Salt and Black Pepper — Simple but essential. Salt draws out the natural flavors of every ingredient and helps the avocado’s butter-richness come forward. Flaky sea salt added right before serving adds a beautiful finishing crunch that fine salt cannot replicate.

Optional Add-Ins — Cherry tomatoes add sweetness and color. Corn kernels (fresh or thawed frozen) add sweetness and crunch. Black beans add protein and make the salad more filling. Jalapeño adds heat. Crumbled feta adds saltiness and creaminess. Toasted sesame seeds or pepitas add beautiful nutty crunch.

Avocado Cucumber Salad Recipe: The Creamy, Refreshing 10-Minute Salad You’ll Make All Summer Long!

History & Background

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Equipment Needed