Cuban Everyday Citrus Avocado Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate)

About This Recipe

Ensalada de aguacate is the salad you'll find on almost every Cuban table, alongside rice, beans and roast pork - thin-sliced avocado and red onion dressed simply with citrus, olive oil and salt. There's no lettuce and no fuss; the whole point is letting ripe avocado and sharp onion speak for themselves, brightened with sour orange or a lime-orange blend that Cuban cooks reach for instead of plain vinegar. The technique is really about timing and slicing: avocado is cut just before serving so it doesn't brown, and the onion is sliced paper-thin and given a short soak in citrus juice to soften its bite. A light hand with the dressing matters - this salad should taste clean and citrusy, not drowned. It's an everyday side, not a composed restaurant salad - meant to sit next to a big pot of rice and beans and cut through the richness of the rest of the meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3ripe avocados(sliced)
• 0.5red onion(very thinly sliced)
• 2 tbspsour orange juice or a lime-orange blend
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspfresh cilantro or parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the onion

   Combine the sliced red onion with the citrus juice in a small bowl and let it sit 10 minutes to mellow the sharp bite.

2. 2

   Slice the avocado

   Just before serving, slice the avocados and arrange them on a platter so they don't have time to brown.

   Cutting avocado ahead of time and letting it sit is the main reason this salad turns brown and unappetizing - do this step last.

3. 3

   Dress

   Drain the onions from the citrus juice (reserve the liquid), scatter them over the avocado, then drizzle with the reserved citrus juice and olive oil.

4. 4

   Season and finish

   Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Add thin tomato slices alongside the avocado for the classic 'ensalada de aguacate y tomate' version.

• •

  Swap red onion for thinly sliced scallions for a milder bite.

• •

  Finish with a few pitted, halved green olives for a briny Cuban touch.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. If you must hold it, keep the dressed onions separate from the sliced avocado and combine right before serving to prevent browning.

Frequently Asked Questions