A crisp Cuban chopped salad of avocado, tomato and radish tossed in a citrus-yogurt dressing instead of the usual straight vinaigrette.
Cuban table salads are typically simple: sliced tomato, cucumber, avocado and shredded cabbage or lettuce dressed with just oil, vinegar and salt, served alongside almost every meal to balance rich, savory mains. This version keeps that same chopped, colorful base but swaps the plain vinaigrette for a citrus-yogurt dressing — a modern home-kitchen touch that adds creaminess without making the salad heavy, and pairs naturally with the citrus notes already common in Cuban cooking. The key to a good chopped Cuban-style salad is cutting everything to a similar, bite-sized dice so every forkful gets a mix of textures — crisp radish, creamy avocado, juicy tomato. The dressing is whisked separately and tossed in just before serving so the avocado doesn't turn the whole bowl mushy sitting in liquid. This is the kind of side dish that shows up at a Cuban family table daily, not a special-occasion salad — quick to make, refreshing against fried or braised mains, and forgiving of ingredient swaps based on what's in the fridge.
Serves 4
Dice tomatoes, avocado and cucumber into roughly even 1cm pieces. Thinly slice radishes and red onion.
Place sliced red onion in a small bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to mellow its sharpness, then drain well.
Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, salt and pepper until smooth and slightly thick.
In a large bowl, gently toss tomatoes, cucumber, radishes and drained onion together first, saving the avocado for last.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently. Fold in the avocado last so it stays in intact cubes rather than mashing into the dressing.
Adding avocado at the very end and tossing gently keeps the salad from turning into guacamole.
Scatter cilantro over the top and serve immediately, ideally within 15 minutes for the best texture.
Salt the diced tomatoes lightly and let them sit in a colander for 5 minutes before adding to the salad to avoid a watery bowl.
Use full-fat yogurt, not low-fat — it emulsifies better with the oil and citrus and won't taste thin.
Cut the avocado just before folding it in, not ahead of time, to keep it from browning.
Skip the yogurt for a classic oil-and-vinegar Cuban salad if you want the traditional, lighter version.
Add crumbled queso fresco for extra richness and a saltier bite.
Swap orange for grapefruit for a more bitter, adult-leaning citrus note.
Best eaten the same day it's dressed. If prepping ahead, keep vegetables, dressing and avocado separate and combine just before serving.
Simple dressed vegetable salads are a near-constant presence on Cuban tables, meant to lighten and balance heavier braises, fried meats and rice-and-bean mains — the citrus-yogurt dressing here is a contemporary home-cook variation on that everyday tradition rather than a historic recipe.
Yes — replace the yogurt with a plain unsweetened coconut or cashew yogurt; the citrus and salt will still carry the dressing well.
Skip it, or substitute diced mango for a different but still fitting sweet-creamy element in the salad.
Tomatoes and cucumber release liquid over time — salting and draining the tomatoes beforehand, and dressing right before serving, both help prevent this.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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