Simple Tomato + Avocado Salad (w/ Basil)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Aug 12, 2015 (last updated Mar 17, 2025) 
Bursting with gorgeous ripe tomatoes, creamy avocado, fresh basil, and a quick homemade dressing of balsamic vinegar + olive oil, this simple salad has no cheese, and it makes the perfect stunning side dish for any meal.
Tomatoes + Avocado + Basil = Love
This simple salad made with two types of tomatoes, creamy avocado, and fresh basil is hands-down one of my all time favorite salads. I could eat it every single day and it would never get old! There’s something about the flavors of juicy tomatoes combined with ripe avocado and herby basil doused in garlicky balsamic dressing that just does it for me.
grilled chicken with avocado and tomato salad
I make this salad for myself as a light lunch, as well as for my family as a simple side that works with just about any dinner. I love it served alongside grilled steak or chicken, like my balsamic grilled chicken with avocado cherry tomato salad. And it’s also always a huge hit at potlucks and parties! It’s so vibrant and special-looking that everyone wants to dive in. It really is best when made with fresh summer tomatoes, but it can even work with cherry tomatoes in the dark days of winter. Yum!
Simple Tomato + Avocado Salad (w/ Basil!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound heirloom, beefsteak, or Roma tomatoes, sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 large ripe avocados, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes and cherry tomatoes on a large platter. Nestle the avocado pieces in between the tomatoes.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, vinegar, salt, and olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- When ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes & avocado, and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Serve immediately.
So many wonderful recipes! Is there a way to print them nicely?
Aimee, I’m happy you like the recipes! One of the drawbacks of the platform I use for publishing (it’s called Squarespace) is there there isn’t a way to nicely format recipes for printing. I’m hoping they’ll build in the functionality soon, but until then I know some of my readers simply copy and paste the recipe text onto a word doc and then print. 🙂
I want to pack this in mason jars and bring it to a picnic/outdoor movie tomorrow night. Will the dressing keep the avocados from browning if I dress it right before I head out the door?
Megan, picnic/outdoor movie night sounds SO fun! Yes, gently coated the avocado should keep it from browning for a few hours. Enjoy the evening!
“BASIL” is in the name of the article and recipe but I don’t see it in the ingredients lists or quantity/amount needed. I’ll “wing it” for my meal but just wanted to bring it to your attention.
Tim, yes, I see the basil was in the instructions by omitted from the ingredient list. The recipe’s been updated!