Avocado Green Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing

Name: Avocado Green Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (25 g) raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds); 6 cups (170 g) mixed salad greens (such as baby romaine, butter lettuce and arugula), washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces, loosely packed; 1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; 4 small (60 g) radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced (optional); 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 2 medium (300 g) ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, loosely packed; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water; ½ small (15 g) jalapeño, stemmed and roughly chopped; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic, peeled; 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey or agave syrup; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp mixed greens, creamy avocado and cool cucumber are tossed in a bright, punchy lime-cilantro dressing with a little jalapeño heat and toasted pepitas for crunch. Ready in 20 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 3 min
Total: 23 min
Makes: 4 side-salad servings (about 6 cups / 1.4 L total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tablespoons (25 g) raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
6 cups (170 g) mixed salad greens (such as baby romaine, butter lettuce and arugula), washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces, loosely packed
1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
4 small (60 g) radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced (optional)
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 medium (300 g) ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
For the dressing
1 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water
½ small (15 g) jalapeño, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 small clove (3 g) garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey or agave syrup
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (7)

Small skillet (8-inch / 20 cm) for toasting pepitas
Blender or small food processor (or a jar with a lid and a fine knife)
Large salad bowl (at least 4-quart / 4 L)
Salad spinner or clean kitchen towels
Chef's knife and cutting board
Citrus juicer or reamer
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Wash and thoroughly dry the greens and herbs; wet leaves make the dressing watery and slide off.
Use avocados that give slightly when pressed gently at the stem end: ripe but not mushy.
Slice and add the avocado last, just before serving, so it stays green and intact.
Leave the jalapeño seeds in for more heat, or remove them for a mild dressing.

1
Toast the pepitas
- Place the pepitas in a dry 8-inch (20 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Stir or shake the pan constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away to stop the cooking and let them cool.
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Ready when: Seeds puff slightly, turn light golden and start to pop; they smell nutty.
Tip: They go from golden to burnt in seconds, so don't walk away.
2
Prep the vegetables
- Put the dried greens in a large salad bowl.
- Add the sliced cucumber, the radishes (if using) and the scallions.
- Do not add the avocado yet.
- Keep the bowl at room temperature or chill it while you make the dressing.
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Ready when: Greens are dry and cucumber slices are an even thickness.
Tip: Pat the cucumber slices with a towel if they look wet.
3
Blend the dressing
- In a blender or small food processor combine the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, water, jalapeño, garlic, honey and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down the sides once.
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Ready when: The dressing is smooth, pourable and bright green with no visible cilantro leaves or large garlic pieces.
Tip: If it's too thick to pour, blend in 1 more tablespoon of water.
4
Taste and adjust
- Dip a lettuce leaf into the dressing and taste.
- Add a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, a few drops of lime juice if it needs more tang, or a little more honey if it's too sharp.
- Add a few grinds of black pepper.
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Ready when: The dressing tastes slightly stronger than you want the salad to taste, since the greens will dilute it.
Tip: Tasting on a leaf, not a spoon, gives a truer sense of the final salad.
5
Toss the base
- Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the greens and vegetables.
- Toss gently with your hands or two large spoons for about 20 seconds.
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Ready when: Every leaf has a light, glossy coat with no pooling dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Start with less dressing; you can always add more but can't take it away.
6
Add the avocado
- Add the cubed avocado and fold gently 3 or 4 times, just until it's mixed through.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top.
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Ready when: Avocado cubes are still distinct, not mashed.
Tip: Over-tossing turns the avocado into a green paste.
7
Finish and serve
- Scatter the toasted pepitas over the salad and serve immediately in a wide bowl or on individual plates, with a little extra salt and pepper at the table.
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Ready when: Greens are still crisp and the avocado is bright green.
Tip: Serve within 10 minutes; the greens soften as they sit in the dressing.

Good to know

Tips

Roll the limes firmly on the counter before juicing to get more juice, and strain out any seeds.
Include the tender cilantro stems in the dressing; they carry plenty of flavor and blend smoothly.
To check an avocado's ripeness, flick off the small stem cap: green underneath means ripe, brown means overripe.
Add crumbled cotija or queso fresco and a handful of cherry tomatoes to turn this into a more substantial lunch.

Make ahead

"Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed jar. Wash and dry the greens and slice the cucumber and radishes up to 1 day ahead; store them in a container lined with paper towels. Toast the pepitas up to 3 days ahead. Cut the avocado and toss everything together only just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Undressed components keep in the fridge as described under make-ahead. The dressed salad is best eaten right away; leftovers keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 day but will be wilted, so eat them cold and don't reheat. Dressing keeps up to 3 days in the fridge and may darken slightly; shake or stir before using. Don't freeze."

Substitutions

raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) → Toasted sliced almonds or sunflower seeds. Toast the same way; use the same amount.
honey or agave syrup → Agave syrup or a pinch of sugar. Makes the dressing vegan. Use agave 1:1, or ¼ teaspoon sugar.
jalapeño → Pinch of red pepper flakes or 1 small serrano pepper. Serrano is hotter, so use about ¼ pepper.
mixed salad greens (such as baby romaine, butter lettuce and arugula) → Baby spinach or chopped romaine hearts. Use the same volume. Romaine stays crisper if you need to hold the salad a bit longer.