Description
Ina Garten’s guacamole salad brings zesty Mexican flavors to classic summer produce. Fresh ingredients combine with creamy avocados and tangy lime, creating a refreshing side dish you’ll crave at backyard gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and ½-inch diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 (15-oz/425 g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and ½-inch diced
- ½ cup small diced red onion
- ¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) good olive oil
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) minced jalapeño peppers, seeded (2 peppers)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly grated lime zest
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Vegetable Prep: Dice grape tomatoes, rinse black beans, finely chop red onion, mince jalapeño peppers, grate lime zest, and cube yellow bell pepper into a spacious mixing bowl.
- Dressing Creation: Whisk extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, kosher salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and cayenne pepper in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined and emulsified.
- Flavor Fusion: Pour the vibrant dressing over the vegetable mixture, gently tossing to ensure complete coating and flavor integration, allowing ingredients to marinate and develop depth.
- Avocado Finishing: Moments before serving, delicately fold in ripe avocado cubes to preserve their pristine texture and prevent discoloration, creating a luscious, creamy element.
- Final Touch: Let the salad rest briefly at room temperature to allow flavors to harmonize, perform a quick seasoning adjustment if necessary, and serve immediately for optimal freshness and taste.
Notes
- Prevent Avocado Browning: Add avocados at the last minute to maintain their vibrant green color and creamy texture.
- Balance Spice Levels: Adjust jalapeño and cayenne pepper according to personal heat tolerance for a customized flavor experience.
- Maximize Flavor Infusion: Let the salad rest briefly at room temperature to allow ingredients to blend and develop a deeper, more complex taste.
- Serve Fresh: Consume immediately after preparation to enjoy the crisp vegetables and bright, zesty dressing at peak freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg