Description
This Easy Cucumber Mozzarella Salad is a refreshing Italian-inspired side dish combining crisp cucumber slices, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, ripe avocado, and fresh basil in a light herb dressing made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Perfect for quick preparation with no cooking required, it offers a healthy, flavorful, and vibrant salad ideal for summer gatherings, weeknight dinners, or light meals.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 large ripe but firm avocado, diced
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or small balls, drained
For the Dressing:
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced very fine
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Assemble the Salad Ingredients: Begin by placing the fresh ingredients into a serving bowl. Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, diced avocado, and chopped fresh basil leaves. Arrange everything nicely to create an appealing presentation.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue whisking until the mixture is fully emulsified and well combined.
- Dress and Serve the Salad: Just before serving, drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad. Gently toss all ingredients in the bowl to ensure they are evenly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh and vibrant flavors.
Notes
- Pat cucumber slices dry with paper towels to prevent a watery salad.
- Add the avocado last to prevent browning and maintain its creamy texture.
- Start with half the balsamic vinegar and adjust to taste to keep the dressing balanced.
- Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving for better flavor infusion but don’t leave it out longer to avoid overly soft mozzarella.
- Store salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days; keep dressing separate to maintain freshness if storing leftovers.
- Substitute regular cucumbers (peeled and seeded) or Persian cucumbers if English cucumbers are unavailable.
- Alternate tomatoes like roma or regular tomatoes cut into chunks can be used.
- Fresh mozzarella is preferred, avoid low-moisture pizza mozzarella; burrata or mild feta are tasty substitutions.
- Skip avocado or replace with black olives for different creamy textures.
- Red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar can replace balsamic with a pinch of sugar if desired.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, use fresh oregano or Italian herb mix; use dried basil sparingly (about 2 tablespoons) if substituting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: cucumber mozzarella salad, fresh mozzarella salad, easy Italian salad, summer side dish, no cook salad, healthy salad, cucumber salad with mozzarella, fresh basil salad, quick salad recipe
