Cuban avocado salad — sliced avocado with raw onion, dressed with lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper. The simplest Cuban side dish, made with Cuba's large, creamy avocados.
Cuba grows its own avocado varieties — large, green-skinned, with a milder, more watery flesh than Mexican Hass. The simplicity of this salad (just avocado, onion, lime, oil) reflects the Cuban principle of letting good ingredients speak for themselves.
Thick slices of pale yellow avocado with raw onion rings, glistening with lime dressing. The avocado is creamy and mild; the onion is sharp; the lime is bright. A few bites alongside rice and beans refresh the palate completely.
Cuban avocados (larger than Hass) have a higher water content and lower fat content, giving a lighter, more refreshing taste. The lime juice's citric acid prevents the avocado from oxidizing (browning) and adds brightness. The raw onion's sulfur compounds provide pungent contrast.
Variations
Some add tomatoes or hard-boiled eggs; the oil varies (olive or vegetable).
On the Palate
Where Ensalada de Aguacate sits in the Cuban flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 10 min active + 5 min waiting
- 13 min
Slice avocado into thick wedges.
- 22 min
Slice onion into thin rings.
- 32 min
Arrange avocado and onion on a plate.
- 41 min
Drizzle with lime juice and oil.
Watch outSqueeze the lime over the cut avocado right away — the citric acid keeps the green flesh from browning and brightens the whole plate.
- 51 min
Season generously with salt and pepper.
- 61 min
Serve immediately.
