Barefoot Contessa | Tomato & Avocado Salad | Recipes

I have been making this simple, quick salad from Queen Ina several times a week. My girls and I love it, and it’s freshness personified. This will be one of your favorite outdoor BBQ staples. I have also served this atop slices of grilled bread as a cross between an open faced sandwich and crostini. Plus, with Mother’s Day coming up, this salad is easy enough for kids (and culinary challenged dads) to put together for Mom/Me.

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice,

divided (2 lemons)

2 firm, ripe Hass avocados

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem

½ cup medium-diced red onion

Good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces baby arugula

Pour ¼ cup of the lemon juice into a mixing bowl. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, peel them (or scoop them out with a spoon), and cut in ½-inch dice. Immediately add the avocados to the lemon juice and toss carefully. Add the cherry tomatoes and red onion and toss again.

In a small glass measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Pour enough of the vinaigrette over the tomato and avocado mixture to moisten completely. Add the arugula, add more vinaigrette, sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and toss well. Taste for seasonings (you want the salad well seasoned!) and serve at room temperature.