Need a salad that combines textures and flavors — Tomato, Basil, Avocado and BACON Salad! Fresh, juicy tomatoes combine with creamy avocado and crispy bacon to create a filling flavorful meal topped in fragrant basil. This salad is a great appetizer or side. The creamy avocado against the salty bacon and touch of basil is outta this world delicious! It is a simple, yet delicious recipe that really shows you the potential of some high-quality ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
And what makes this Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Bacon Salad different from the rest: it is so versatile. It is a meal in itself, but it also goes great as a side with grilled or deli-style meats and sandwiches — even pasta dishes. The vegetables you roast are fresh and flavorful, especially since they get infused with aromas from the sizzling pancetta. It is also very customizable — you can opt for a plant-based bacon alternative if real bacon isn’t your thing or simply leave it out altogether to keep the dish veg.
Not only does the avocado add a texture of creaminess, but also it packs those healthy vitamins and minerals rich in heart-healthy fats. Tomatoes, meanwhile contain a lot of powerful antioxidants in the form of lycopene which has been linked to numerous health benefits. This gives the bowl a depth of yum thanks to basil’s peppery-sweet profile, which balances with all of the richness.
Ingredients:
- 2 large riped tomatoes — chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, peeledrafted — thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Step 1: Ingredients Needed
Prepare the veggies to start. You will dice the tomatoes first. Dice the avocado: Cut your avocado in half, remove seed and scoop out flesh. Slice the red onion very thinly and roughly chop the fresh basil leaves. If you havent already, fry up the bacon till crispy and crumble into small chunks.
Step 2: Prepare the Dressing
Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Taste again for seasoning and adjust as needed. None of the other ingredients stand out and work in harmony — there’s a tangy sweetness here that comes from balsamic, while olive oil gives it richness and smoothness.
Step 3: Construct The Salad
In a large salad bowl, combine diced tomatoes with avocado and red onion343and crumbled bacon. Mix gently to avoid mashing the avocado too much. Add the fresh basil last so it retains its beautiful bright green color and super fragrant smell.
Step 4: Dress It Up
Add the dressing to your salad and gently toss so it fully coats. Remember, you are hoping to get a little bit of the juicy tomatoes and crispy bacon in each bite. For the best flavor and texture, these should be eaten right away as avocado will brown.
Nutritional Benefits
Not only is this salad so tasty, but it also contains a ton of nutrition. Avocado are good quality fats, which is important for heat health. It is a great source for fiber that will help you digest your foods and keep satiated. They are especially high in lycopene, an antioxidant associated with decreased risk of heart disease and cancer. Mint and basil are both anti-inflammatory, but I like to use fresh basil in my lemon water as well because it really gives me a refreshing taste while also adding antioxidants.
In a way bacon, of course indulgent but also adding protein and enticing savory saltiness to the dish. If you are worried about the fat content then turkey bacon or a lean cut of pork should be your next choice. This includes olive oil used in the dressing, which boasts healthy fats, especially oleic acid — a type of omega-9 fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties that reduces health risks to chronic illnesses.
Customization Options
I love it because this Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Bacon Salad is so interchangeable. So versatile! For a full on protein dish you could also grill some chicken, add shrimp or perhaps even throw in an egg (hard boiled). To keep it veggie — just skip the bacon, or sub in your favorite plant-based bacons! And, if you like a little crunch to your stuffing then toss in toasted pine nuts, sunflower seeds or my favorite – croutons.
The tomatoes and avocado are creamy enough, but if you can do cheese I would suggest a few spoonfuls of crumbled feta or goat cheese that has been thrown about like confetti. You can garnish with a few slices of jalapeño or red pepper flakes to add some spice.
A Perfect Side for Any Occasion
This Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Bacon Salad is a great side to pretty much any meal. You can never go wrong combining this side with grilled meat such as steak, chicken or fish. This side would be a perfect dish for a summer barbecue since the other dishes are fairly heavy. The colors and textures in this salad go well together and are beautifully presented hence attractive to your guests.
It can also be made as a quick meal plan. Store it all in an air tight boxes and leave the dressing aside. This is because tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado’s tend to get slimy if left after being mixed with a vinegar-based dressing. You can prepare a big batch and have it in cups throughout the week. It is ideal for you if you have had a hectic week and you may lack time to prepare a meal or pack lunch for work.
Final Thoughts
A delicious blend of tomatoes, avocado, bacon and fresh basil meld deliciously together to create a sweet yet savory breakfast that tickles the taste buds both nutritionally sound. This Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Bacon Salad makes a great crowd-pleasing snack and an easy way to work some of those greens into your daily diet. This mushroom soup can be served as a light lunch or with something more substantial, making it not just easy but infinitely versatile and destined to become part of your recipe repertoire. When you are searching for a salad to make quickly that also tastes amazing, try this one next time.
