Smashed Cucumber Avocado Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette

Chef notes

I love this recipe because it's a no-cook, high-contrast salad built for peak summer produce. It's got cracked cucumber, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, sharp pickled onion and big torn herbs all in one bowl. Leaving the basil, mint and parsley whole instead of chopping keeps every bite bright and fragrant.

Technique tips: Smash the cucumbers instead of slicing them. The cracked, ragged surfaces soak up the vinaigrette far better than a clean-cut edge. Salting and draining them briefly afterward keeps the salad from turning watery.

Swap option: Use all lemon or all lime in the vinaigrette depending on what's on hand. Lime leans brighter and more tropical, lemon a touch more floral. English cucumbers work fine in place of Persian. A few torn pieces of burrata or a scattering of feta are a nice addition if you want more creaminess alongside the avocado.