📌 Purslane, Avocado, and Cherry Tomato Salad

Posted 19 April 2026 by: Admin #Recipes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

0 minutes

Total Time

15 minutes

Servings

2 servings

It’s the kind of salad you make on a spring Thursday, when it’s finally warm enough that you don’t want soup anymore. Purslane is growing everywhere right now—in gardens, between paving stones—and most people pull it out without knowing what they’re throwing away. Their loss.

Final result — A fresh and colorful purslane salad with creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, and red onion—simple, filling, and packed with good nutrients.

In the bowl, the small fleshy leaves of the purslane shine like dark green plastic, thick under the fingers and slightly crunchy. The avocado cuts through it all with a touch of pale green, almost yellow in places, melting like butter that’s been out for twenty minutes. The cherry tomatoes add bright, almost lacquered red spots. A slightly tangy smell rises from the dressing—the cider vinegar that has found its place in the oil.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Ready in less than 15 minutes : No cooking. You chop, you assemble, you eat. That’s it. For a weekday evening when you’ve run out of energy, this is true comfort.

✓Purslane has a flavor no other leaf has : Naturally slightly salty, with a subtle vegetal acidity. No need for heavy seasoning—the vegetable already does part of the work.

✓The avocado plays the role of comfort : It makes the salad satisfying. Without it, it would be a light salad. With it, it’s a real meal—creamy, dense, and filling.

✓Eat outside, standing up, in the garden if you want : It’s the dish for days when you want to eat something good without locking yourself in the kitchen. A bowl, a fork, and you’re set.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Everything you need for this salad: fresh purslane, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and a dressing made with olive oil and cider vinegar.

Purslane : It’s the star. Look for it at an organic greengrocer or a local market—supermarkets rarely have it. Take the leaves and tender small stems, discard the large red stems which are a bit stringy. Taste a raw leaf before starting: a bit salty, a bit tangy, with a slightly gelatinous texture on the tongue.
Avocado : It needs to be ripe—not mushy, but ripe. Press lightly with your thumb near the stem: if it gives just a little, it’s good. Hass variety preferred, with the bumpy black skin—richer in flavor than the large smooth green varieties that often taste like nothing.
Cider vinegar : Not standard white vinegar—that would be too aggressive for purslane, which is already a bit acidic. Cider brings a fruity sweetness that balances everything. One tablespoon is enough, no more.
Cherry tomatoes : Get the smallest ones you can find, the ones that burst between your teeth with a sharp snap and release their juice all at once. Sweet 100 or orange Sungold are perfect. Cut them in half so they soak up the dressing.
Red onion : Just a few thin slices, not a whole onion. If you don’t like raw onion when it’s too strong, soak it for 10 minutes in cold water with a bit of salt—it cuts the sharpness without losing the crunch.

Rinse the purslane twice, not once

Purslane often grows close to the ground, and its small leaves trap soil between the stems. A single quick rinse isn’t enough. Two baths in a large bowl of cold water, swirling gently—you’ll see the bottom covered with a fine veil of dust each time. Drain in a colander and shake without bruising the leaves: they wilt quickly and lose their shape. On a clean towel, they dry in two minutes. Dry leaves are what make the dressing stick instead of sliding to the bottom of the bowl.

Only cut the avocado at the last moment

Avocado browns quickly. Prepare the rest of the salad first—purslane, tomatoes, onion—and only touch the avocado when you’re ready to serve. Cut it in half, remove the pit, and peel off the skin by hand if the avocado is ripe: it comes off in one clean piece. Use irregular chunks, not perfect cubes. It’s more visually appealing and melts better under the fork than perfectly diced cubes.

Make the dressing in the bottom of the bowl, not in a separate jar

Pour the olive oil and cider vinegar directly into the large salad bowl, add the salt and oregano, and whisk with a fork until it lightly emulsifies. Fifteen seconds. The smell that rises is sharp and fresh, slightly herbal thanks to the dried oregano opening up in the warm oil of your kitchen. Place the purslane on top and toss just once or twice—purslane drinks up dressing very quickly because of its fleshy leaves, and over-mixing will give you a soggy salad.

Eat it within ten minutes

This salad doesn’t wait. The purslane softens, the avocado browns, the tomatoes release their water. Serve directly in the preparation bowl if you’re alone—less washing up. If you’re making it for several people, warn them: we eat now, not in twenty minutes when everyone is settled. A pinch of fleur de sel to finish, a final drizzle of oil if you feel like it.

Tips & Tricks

If you can’t find purslane, replace it with lamb’s lettuce or baby spinach—the texture will be different (less crunch, less natural salty taste), but the salad remains good.
Dried oregano works better than fresh here because it infuses into the oil in a few minutes and gives a deeper note. Fresh stays on the surface and doesn’t flavor as much.
To make it an effortless full meal, add a hard-boiled egg cut into quarters or some rinsed chickpeas. It takes thirty seconds and changes the status of the plate.

Close-up on the fleshy and shiny purslane leaves, glistening with dressing, right next to the melting avocado.

FAQs

Where can I find fresh purslane?

Organic greengrocers and local markets often have it in spring and summer. Supermarkets rarely carry it. If you have a garden, it often grows on its own—it’s a very common edible weed. Otherwise, lamb’s lettuce or baby spinach will do.

How do I choose a perfectly ripe avocado?

Press lightly with your thumb near the stem: if it gives just a little without feeling mushy, it’s ready. If it’s too hard, leave it at room temperature for two days. If it’s too soft or has black spots under the skin, it’s past its prime.

Can I prepare this salad in advance?

Not really. Purslane softens quickly once dressed, avocado browns in minutes, and tomatoes release their water. Prepare all elements separately and assemble at the last moment, just before serving.

How can I mellow the strong taste of raw onion?

Soak the slices for 10 minutes in a bowl of cold water with a pinch of salt. This cuts the bitterness without losing the crunch. Rinse and dry before adding to the salad.

How do I turn this salad into a full meal?

Add a hard-boiled egg cut into quarters, a handful of drained chickpeas, or some grilled chicken strips. It takes thirty seconds and the salad becomes a main dish.