Creamy Basil Avocado Salad Dressing Recipe

This is classic basil avocado dressing recipe from my early repertoire, developed during my years of managing the kitchen of a yoga resort in Crete, Greece. This recipe is especially good for those slightly overripe avocados, the ones that are too soft and not really presentable for a salad. You just need a blender or any small food processor. It goes great with all kinds of salads.

Let’s Talk Nutrition

Avocado is a healthy source of dietary fat, comprised mainly of monounsaturated fatty acids (the type found in olive oil). Are you trying to lose weight but can’t manage to shed the pounds? This might stem from an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of fat. Contrary to public opinion, fat doesn’t make you fat. Actually, the best diets for weight loss and general wellness are those deriving the majority of their calories from fat. This has been demonstrated in the scientific literature for decades, but is only now being understood within society at large.

If you’re interested to learn more about effortless weight loss without counting calories, check out my article The 98-Year Mistake, which features an exclusive interview with world-renowned obesity expert, Dr. David Ludwig.

I would also like to point out that avocados are one food for which the differences between “organic” and “conventional” are very minimal. Personally, I would much prefer to pay half price or less for conventional avocados because they are just as healthy as their expensive counterparts. Furthermore, the entire issue of so-called organic foods has many nuances. Check out my article, Does Organic Matter? for more on this important subject.

Creamy Basil Avocado Salad Dressing

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lime or 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/4 cup water
• Generous bunch fresh basil
• Salt and pepper

The process…

Put everything in the blender except the basil. Start will lesser amounts of salt and lime; you can add more after tasting.

Taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Add more water if necessary. Texture should be thick but pourable.

Add the basil and pulse blend such that small pieces remain.

Serve the basil avocado dressing on the side of your salad or premixed with the salad. If you premix, do so just before serving. Otherwise the salad greens can lose their crispness.

SERVES 2-4

Hooked on Avocado? Try These Recipes as Well

• Baked Trout w. Avocado Tomatillo Sauce
• Roasted Turnips w. Avocado, Bacon and Aji Panca Sauce
• Pistachio Orange Beetroot Avocado Salad

Get Your Copy of the Award-Winning Book Behind the Blog