Hold the arugula and dismiss the persimmon. How many fruits or vegetables does it take to make a salad? Could the answer be one? If I served a whole avocado drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sweet vinegar, then dusted it with smoked paprika and everything bagel seasoning would you wonder where I was hiding the bagel – or just sit patiently waiting for me to bring the forgotten greens to the table? Well, wonder not and wait no more. There may be an absence of kale and cauliflower, but I think this combination of Avocado with Everything Bagel Seasoning and Paprika – is a salad.
A salad I’ll take world-wide-web credit for.
Avocado with Everything Bagel Seasoning
Here’s why: I mentioned earlier this week that I’ve been sprinkling everything bagel seasoning on, well… everything. Pickles are an unexpectedly piquant partner and though croutons may be more traditional both compliment the potpourri of seeds and whatnot in everything bagel seasoning. Plenty of people think so. Google either if you don’t believe me. I’m not the first person to think these are smart combinations.
Another winning combo is avocado and everything bagel seasoning. This time, you’ll just have to trust me. It’s more difficult to find world-wide-web authentication. In fact, I can’t find any avocado and everything bagel seasoning recipes in any of our virtual kitchens. Sure there are plenty of folks who like to slather avocado on top of their bagels. Some of them have even noticed that everything bagels make particularly good vehicles. But let’s face it – if you put an avocado on a bagel what you end up with something a lot closer to avocado toast than to avocado salad.
Which led me to Google avocado salad (yes, I have time for such boondoggles). As you guessed I found plenty of avocado salads. Besides chopped tomato, they all seemed to have one thing in common. They all adhere to the Merriam-Webster definition of salad rather too closely. In other words, they were “a mixture of raw green vegetables (such as different types of lettuce) usually combined with other raw vegetables.”
Ho hum. So again I have to ask. How many vegetables does it take to make a salad? Could the answer be one? GREG
Whole Avocado Salad with Paprika and Everything Bagel Seasoning
Print This Recipe Yield 2–4Source Adapted from Eder MonteroPublished
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or to taste)
- 4 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning
Directions
Carefully cut each avocado in half lengthwise around the pit. Remove the pit and peel both halves. Lay the avocado halves onto individual plates or a large serving platter. You may alternatively cut each half into slices and array them decoratively on each plate.
Drizzle each half with ½ teaspoon vinegar. Generously sprinkle each of the avocado halves with paprika. You can use a fine-mesh sieve to achieve a consistent dusting. Season with salt, drizzle generously with oil. Garnish each with a teaspoon of everything bagel seasoning. Serve immediately.
I’ll call this whatever you want, as long as I can eat it! Seriously, this is hands down, one of the most delicious sounding/looking recipes I’ve seen in a while. I love everything about it. “Everything!”
Whoa! I want this for DINNER!
Greg, wonderful! I call this a salad. I have no problem calling one ingredient, properly dressed, a salad. I’ll have to pick up some of this “everything bagel” stuff!
My husband would call this a mighty fine salad.
Wow! I love this idea!
This is brilliant, especially, since I like to eat grain free. I can pretend there’s a bagel in there somewhere. The one ingredient salad! Yes!
You are my hero.
Salad or not, I’d happily down this jazzed up avocado! Sounds terrific.
We often eat an avocado as our salad — we fill the center with homemade Worcestershire sauce. So now we have another option!
Shut the front door — this looks awesome. Great idea!
You’ve convinced me, Greg, one veggie does indeed make a salad, particularly one so beautiful as your creation. We have been enjoying avocados so much this year, we eat at least one between the two of us per day (to manage the tonnage), avocados just make a dish a little heartier and we, in turn, feel fuller for a longer period of time. I love how simple this dish is, would it be OTT if I put a poached or fried egg on top?
An egg in any form would be terrific. GREG
Must say I love your train of thought! Here’s to everything!
Those dressed up avocados look mighty fine to me!
Too much fat for me these days but looks yummy. There would have been a day when I would have seen this as healthy but a slice or two on a sandwich or salad would be wonderful. I can see putting this out on a table with other fixins for a family style salad “bar.”
I have been known to do a bit of boondoggling myself. I always appreciate your research and think your avocado is the perfect salad.