23 Ways to Eat Avocado

All hail the versatile and delicious avocado! This fruit can be enjoyed in many ways, from smoothies through to guacamole, and it’s something we should be eating more of for our health.

To get you started, here are 23 of the tastiest ideas for eating (or drinking!) avocados.

1. Avocado Daiquiri

Avocado and alcohol – what an inspired combination. This recipe makes one serving.

4oz rum (a mix of gold and silver is best)

¼ medium-ripe avocado

½ oz half-and-half

¼ oz fresh lemon or lime juice

2oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)

1 ½ ice cubes

Put all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

2. Seasoned Avocados

This is the simplest way to eat avocados. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and pepper and savor every mouthful. You can also use paprika, cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.

A quick way to season an avocado for a speedy snack is to cut it into chunks, drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle over salt and pepper.

3. Stuffed Avocado

Try including avocado in your breakfast for a healthy and filling start. You could stuff half an avocado with eggs, top it with cooked and crumbled bacon and season with fresh herbs and spices like cayenne pepper.

You can experiment with different stuffings to fit what you like. Why not try tuna, chicken, or fruits and veggies for a change.

4. On Toast

Cutting down on butter by using pureed avocado as a spread on toast and sandwiches is a tasty alternative, and also adds more nutrients to your meal.

There are many, many ways to eat avocados on toast, and here’s just a few of the best.

Japanese Inspired Avocado Toast: Nori seaweed, arugula and tiny little caviar eggs make this toast burst with flavor.

Avocado Toast with Persimmon, Pomegranate and Fennel: Goats cheese is mashed into the ingredients, and this is a toasted marvel.

Avocado Toast with Eggs, Spinach and Tomatoes: This makes an excellent and hearty breakfast.

5. Guacamole

You can make a very simple and healthy guacamole using only avocados, herbs, and seasonings:

3 avocados, peeled and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

You can jazz up your avocado by adding other ingredients, such as corn, pineapple, quinoa and broccoli.

6. In Salads

Research has shown that the calories from the fat and fiber in avocados could help satiety, and reduce calorie intake. Add some avocado to your salad to make it a more substantial meal.

7. Avocado Soups

It may seem strange, but avocados make excellent ingredients for home-made soups. You can make an avocado soup, or add chunks to other soups, such as chicken soup. These soups are great eaten hot or chilled on a summer’s day.

8. Avocado Sour Cream

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to sour cream, try using avocados. For instance, you can top baked potatoes with mashed avocados and grated cheese.

If you want to make a dairy-free sour cream alternative, blend together the following ingredients:

2 avocados

Juice of two limes

2 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

9. Grilled Avocados

Grilled avocados make a great side dish, especially with barbequed meats.

Just cut an avocado in half and remove the stone. Drizzle the halves with lemon juice and brush with olive oil. Place the cut side down on the grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

10. In Sushi Rolls

The combo of sticky, sweet sushi rice and creamy avocado is divine. The California roll is very simple – it’s a combination of sushi rice, nori, surimi (crab sticks,) and half an avocado. Very refreshing on a summer’s day.

11. Pickled Avocados

Pickled avocados might not sound much, but they are delicious and can be used in any dish in which you’d normally use avos, such as salads and sandwiches.

To make pickled avocados, put one cup of white vinegar, one cup of water, and one tablespoon of salt in a pan and bring the mixture to the boil. Pour the mixture into a clean jar and add three diced, unripe avocado. Cover them with a lid and let them sit for a couple of days before eating.

12. In Smoothies

Avocados make the perfect ingredient in smoothies. Blend together an avocado with some green, leafy vegetables, and fruits like banana, pineapple, or berries.

For a quick smoothie:

1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted

½ banana

1 cup of milk

½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt

½ cup of spinach

Ice to taste

13. In Salad Dressing

Store-bought salad dressings can add a lot of sugar and unhealthy oils to your salad. Using avocado to dress your salad is healthy, delicious and easy.

Blend the following ingredients together and add water as needed to thin the consistency:

Half an avocado

½ cup water

¾ cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

1 clove of garlic

¼ cup Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

14. Avocado-Based Desserts

Avocado is amazingly versatile, and it can be used as an ingredient substitute for butter, shortening, eggs and oils in baking.

Using avocados in place of these foods can save you some calories, too. Two tablespoons of avocado only have 48 calories, while two tablespoons of butter contain 200!

Once cup of oil or butter equals one cup of mashed avocado, and one egg is equal to 2-4 tablespoons of mashed avocado, so substituting is easy.

Other dessert uses for avocado include chocolate cakes, brownies, chocolate mousse and puddings.

15. Avocado Bread

It’s as simple as making banana bread. Use the same ingredients you would for banana bread, but use avocado instead of bananas.

16. Avocado Ice Cream

For a healthier and more nutritious option to regular ice cream, try some made with avocado.

It’s made by combining avocado, lime juice, milk, cream and sugar. For a lighter choice, substitute the milk and cream for almond or coconut milk, and honey for the sugar.

17. Hummus

Hummus is made with chickpeas and tahini, and is a nutrient-dense food. Chickpeas are a great source of fiber and protein, while tahini and olive oil provide the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Adding avocado to hummus can increase the fiber and healthy fat content even more, and it makes the hummus deliciously creamy.

18. In Pancakes

Adding avocados to your pancake mix provides extra nutrients, and the pancakes come out a beautiful green color with a thick, creamy consistency.

You can also add fruit to these pancakes, such as blueberries to make a delicious combination.

19. In Pasta Sauces

Avocados can be used to make a creamy avocado sauce for pasta dishes:

2 cups uncooked, dry pasta

1 ripe avocado

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cilantro or parsley

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Salt and black pepper to taste.

While the pasta is cooking, put the other ingredients except the cheese into a blender or food processor and blend for either a chunky or smooth sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce, then season and top with the parmesan or romano.

20. As a Topping

Try using avocado slices to top your sandwiches, burgers and pizzas. They’re great for topping Mexican dishes such as tacos and nachos, too.

21. Avocado Fries

These fries can be a great side dish, appetizer or substitute for potato fries. You can deep fry them, or for the healthier option, bake them.

After they are cooked, enjoy them with dipping sauces, such as ketchup, ranch, mustard, or aioli.

22. As a Mayonnaise Substitute

Avocado can be used as a substitute for mayo in any recipe where it’s used as a binding ingredient, such as in tuna, chicken, or egg salads.

23. Scrambled Eggs

Shake up your morning scrambled eggs with some avocado!

Just add diced avocado to the eggs while they are cooking in the pan. Add when the eggs are halfway done to avoid burning the avocado, and cook until the avocado is warmed through.

If you prefer colder avocado, add the diced pieces after the eggs are cooked. Finish off the dish by adding some shredded cheese, and season with salt and pepper.