If you’re going to scoop, slice, cube, mash, and purée avocado into all kinds of food—and we 100% encourage you to—why not learn everything there is to know about it? Avocados are an incredibly versatile ingredient that are perfect for adding rich flavor, green color, and a smooth, creamy texture to a huge range of foods. Try them in and on everything from soups, salads, burgers, and grain bowls to smoothies, dressing, dessert (yes, dessert!), and more.
Avocado is a fruit native to South and Central America that’s easy to find year-round at most supermarkets in the non-refrigerated produce section. Most avocados, especially the common Hass variety, are about the size of your fist, and can range in color from light yellow-green to nearly black. In general, the lighter in color an avocado is, the more time it has left to ripen.
Riper avocados will display darker, wrinklier skin that’s an indicator it’s ready to eat. Ripe avocados will also give slightly under light pressure from your thumb. If it’s rock-hard, don’t plan on using it right away—it will need to ripen for 3-5 days on your kitchen counter, after which you have a small window of 1-2 days to enjoy the avocado in its optimal state. Need it sooner? Place avocados in a paper bag with an apple or a banana and shorten the ripening time by a day or two. This method concentrates the ethylene gas emitted by apples, bananas, and other fruits (like kiwis, melons, and stone fruit) around the avocado, causing it to ripen faster.
The flavor of avocado is mildly sweet, nutty, and earthy, with a rich, buttery texture that’s easily incorporated into mashed or blended recipes and can serve as a nutrient-dense substitute for butter and oil in baking recipes.
Although organic produce is always a good choice, avocados don’t strictly need to be organic, unlike more “porous” produce, like strawberries or spinach. Avocados’ thick, impermeable skin protects the flesh, which is unlikely to carry pesticide residue.
Avocado is nothing short of impressive when it comes to nutrition, boasting close to 20 vitamins and minerals. This fiber-rich superfood adds rich creaminess without any dietary cholesterol, light sweetness without any sugar, and is packed with heart-healthy fat. Avocado can even act as a nutrient-booster by helping you absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, including Vitamins A, E, D, and K. It’s especially rich in folate and copper, which help produce red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. It’s also a great source of antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein that support eye health, and free radical-battling, immune-boosting antioxidants lycopene and selenium that help prevent premature aging.
Half a medium avocado contains around 150 calories, including 10.5 grams of healthy monounsaturated fat, 1.3 grams of protein, and a whopping 6.7 grams of fiber.
Holding the avocado in your non-dominant hand, carefully slice lengthwise all the way around the pit. Twist gently to separate the halves, then pull apart. Press on the back of the half with the pit until the pit is loose enough to pull out.
For slices, carefully cut down the flesh to the skin of the avocado (without piercing it) at the width you’d like your slices. For cubes, repeat this going down and across the avocado half, then gently push the cubes out by pressing firmly on the skin side (like you’re turning it inside-out).
To keep a cut avocado as fresh as possible, refrigerate whole halves rather than cubes or slices. The more surface area you expose, the more browning you’ll see, so we recommend keeping the pit in the avocado until you’re ready to use it. Sprinkle the exposed surface of the avocado with a few drops of lemon juice and cover tightly with plastic or beeswax wrap. Use within 24 hours for the best color and texture.
If you find yourself with a flat-tasting avocado (which happens occasionally), perk it up with salt, acidic ingredients, and flavorful seasonings, or make it into a simple guacamole with lime juice, chopped red onion, and a few sprinkles of cumin. Guacamole will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, but is best within 24 hours. Avoid browning by pressing saran wrap directly onto the surface.
Half an avocado with a squeeze of lemon, sprinkle of chili-lime salt, or splash of hot sauce or low-sodium soy sauce is one of our “forever” go-to snacks–you can wrap it in saran wrap, pack it up, and eat it with a spoon on the go. It may surprise you to know that avocado blends seamlessly into sweet recipes, smoothies, and butter, adding nutrition and a lightly sweet flavor. In short, there’s no limit to the number of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts you can make with avocado, and here are a few of our favorites.