Fruit? Veggie? Who cares when they're this delicious. Here are all of the avocado recipes you need right now.
California avocado season is a special time of year when we start to find perfectly ripe and smooth in texture avocados across the West Coast. With the peak season for California avocados being between April and August, the California Avocado Commission is forecasting a haul of 292 pounds of the desirable fruit to be distributed across the coast. Which means you’re in for an avocado-filled spring and summer.
The Hass avocado, for those who don’t already know, is actually a California native. Avocado trees were first brought to the U.S. in 1871 from Mexico, and by 1950 over 25 varieties were being packed and produced out of the Golden State. For years the Fuerte avocado made up more than two thirds of avocados coming out California, then in the late 1920’s the Hass avocado was discovered by Rudolph Hass in his backyard in La Habra Heights, CA. In 1935 he patented the varietal, and by the late 1970’s the Hass avocado replaced the Fuerte as the leading variety.
Hopefully, that’s enough history! If not, you can find tons of facts about California avocados here. Now that the green globes are all that’s on your mind, we’ve pulled together our favorite recipes that aren’t toasts or dips for you to celebrate the upcoming season. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an avocado toast or guacamole hater; we actually have those recipe roundups also; there are just so many other ways to enjoy the versatility of avocados: fried, for example, or blended and baked into a chocolate tart. Find the full list below, as well as tips, and a few tools that any die-hard avocado-eater should have in their kitchen drawers.
- Recipes
- Tools
- Tips
Avocado Recipes
1 of 13Iain Bagwell
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Swap avocado forolive oiland you’ve got a fresh, creamy spin on pesto sauce.
2 of 13Iain Bagwell
Avocado and Dark Chocolate Tart
Avocado and chocolate is the surprise pairing you never knew you needed until your first bite of this delicious dessert.
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3 of 13Annabelle Breakey
Avocado Fries
Crunchy on the outside, creamy and nutty inside, these fries are totally over the top. Chef Trey Foshee, at George’s at the Cove restaurant in La Jolla, California, serves them with grilled steak.
4 of 13Jennifer Mariné
Chilled Cucumber, Avocado, and Yogurt Soup
Puréed avocado makes the texture of this refreshing soup even creamier.
5 of 13E. Spencer Toy
Eggs Baked in Avocados
Baking eggsis fast, easy, and delicious. You can cook them in ramekins, of course, but it’s especially fun to make them in edible containers. That twist makes them special enough for lunch or dinner, not only breakfast.
6 of 13Annabelle Breakey
Avocados with Warm Bacon Parsley Vinaigrette
Crunchy bacon brings out the smokiness of a good Hass avocado, and the sharp vinaigrette helps cut its richness.
7 of 13Annabelle Breakey
Egg, Avocado, and Crispy Prosciutto Pitas
Baking prosciutto intensifies its flavor and gives it a crispy texture in these breakfast sandwiches. If you’re eating them on the go, just wrap them in waxed paper.
8 of 13Leo Gong
Smoked Salmon and Avocado Rice Triangles
These elegant bites make for a healthy party appetizer.
9 of 13Annabelle Breakey
Kimchi and Avocado Quesadillas
If you likeMexican recipesand you likekimchi, then this quesadilla is for you. We prefer the super spicykimchi, but use any brand that you like.
10 of 13Thomas J. Story
Avocado, Grapefruit, and Shiso Salad
The warm anise flavor of shiso, encouraged by the licoricey fennel, comes through clearly in this pretty salad. You can use either red or green shiso (red is slightly stronger in flavor) or a combination.
11 of 13Thomas J. Story
Lemony Kale Avocado Sandwiches
“You might think you can’t bring fresh thing backpacking,” says Aimee Trudeau of Dirty Gourmet. “Butkale, lemon, and avocado keep a long time.” When we’re in town, we like to keep their kale salad sandwiches in mind forbrown-bag lunches, too.
12 of 13Thomas J. Story
Squash Blossom, Avocado, and Butter Lettuce Salad
Quick, delicious, and pretty, too, this salad is nice for a special warm-weather luncheon.
13 of 13Annabelle Breakey
Coconut Avocado Ice Cream
Silky smooth, luscious, and surprisingly good with chocolate sauce.
For the avocado fans out there, here are a few tools that will make all of your avocado ventures that much easier.
OXO Good Grips Avocado Slicer
Amazon
OXO Avocado Slicer, $10
Avocado Cuber
Williams Son
Avocado Cuber, $20
Farberware Avocado Huggers
Williams SO
Avocado Saver, $8 (set of 2)
Avocado Pitter and Masher
Avocado Pitter, $15
Avocado Tips
How to Pick Ripe Avocados
When you’re standing in the grocery store, it can be hard to tell the difference between an avocado that’s ready to eat today, tomorrow, or maybe even next week. To pick an avocado that’s ripe enough to eat for dinner tonight, squeeze it with your whole hand; it should have the same “give” as chilled butter. If it’s a little harder (think frozen butter), save it for the next couple of days. A softer avocado might not make the prettiest slices, but will be great mashed and used in baked goods, so don’t write them off just yet!
Tik Tok’s Trick to Storing Avocados
Last year TikTok was all about avocados as users started posting videos of a hack to store your avocados without them turning brown. The video below shows user @TasteGreatFoodie placing a halved avocado face down in a container with water, sealing it, and placing it in the fridge. 24 hours later we’re shown a bright green avocado that looks like it has just been cut open.
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