47 Avocado Recipes That Go Way Beyond Toast
There are many different ways to eat avocado. Our best recipes for everyone’s favorite green fruit (yes, it’s a fruit—sorry, limes) will take you on a journey from breakfast through dessert. We have fancy avocados with turmeric-garlic sauce; fried avocados, which you could enjoy as tacos or serve as avocado fries along with chipotle salsa or mayonnaise; liquified avocados for drinking; avocados baked into chocolate treats—and before you ask, yes, we do have an avocado toast or two, plus a couple of riffs on guacamole.
But, the possibilities for using avocados are truly endless; if you asked us to work them into every recipe, we probably could. Try slipping some avocado slices into a BLT—we promise, no one will complain. Like one of our readers, you could substitute the jalapeño and tomatoes in this shrimp salad recipe for slivered snap peas and avocado and scoop up the mixture with tortilla chips. Or you could just get scrolling already to discover all the best ways to eat an avocado.
Photograph by Shawn Michael Jones, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by JoJo Li1/47Melon and Avocado Crudo
No seafood? No problem. This avocado recipe skips the fresh fish in favor of summery fruit, fresh herbs, and one of our favorite pantry staples: oil-packed anchovy fillets.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown2/47
All A’s Spring Salad With Mahi-Mahi
This one’s versatile: Throw in some canned artichokes, if you want. Unless you want to keep it dairy-free, add some goat cheese. Or, if you don’t want to turn on the oven at all, sub some good oil-packed tuna for the mahi-mahi and you’ve got a springy tuna salad.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime3/47
Molletes
These open-face Mexican sandwiches are topped with creamy refried beans, melty cheese, bright pico de gallo, buttery sliced avocado, pickled red onions, and lacy fried eggs. Phewph!
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman4/47
Eggplant Tortas Milanesa
Tortas can be found in many countries, where they may mean different things, but a Mexican torta is a sandwich. Here, eggplant gets a breaded-and-fried milanesa treatment.
- Photo by Alex Lau5/47
BA's Best Guacamole
If you ever find yourself wondering if your guac is spicy enough, wait a few minutes. It takes some time for the avocado dip to absorb whatever flavors you add to it; patience is key to avoiding over-seasoning.
- Photograph by Eva Kolenko. Food styling by Susie Theodorou. Set design by Kira Corbin. On set producer: Jennifer Thomas6/47
Mango and Avocado Salad
With creamy avocado and sweet ripe mango, plus a citrusy blood orange–lime dressing, this cooling salad will complement any meal that’s big on heat and spice.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski7/47
Avocado Water
This frothy, creamy agua fresca has a pinch of sugar and a bit of lime juice for a cooling drink with the sippable texture of a milkshake, minus the dairy.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk8/47
Flatbread With Avocado and Scallion Salsa
Forget avo toast, this recipe for homemade flatbread takes the classic combination of healthy fats and carbs over the top. Cheater’s tip: It’s also good with store-bought naan.
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Spring Chicken Salad With Smashed Green Beans
Yes, this is a meal-worthy salad recipe, but within it is great sub-recipe: an easy method for making tender poached chicken breasts.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi10/47
Warm 7-Layer Skillet Dip
This warm, melty, cheesy dip marries refried beans with queso, sour cream, salsa, pickled jalapeños, two diced avocados, and a dash of chopped herbs for freshness.
- Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker11/47
Grapefruit Crudo
Dressed in lime juice and fish sauce, tart grapefruit segments get fancy in this textural winter salad alongside crisp shaved radishes, lush avocado slivers, and toasted, crushed cashews.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro12/47
Tex-Mex Caesar Salad
How to take a Caesar into Tex-Mex territory? The ingredient list of this salad recipe will tell you: Cotija cheese, chile powder, lime juice, cilantro, and our trusty avocado. (Can’t find Cotija? Crumble on some feta instead.)
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova13/47
Chocolate-Almond Fridge Fudge
Avocado replaces the dairy in this vegan, fudge-like dessert treat. Honestly, it’s got such nourishing, energizing ingredients—almond butter, cocoa—that you could justify eating it for breakfast.
- Alex Lau14/47
Gochujang-Ranch Crispy Chicken Bowl
For those not already familiar, gochujang is fermented hot chile paste and can be found at many supermarkets and certainly Korean markets. It adds a layer of spicy, savory flavor to the homemade ranch sauce for this avocado-chicken rice bowl.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou15/47
Salsa Verde o Roja Cruda
This zesty tomatillo and avocado salsa will wake up anything from cheese quesadillas to leftover roast chicken. Plus, it lasts five days in the fridge or up to a month if you freeze it.
- Photo by Heidi's Bridge16/47
Red Snapper, Shrimp, and Watermelon Ceviche
Tortilla chips will work with this ceviche if you can’t find plantain chips—or, if you want to go DIY, make these twice-fried plantains (also known as tostones or platanos fritos) yourself.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley17/47
Ponzu Salmon and Avocado Toast
When the flavors of a savory salmon poke bowl crash-land on a slice of avocado toast, you’ve got a lunchtime power player on your hands.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca18/47
Spiced Beef and Refried Bean Tostadas
Avocados, whether you serve them simply sliced or blended into an extra-creamy guacamole, are essential for an A-plus tostada night.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie19/47
Wedge Salad With Toasted Sesame-Seaweed Ranch
This salad dressing recipe has particularly Big Ranch Energy—but with added depth and nuttiness from sesame seeds and toasted seaweed snacks crumbled into the mix.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman. Food Styling by Pearl Jones.20/47
Shrimp and Crispy Rice With Citrus
We all know that the crispy rice is what’s going to make you click on this recipe, but the juicy mixed citrus, sliced avocado, and sautéed shrimp sure don’t hurt.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman21/47
Avocado and Bulgur Salad
“Honestly...this recipe was really good and really easy and surprisingly hearty, AND required zero oven work, which is a big deal on a hot NYC evening,” wrote one commenter. “I’m putting it in the ‘big hit’ category.” Hey, thanks!
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz22/47
Extra-Juicy Turkey Burgers
No more dry turkey burgers! Mashing avocado into the patty mixture helps prevent the meat from shrinking and drying out during cooking, which is why these burgers stay awesomely juicy.
- Alex Lau23/47
Citrus and Avocado Salad With Orange Water
When you picture fruit salad, you probably imagine bruised berries, stingy pineapple, and wan melon. This company-worthy recipe sticks to a theme of assorted citrus, plus avocado for contrast, pistachios for crunch, and tarragon for punch.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/47
Seedy Arepas With Black Beans and Avocado
Made with avocado, cilantro, and lime juice, the avocado sauce in this recipe brings a key creamy component to this dish—it also acts as an adhesive for the crunchy pepitas.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.25/47
Summer Goddess Chicken Salad
Yes, this is a meal-worthy salad recipe, but within it is great sub-recipe: an easy method for making tender poached chicken breasts.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova26/47
Vegetarian Chili With Lots of Fritos
Chipotle chiles in adobo bring depth to this chili/tortilla soup/Frito pie mash-up—but you’ll only use one chile. Use the rest of the can to make salsa, Bloody Marys, or a marinade for meat.
- Gentl & Hyers27/47
Chocolate-Avocado Pudding
A low-sugar, vegan-friendly, “good”-fat-filled, crowd-pleasing dessert is not too good to be true. The flesh of two large avocados makes this dream possible.
- Photo by Alex Lau28/47
Tropi-Cobb Salad
Once you make the vadouvan-coated chicken thighs for this tropical twist on a traditional Cobb salad, you’ll want to put the method on repeat. Stuff the seasoned meat into tacos or use them for a rice bowl.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton29/47
Big Green Lentil Salad
Cool yogurt, crunchy sunflower seeds, and diced avocado turn lentils into a lunch salad you’ll actually be excited to eat. Serve it with warm pita for swiping up the garlicky yogurt.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski30/47
Brussels Sprout Tacos With Spicy Peanut Butter
Cooked and raw brussels sprouts are matched with a fish sauce-y dressing (hello, umami) and a spicy, nutty sauce in this surprising but winning taco. Don’t forget the lime wedges for serving.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li31/47
Grilled Broccoli With Avocado and Sesame
Broccoli can take more heat on the grill than you might think; you want the crowns dark brown in places and the stems crisp-tender. (The vegetable won’t taste burnt unless you actually set it on fire.)
- Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott32/47
Pico de Gallo Verde
Here’s an important tip: While the lime juice and oil in this recipe will keep the avocado from turning brown, it’s still a good idea to make this pico de gallo right before serving it.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li33/47
Herby Avocado Hummus
Creamy avocado hummus is one of our favorite ways to riff on the classic. We also like versions made with beets and ricotta, sweet potatoes and curry, and harissa and carrots.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Andy Baraghani, prop styling by Emily Eisen34/47
Grilled Carrots With Avocado and Mint
Don’t bother peeling the carrots for this side dish. Not only do the thin skins pack lots of nutrients, they also get you a better char.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool35/47
Family-Style Fish Tacos
No grill, no deep fryer, no problem. Our summery tacos rely on our go-to fish-cooking method—slow-roasting in a baking dish, in the oven—for all the flavor without the fuss.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova36/47
Breakfast Burrito to Go
The layer of fluffy egg inside will change your breakfast burrito expectations forever. Roll up whatever proteins, herbs, and veggies you have on hand.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li37/47
Shaved Kohlrabi With Smashed Avocado
You can skip the finely chopped anchovy fillet in the avocado mash if you prefer, but we highly recommend leaving it in for that added umami factor.
- Alex Lau38/47
Avocado Cups With Pomegranate Salsa Verde
You’ve heard of oysters on the half-shell, but have you ever served avocados on the half-shell? Try it and you’ll see how happy it makes your dinner party guests.
- Jeff Luker39/47
Avocado-Lime Ice Pops
All you need to do for this dessert is purée avocados, mint, lime juice, simple syrup, and salt until the mixture is smooth. And it won’t look like avocado sauce for long: Two hours in the freezer and you’ve got ice pops.
- Photo and Food Styling by Molly Baz40/47
Anything-Goes Green Goddess Salad
Treat this green goddess dressing as a template. You need to hit all of the major components—tender herbs, cultured dairy, and acid—but when it comes to the specifics, pick your favorite. Lemon juice will work just as well as rice vinegar; buttermilk will work just as well as labneh.
- Peden + Munk41/47
Chicken Under a Brick with Grilled Avocado, Scallion, and Red Onion
This is a savory, summery, low-carb supper that we crave again and again. If you’ve never grilled an avocado, this recipe will be a game changer.
- Alex Lau42/47
Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwich
Because there are relatively few layers to this breakfast sandwich, you want to ensure that each is at its best. In other words, you want a perfectly ripe avocado. Here are some tips for how to ripen avocados when they’re too hard.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk43/47
Honeydew Salad With Ginger Dressing and Peanuts
This is the side your barbecue ribs are looking for. The green-on-green salad gets a kick from serrano chiles, ginger, and a hint of fish sauce.
- Eva Kolenko44/47
Avocado Margarita
There is perhaps no more perfect combination than a classic margarita with crunchy, salty tortilla chips and salsa, but have you tried an avocado margarita this way? We suggest you do.
- Photo by Heidi's Bridge45/47
Steak Salad With Shallot Vinaigrette
Do yourself a favor and make a double batch of the shallot vinaigrette. It’ll keep for a week and is a great dressing for simple salads, grain bowls, and all kinds of cooked meats.
- Peden & Munk46/47
Yellowtail Crudo With Citrus and Avocado
This recipe uses yuzu kosho, the Japanese condiment made from fresh chiles fermented with salt and yuzu citrus fruit. You can find it in many grocery stores these days, but if it’s not at your local shop, look in your nearest Japanese market.
- Photo by Alex Lau47/47
Green Goddess Crunch Sandwich
When you can’t decide if you want salad or a sandwich, have them both via this veggie-packed avocado recipe. And feel free to use whatever ingredients you like or have on hand; one reader subbed in some thinly sliced zucchini for the cucumber, for example.
