Not Just Toast: 16 Recipes That Let Avocado Shine

I've lived in California nearly a year, and one of the best things about it is affordable avocados. They've become a fixture of my diet, and I use them in all sorts of dishes. Creamy and buttery, there are few things that avocado doesn't make better. Often, I'll use it as a garnish, but avocado can also be a star. From an avocado-stuffed grilled cheese, to fried avocado tacos and vegan ice cream, we've rounded up 16 of our favorite recipes to show you just how versatile the fruit can be.

9 No-Cook Twists on Avocado Toast

Vicky Wasik

We promise, this list really does include more than just toast. But if avocado toast is all you want, we've worked up nine variations that take the classic toast in new directions. Think marrying creamy, rich avocado with mango, ricotta, or slivers of citrus and sliced fennel. If you're going to do avocado toast, do it justice.

9 No-Cook Twists on Avocado Toast
The Best Basic Guacamole

J. Kenji López-Alt

We can't talk avocado recipes without mentioning guacamole. Our basic version is made with yellow onion, serrano chili, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, which we grind into a paste with a mortar and pestle for deeper flavor. Mix the paste with mashed avocado, stir in some more cilantro and lime juice, and serve immediately.

Get the recipe for The Best Basic Guacamole
Guacamole With Roasted Tomatillos

J. Kenji López-Alt

Purists might think that even our basic guacamole is pushing the limits of the dish, but we love mixing in other ingredients. This variation combines guacamole with salsa verde—you could use store-bought salsa, but it's super easy to make it from scratch with tomatillos, garlic, onion, and serrano.

Get the recipe for Guacamole With Roasted Tomatillos
Corn, Avocado, and Radish Tartine

J. Kenji López-Alt

We haven't quite made it to the season for local corn, but it's starting to pop up in supermarkets around these parts. Charring early-season corn in a skillet helps bring out its sweetness. Here we mix caramelized corn with garlicky mayo, cilantro, and scallions and pile it all onto avocado toast.

Get the recipe for Corn, Avocado, and Radish Tartine

Continue to 5 of 16 below.
Grilled Cheese With Tomato, Bacon, and Avocado

J. Kenji López-Alt

Let's avoid the argument about what constitutes a grilled cheese—whatever you call it, this sandwich is delicious. Bacon and tomato are standard fillings for a grilled cheese, but the avocado might give some of you pause. If you can cast aside your preconceptions about warm avocado, though, you'll realize that its creamy texture is perfectly at home in a grilled cheese.

Get the recipe for Grilled Cheese With Tomato, Bacon, and Avocado
Vegan "B.L.A.T."s: Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado, and Crispy Smoked Mushroom Sandwiches

J. Kenji López-Alt

We've gone on record stating that you shouldn't mess with a BLT, but once you've replaced the pork bacon with our smoked mushroom bacon then adding avocado to the mix doesn't sound so crazy. We keep this sandwich 100% vegan by using vegan mayo—either our homemade tofu-based version or a store-bought variety will work.

Get the recipe for Vegan "B.L.A.T."s: Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado, and Crispy Smoked Mushroom Sandwiches
Black Bean, Corn, and Red Pepper Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

Jennifer Segal

This summery black bean salad is perfect for picnics—it's served at room temperature and actually gets better if you make it ahead of time and let it sit for a few hours. Along with the beans we make the salad with corn, red bell pepper, garlic, shallots, and cilantro and dress it with olive oil and lime juice.

Get the recipe for Black Bean, Corn, and Red Pepper Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Chicken Salad With Avocado, Corn, and Miso Dressing

J. Kenji López-Alt

If you want a change from classic mayo-based chicken salad, try this version made with a miso and mirin dressing. We fold in sweet corn and cubes of avocado and season the salad with Japanese dried mustard and shichimi togarashi. Cooking the chicken sous vide ensures that it comes out extra juicy.

Get the recipe for Chicken Salad With Avocado, Corn, and Miso Dressing

Continue to 9 of 16 below.
Tofu and Kale Salad With Avocado, Grapefruit, and Miso-Tahini Dressing

J. Kenji López-Alt

This light yet satisfying salad is made with tofu, avocado, and grapefruit; seasoned with za'atar; and dressed with a mixture of grapefruit juice, tahini, miso paste, lemon juice, and honey. Slowly cooking the tofu in olive oil gives it a super crispy texture that pairs well with the creamy avocado.

Get the recipe for Tofu and Kale Salad With Avocado, Grapefruit, and Miso-Tahini Dressing
Cold Soba Noodles With Kale, Avocado, and Miso-Sesame Dressing

Yasmin Fahr

We often tenderize raw kale for salads by massaging it with olive oil, but here we take a different approach and and simply chop it very finely to quickly tenderize it. Then we toss the chopped kale with a sesame-miso dressing and top it with soba noodles, wakame, bean sprouts, and avocado.

Get the recipe for Cold Soba Noodles With Kale, Avocado, and Miso-Sesame Dressing
Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette

Jennifer Olvera

Grain bowls are all the rage these days, but we've been cooking grains since before they were quite so hip. Case in point: this black rice salad made with mango, orange, avocado, red onion, and pepitas. Be careful not to overcook the rice—you want it to be slightly al dente so it can stand up to the chili- and cumin-spiked orange vinaigrette.

Get the recipe for Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette
Fried-Avocado Tacos With Chipotle Cream, Cabbage, and Pickled Red Onions

J. Kenji López-Alt

These vegetarian tacos are stuffed with beer-battered avocado slices that are creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. We serve them with cabbage (the soft avocados need the crunch), salsa verde, pickled red onions, and a creamy chipotle sauce. Make sure to have your tortillas warmed and your toppings prepped, because the avocados are best eaten as soon as possible after they come out of the oil.

Get the recipe for Fried-Avocado Tacos With Chipotle Cream, Cabbage, and Pickled Red Onions

Continue to 13 of 16 below.
Baked Eggs in Avocado Cups With Feta and Mint

Yasmin Fahr

Once you remove the pit, avocados become natural cups—here we take advantage of the shape to bake eggs. We bake the egg-filled avocados on naan, which catches the yolk once you break into it, and top the whole thing with briny feta, crunchy pepitas, and fresh mint.

Get the recipe for Baked Eggs in Avocado Cups With Feta and Mint
Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie

Lauren Rothman

Avocado is a common smoothie ingredient in Southeast Asia—it adds a rich, creamy texture without adding too much flavor. That means that instead of guacamole this smoothie tastes like mango and pineapple. We also blend in coconut water, which plays on the tropical theme and thins the drink out slightly.

Get the recipe for Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie
Vegan Avocado Lime Ice Cream

Max Falkowitz

Thanks to their high fat content, avocados can be made into wonderfully creamy vegan ice cream. Unlike ice cream made with more neutral bases, this will taste distinctly like avocado. That's not a bad thing, but it means you should skip the chocolate or vanilla and flavor the ice cream with a little bit of lime.

Get the recipe for Vegan Avocado Lime Ice Cream
Hamachi Poke With Cucumber and Avocado

J. Kenji López-Alt

This hamachi poke is a wonderful balancing act of flavors and textures. On its own, the fish is quite rich, so the additions of diced cucumber chilies, and avocado bring needed brightness. Thin strips of lemon zest and a splash of good extra-virgin olive oil are the finishing touch.

Get the recipe for Hamachi Poke With Cucumber and Avocado

Not Just Toast: 16 Recipes That Let Avocado Shine

Avocado is good for a lot more than smearing on toast—though we developed 9 avocado toast recipes just to be safe.

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