How to Cut an Avocado Like a Pro (i.e., So You Won’t End Up in the ER)
Written bySunset StaffAugust 5, 2015
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It’s no secret that the West has some of the best avocados. Whether you have them growing in your yard or they fill the shelves at your local market, it’s important to learn how to cut an avocado safely before digging in. It’s all too easy to accidentally cut yourself while trying to open a ripe avocado or remove the pit. This technique will keep your fingers out of the way and protect you from accidental cuts.
1. Start by washing your avocado with water before placing it lengthwise on a cutting board. Hold the avocado from the side that’s facing up and slice around the pit horizontally. Be careful to keep all of your fingers away from the blade as you rotate the avocado around the knife. Once you’ve cut all the way around, twist the two halves to open. Next, slice your avocado into quarters, peel and all.
2. To remove the pit, simply grab the pit and gently twist the quarter of the avocado until it comes loose. Be careful not to grip the avocado slice too hard, especially if it’s really ripe, or your’ll end up with a mashed fruit. Next, grab the top edge of the peel and carefully pull it away from the avocado flesh. It should come off easily, although if it’s too ripe it can be difficult to hold on to the piece. In this case you can use a fork to gently scrape the avocado off of the skin.
3. After all of the peel has been removed, you can slice your avocado into any size piece. Try thin slices on your burger, small pieces for salads, or mash it up for a quick and easy guacamole.
Avocados not quite ripe? Try placing them in a brown paper bag in a warm place in your kitchen for a couple of days before cutting.
Now, Here’s Some Avocado Recipes:
1 of 13Iain Bagwell
Avocado Pesto Pasta
Swap avocado for olive oil and 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.
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 eggs is 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 like Mexican recipes and you like kimchi, then this quesadilla is for you. We prefer the super spicy kimchi, 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. “But kale, lemon, and avocado keep a long time.” When we’re in town, we like to keep their kale salad sandwiches in mind for brown-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.
