73 Delicious Ways to Use Avocado (That Aren't Just On Toast) 

Who knew that a ripe avocado could add such a rich flavor and silky smooth texture to a batch of homemade popsicles? With a pop of fresh citrus juice and sweetened with a little agave nectar, these fun, kid-approved frozen desserts are the perfect summer treat.

Be sure to toss the salad gently so the pieces of orange and avocado keep their shape. Pair with a fall chili or tacos.

This simple dressing is brightly herbaceous, lusciously rich, and almost too easy to whip up. Incredibly versatile, the creamy avocado dressing can be drizzled over anything from a summery tomato salad to grilled steak. And if you leave out the water, creating a thicker mixture, you have a delicious dip for crudité.

A completo is a very popular Chilean signature on the concept of a “loaded” hot dog. Served by street vendors and other casual restaurants, this dish consists of your basic hot dog on a bun topped with sauerkraut, diced tomatoes, mashed avocado, and a generous drizzle of mayonnaise. Use your favorite brand of hot dogs (and hot dog cooking method) and hearty buns to make this easy and festive completo. These loaded dogs make for a hearty entree we’d recommend serving with plenty of napkins. 

Who says you can't make yourself a fancy, classy brunch all at home in the comfort of your own kitchen. For an ultra-hearty start to your morning, fry up some frizzled, sunnyside up eggs and serve them in a warm corn tortilla with grilled flank steak and the works.

While the summer heat often makes us go for lighter foods, that doesn’t mean we don’t still want chili—so we made a lighter, brighter version.

Sunny-side-up eggs, fresh sprouts, and salsa amp up avocado toast for a fast, no-fuss meal. It's a sure winner at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

These open-faced sandwiches are topped with tons of tasty ingredients: shrimp, avocado, bacon, and mayonnaise. For a sturdy sandwich base, use a thicker cut of bread.

Top bread with a cashew spread, sprouts, radishes, avocado, arugula, and more to make this fresh and flavorful sandwich.

For a cool summer soup, try this avocado-flavored gazpacho made with cucumbers, sweet onion, Greek yogurt, and more. 

Top baked bread slices with mashed avocado and crab to make this tasty appetizer.  

Move over, pesto: You're not the only sauce worth going green for. Pureed avocado makes this dish positively irresistible. Garnish with extra basil leaves, if desired.

This quick taco filling is perfect for weeknight dinners. Smashed avocado and charred Corn pico brings a rich, earthy flavor to these seafood scallop tacos.

These simple, vibrant tacos rely largely on superfresh ingredients for the fullest flavor potential. Opt for just-ripe avocados and tuna from a source you trust.

The tiniest bit of sugar helps the avocado halves char in the pan, adding robust toasty flavor.

Find fresh or frozen wakame seaweed at Asian markets. You can also use fresh or frozen premixed seaweed salad. The tuna and avocado make this dish a potassium powerhouse. Serve atop brown rice, if you like.

This vegan cake (no eggs or butter!) is so delicious that our kids begged for more. The frosting is silky smooth, and the cake is light and loaded with chocolate flavor, and healthy fats.

We couldn't resist stuffing cup-shaped avocado halves, here gently seared until lightly caramelized. Sweet crabmeat dressed with zingy lemon and tarragon is a nice complement to the buttery avocado; chopped cooked shrimp or shredded chicken breast would also work. You could also fill the halves with a fresh summer squash salad or black bean salsa.

Try a Mexican-inspired hot dog topped with cabbage, green onions, and avocado.

Simple and satisfying, cooked and chilled fresh shrimp need little more than a vibrant, flavorful dipping sauce to make for a wow-worthy appetizer. And in terms of flavorful vibrancy, this creamy avocado lime dip is grade-A. Rich avocado is processed with tangy sour cream and fresh lime for a luscious, and almost too-easy, dip that would be equally well-suited for tortilla chips or even for dolloping on top of a bowl of white chili. Be sure to pick a just-ripe avocado for this recipe. 

All the fresh flavors of summer come together in Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad. The homemade buttermilk dressing balances the heat of the chicken and completes the meal.

To prevent avocado from browning in leftover egg salad, place any remaining salad in a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap. Then cover the entire bowl tightly with plastic wrap.

Be sure to include the cilantro stems when blending the sauce; they have even more flavor than the leaves. Spoon this cool, creamy sauce over pan-grilled chicken or tacos. You can also thin with a little water and use as a salad dressing, or thicken it with a little more yogurt or avocado for a vegetable dip.

This recipe delivers a double dose of heart-healthy unsaturated fats from both salmon and avocado, plus 35% of your daily fiber goal. Be sure to look for salmon that's labeled "wild Alaskan." That way you can be sure you're getting sustainable seafood.

This quick, satisfying breakfast is loaded with anti-inflammatory foods: extra-virgin olive oil, avocado, tomatoes, quinoa, and omega-3 eggs. For even more anti-inflammatory benefit, serve with an orange or grapefruit.

Everything about this stunner of a salad screams summer. Visit your local farmers’ market, favorite roadside produce stand, or get your hands on a CSA to bring this seasonal salad to life with the freshest flavors possible. With a variety of vibrant flavors and textures—all tied together with an addictive Herbed Avocado-Tahini Dressing—this dish puts a standard salad to shame. You’ll be sure to turn heads with this beauty at your next family cook out or weekend block party; of course, it’s totally worth making all for yourself, too… because it’s just that good, and you deserve it. 

Winter greens would also make a lovely addition to this hearty stew; simply toss a few handfuls in when the squash is almost tender, and stir until greens begin to wilt.

This combination is also delicious layered in bolillos (crusty Mexican rolls) or soft French rolls.

This crowd-pleaser has everything you want in a fish taco, including a spicy mayo and fresh add-ins like avocado and lightly charred corn.

Dinner doesn't get any easier than this five-ingredient salad. And it's bursting with Super Bowl Sunday potential.

Enjoy these make-ahead grain bowls for lunch or as a no-cook dinner on hot days.

Both rich and light, this one-pot meal has a fresh, bright topping of avocado, tomato, cilantro, and lime. Prep and Cook Time: 50 minutes.

Use Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff ingredients to prepare this tortilla soup topped with homemade tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges. 

Put this power-packed plate into the weeknight rotation. It's ready in less than 20 minutes.

This gastropub favorite usually features a heaping portion of steak, butter-yellow croutons, and a blanket of creamy dressing. Our more balanced version includes avocado and a vinaigrette that complements the vegetables instead of disguising them.

Warm corn tortillas and a colorful, chunky salsa transform simple grilled skirt steak into a fantastic--and surprisingly light--summer meal.

If your blender doesn’t get the soup silky-smooth, add up to 1/4 cup more water and blend some more. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the soup as it chills to help prevent browning.

You can substitute pinto beans for black beans if you wish. Remember to pick through the bag of dried beans for little pebbles or shriveled beans before dumping them in the slow cooker. The Mango-Avocado Salsa is also a tasty topping for grilled chicken or fish, or serve it with pita or tortilla chips. We love taking a hearty, flavorful protein like these Slow-Cooker Black Beans and giving it an exotic spin! Your family will love these build-your-own tostadas. We make the bacon optional in this recipe, for those looking for a veggie-only dish. Though, the flavor from the salty bacon slices is hard to beat in any recipe.

Incorporating green peas into this tasty summer snack not only reduces the amount of fat but also adds sweetness and further brightens the green color.

Bright, refreshing grapefruit pairs surprisingly well with nutty-earthy toasted sesame oil. This meal is full of satiating heart-healthy fats that will keep you full for a long time.

This is the kind of breakfast that's worth waking up for--and enjoying again for lunch or dinner. If you want a starchy component, add precooked farro or quinoa.

Sautéed kale adds a hearty green element to the bowls while lightly blistered tomatoes add a pop of juiciness and color. A touch of char on the tomatoes contrasts the creamy avocado and yogurt.

These toasty handfuls may just be the ultimate combo in the world of sandwiches. The recipe combines some of our favorite things: It's a delicious mash-up of egg-in-a-hole, avocado toast, and a classic BLT.

This hydrating smoothie is jam-packed with nutrients, delivering one-third your daily goal of vitamin A and 100% of vitamin K—two important nutrients many of us don't get enough of. Matcha green tea powder delivers a jolt of caffeine without the jittery side effects, helping you power through your holiday to-do list with sustained energy and alertness.

This colorful, flavor-forward dish makes the most of peak-season produce with a sweet and tangy fruit salsa that would be equally delicious served over pork chops or with whole-grain tortilla chips. The heat from the seeded jalapeño is mild, but it can be omitted. To round out your plate, try serving the chicken and salsa over a bed of rice or with a simple side salad.

Offering sweet and tangy notes, mangoes balance perfectly against rich and creamy avocado.

People flock to the Pollo Asado food truck in Santa Fe for its mesquite-grilled chicken. The secret is the citrus and achiote seasoning, which co-owner Olivia Arizmendi learned from her sister in Mexico. They tuck the meat into telera rolls and add pickled onions, hot sauce, and shredded iceberg lettuce. We couldn't resist adding mashed avocado. Achiote paste is available at well-stocked grocery stores and Latino markets.

The creamy sauce offers a cool counterpoint to the bold blackening spices. Not in the mood for tilapia? The recipe is also great with chicken, sliced flank steak, or shrimp. Toss some avocado, tomato, and cilantro into the mix, and you're ready to knock Taco Tuesday out of the park.

No Super Bowl party is complete without guacamole, and why not serve it in avocado halves to mimic the shape of a football? Accented with sour cream to imitate the lace on a football, these easy gameday appetizers are just as cute as they are tasty. For a hungry crowd, you'll probably want to go ahead and double the batch.

No Super Bowl party is complete without guacamole, and why not serve it in avocado halves to mimic the shape of a football? Accented with sour cream to imitate the lace on a football, these easy gameday appetizers are just as cute as they are tasty. For a hungry crowd, you'll probably want to go ahead and double the batch.

This fantastic tater tot dish is slathered in some delicious meatless toppings making this one vegan dish that packs a powerful flavor punch.

Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. While we love melted shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes it easier to separate from the pack. Topping potential is endless, but we like sliced avocado and jalapeño.

This sensational spud riff on nachos is an hommage to party food lovers everywhere. Loaded with toppings and drizzled with a hot cheese dip, these totchos are ready to rock and roll right onto your plate.

This fun twist on traditional nachos features potato tots instead of chips for a warm comfort food dish that takes on the role of an out-of-this-world delicious party platter. This dish features flavors reminiscent of Peruvian cuisine, such as cumin, avocado and the essential ají crema sauce, which can be made ahead of time. 

Bowl meals build texture and flavor with layers of nutritious ingredients. Since there’s no center stage in a bowl, a small portion of meat travels far, putting more emphasis on the vegetables and whole grains. The avocado sauce pulls it all together with irresistible creaminess. This nutrient-packed bowl covers 100% your daily goal for immune-boosting vitamin C, and over one-quarter of your daily potassium needs.

Green onions, smoked paprika, and cumin infuse these super savory veggie burgers. A creamy, garlicky avocado mash is the perfect complement. Don't worry about mashing the chickpeas completely smooth; a few chunks provide great texture. The raw bulgur-chickpea mixture is delicate but firms up as it cooks; be gentle when turning the burgers in the pan so they don't fall apart. If you have leftover bulgur, these come together in a flash; use 1 1/3 cups cooked grains.

Before: Pork Carnitas Plate. Carnitas are a labor of love, as pork simmers in fat for hours until tender, then gets piled onto a plate with refried beans and rice. Very few veggies find their way into this classic dish.

A half-pound of pork is a gracious plenty for these tacos, which are beefed up with pinto beans, Greek yogurt-amped avocado crema, and a crunchy slaw topped with pumpkinseeds. The plant protein sources make up about half the total amount.

Bland veggie trays tend to lose out over sugary treats; serve this dish instead. This salad pops with color and texture from juicy citrus, creamy avocado, and crisp jicama. Dark, bumpy kale fits the mood, but you can substitute any lettuce you like. We love the pink hue of Cara Cara oranges in the salad, but regular navel or even blood oranges (in keeping with the spooky theme) would also work.

"Supermarket chile flakes are raw heat," says John Beaver, co-owner of Oaktown Spice Shop, one of our favorite shopping spots in Oakland. By contrast, sun-dried, coarsely ground Eastern Mediterranean chile peppers--Aleppo, Marash, and Urfa--"have complexity and nuance and are low- to medium-hot. You can roast and cook with them, but they're really good as a table condiment." In the Sunset Test Kitchen, we love to sprinkle them on roasted chicken and potatoes, avocado toast, green salads, pizza, and especially scrambled eggs.