Cooking and Meal Prep Cooking 8 Creative Ways to Eat Avocado By Rebecca Jaspan, MPH, RD, CDN, CDCES Rebecca Jaspan, MPH, RD, CDN, CDCES Rebecca Jaspan is a registered dietitian specializing in anorexia, binge eating disorder, and bulimia, as well as disordered eating and orthorexia. Learn about our editorial process Published on July 28, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Mia Syn, MS, RDN Medically reviewed by Mia Syn, MS, RDN Mia Syn, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master of science in human nutrition. She is also the host of Good Food Friday on ABC News 4. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Caterina Oltean / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How to Use Avocado Frequently Asked Questions Avocados have garnered the attention of many trends in recent years. From avocado toast popping up on almost every brunch menu to avocado ice cream at your local ice cream shop, there's no doubt that avocado is versatile. While you may think of avocado as a vegetable, it is actually a member of the berry family and is a primarily composed of fat. Avocados are native to Mexico and Central America and are also grown in the United States. California is the top producer of avocados with more than 5,000 avocado farms. Avocados are highly nutritious and pack a punch of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber as an addition to any meal or snack. One medium-sized avocado contains 322 calories, 30 grams of fat, 14 grams of fiber, 41% of your daily value of folate, 56% of your daily value of vitamin B5, as well as a good source of vitamin E, vitamin K, and copper. Health Benefits of Avocado High in healthy fats Beneficial for gut health Good source of antioxidants Supports nutrition for pregnancy and breast feeding For more information on the health benefits of avocados, please refer to Avocado Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. 17 High-Fiber Fruits to Add to Your Diet How to Use Avocado Avocado has a mild, creamy, earthy, and buttery flavor and texture, making it an excellent ingredient for both savory and sweet dishes. It is also a high fat, high fiber plant-based food, making it a great option for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Here are some creative ways to eat avocado. Avocado Toast There is no more classic use for avocado than avocado toast. Grab a slice of good, crusty bread and spread your mashed avocado on thick for a quick breakfast, lunch, or snack. Avocado Toast In a small bowl, combine 1/2 ripe avocado, 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and mash with the back of a fork. Top one slice of toasted whole grain bread with avocado mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sea salt flakes, or crumbled feta cheese if desired. Nutrition per serving: 230 calories, 16 grams total fat, 21 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 5 grams protein Salad Dressing Use avocado to make a creamy salad dressing with heart-healthy fats. Salad dressing is a great use for avocados that are a bit overripe or have brown spots that aren't appealing chopped into a salad. Creamy Avocado Dressing In a blender, add 1 ripe avocado, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 4 tablespoons water, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Nutrition per serving: 71 calories, 8 grams total fat, 1 gram fiber Easy Avocado Deviled Eggs Pasta Sauces Avocado may be an unlikely ingredient in pasta sauce, but don't knock it until you try it. Avocado adds creamy freshness to a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Avocado Pasta Sauce In a pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. In a food processor, combine 2 ripe avocados, 1/2 cup basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Toss pasta with avocado pasta sauce until well coated. Nutrition per serving: 600 calories, 34 grams total fat, 80 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber Guacamole Guacamole is the classic chip dip perfect for ripe avocados you have on hand. Keep it simple or get creative by adding mango, pineapple, black beans, or corn. Guacamole Scoop 3 ripe avocados into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add 1/2 cup finely diced onion, 2 diced Roma tomatoes, 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1 diced jalapeno, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 juiced lime, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together until ingredients are incorporated and serve with tortilla chips and vegetables. Nutrition per serving: 184 calories, 15 grams total fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber What Are the Healthiest Substitutes for Butter? Smoothies Avocados add amazing and mild-tasting creaminess to smoothies along with a dose of filling healthy fats and fiber. Freeze avocados about to go bad to use in your smoothies. Blueberry Avocado Smoothie In a blender, add 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup fresh spinach, 1 peeled ripe banana, 1/2 ripe avocado, 2 cups frozen blueberries, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, and 1 tablespoon nut butter. Blend until smooth. Nutrition per serving: 280 calories, 13 grams total fat, 42 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber Mayonnaise Substitute For those who don't like mayonnaise or want to change it up, avocado is an excellent substitute for mayo in tuna and chicken salad. You also can use it as a spread on sandwiches. Avocado Tuna Salad In a bowl, combine one 5-ounce can tuna, 1/2 ripe roughly chopped avocado, 1/2 cup minced celery, 1/4 cup minced red onion, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a fork, mashing the avocado and breaking up chunks of tuna until all ingredients are combined. Serve on a sandwich or greens. Nutrition per serving: 417 calories, 31 grams total fat, 19 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams protein Healthy High-Fat Foods to Choose Stuffed Avocado Removing the pit of an avocado creates a natural space to add a delicious stuffing. Perfect for a quick lunch or easy entertaining, you can get creative with your stuffing choices. Caprese Stuffed Avocado In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes, 4 ounces baby mozzarella balls, 2 tablespoons basil pesto, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well. Spoon the Caprese filling into halved and pitted avocados. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with chopped fresh basil. Nutrition per serving: 340 calories, 29 grams total fat, 15 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 8 grams protein Ice cream Avocado ice cream is smooth, rich, and creamy. Plus, it is simple to make at home and no ice cream maker is necessary. Mint Avocado Ice cream Start by refrigerating a loaf pan and a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. In blender, add 2 ripe peeled and pitted avocados, the solid part of the coconut milk (save the liquid for another recipe), frozen banana, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 4-5 mint leaves. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into the chilled loaf pan and place in freezer for 4 hours to overnight. Nutrition per serving: 300 calories, 25 grams total fat, 19 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber The Ultimate Guide to Dairy-Free Ice Creams A Word From Verywell Avocados are a delicious and nutritious part of any diet. If you are not sure if you can eat avocados or suspect an avocado allergy, be sure to talk to a healthcare provider. A registered dietitian can also provide advice and guidance on amounts you should eat, nutrition tips, and recipe ideas. Frequently Asked Questions Do avocados have to be refrigerated? Avocados do not need to be refrigerated. They should be left on the countertop until fully ripe. Putting them in the refrigerator slows down the ripening process. At the same time, putting an avocado in the refrigerator once it is ripe prolongs its peak ripeness. Learn More: How Long Does Food Last in the Fridge? How do I tell if an avocado is ripe? An avocado is ripe when it yields to gentle pressure, but it is not mushy. Additionally, you can check under the stem for a green color. Learn More: When Fruits Are in Season Is it OK to eat a whole avocado a day? You can eat a whole avocado every day. If you are concerned about your weight, you may want to stick to half an avocado daily. Avocados are also high in FODMAPs, which are carbohydrates that some people cannot digest and absorb well. If you are noticing uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms, you may want to eat fewer avocados. Learn More: Overview of the Low-FODMAP Diet 8 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Bhuyan DJ, Alsherbiny MA, Perera S, Low M, Basu A, Devi OA, Barooah MS, Li CG, Papoutsis K. The odyssey of bioactive compounds in avocado (Persea americana) and their health benefits. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Sep 24;8(10):426. doi:10.3390/antiox8100426 PMID:31554332 Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence. Avocados. USDA, FoodData Central. Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. Wang L, Tao L, Hao L, et al. A moderate-fat diet with one avocado per day increases plasma antioxidants and decreases the oxidation of small, dense ldl in adults with overweight and obesity: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nutrition. 2020;150(2):276-284. doi:10.1093/jn/nxz231 PMID:31616932 Thompson SV, Bailey MA, Taylor AM, et al. Avocado consumption alters gastrointestinal bacteria abundance and microbial metabolite concentrations among adults with overweight or obesity: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nutrition. 2021;151(4):753-762. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa219 Liguori I, Russo G, Curcio F, et al. Oxidative stress, aging, and diseases. Clin Interv Aging. 2018;13:757-772. Published 2018 Apr 26. doi:10.2147/CIA.S158513 Kominiarek MA, Rajan P. Nutrition Recommendations in Pregnancy and Lactation. Med Clin North Am. 2016 Nov;100(6):1199-1215. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2016.06.004 San Mauro Martín I, Garicano Vilar E, López Oliva S, Sanz Rojo S. Existing differences between available lists of FODMAP containing foods. Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2022;10.17235/reed.2022.8463/2021. doi:10.17235/reed.2022.8463/2021 By Rebecca Jaspan, MPH, RD, CDN, CDCES Rebecca Jaspan is a registered dietitian specializing in anorexia, binge eating disorder, and bulimia, as well as disordered eating and orthorexia. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit