18 Recipes for Perfectly Ripe Avocados

Top Your Avocado 5 Ways

Don't underestimate the number of ways to use ripe avocados. The creamy, buttery fruits are good for far more than guacamole. Here are our best avocado pairings with ideas for salads, avocado toast, drinks, side dishes, even desserts. You're sure to find a delicious new use for this heart-healthy green fruit.

01 of 18

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos with Toasted Cumin Guacamole

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos with Toasted Cumin Guacamole in pan with tortillas on the side
Brie Passano

If fast food tacos had feelings, they'd be green with envy about these nicely spiced, beer-infused chicken tacos. While the meat and tortillas are great, the avocado side dish really steals the show. Lime juice and fresh cilantro brighten up the guacamole, and toasted cumin seeds lend a lovely hint of warmth.

02 of 18

5 Ways to Top An Avocado

Top Your Avocado 5 Ways

Are you over avocado toast? Mix up your morning routine by topping an avocado with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese. We've added four more pairings to try. For serious fans of the fruit, this is one of our best avocado recipes, thanks to the high ratio of avocado to other ingredients.

03 of 18

Avocado-Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Avocado-Egg Breakfast Sandwich
Andy Lyons

Some days, making time for a healthy breakfast is tricky. Luckily, this sandwich is quick to put together and will get you out the door in no time. Much healthier and more satisfying than toast, egg, or asparagus alone, this is one of our favorite things to make with avocado.

04 of 18

Avocado-BLT Club Sandwiches

Avocado-BLT Club Sandwiches

Upgrade the classic BLT sandwich with creamy, nutrient-packed avocado. As it turns out, bacon is one of the best avocado pairings around. This sandwich also gets the hearty addition of a little turkey and ham, and still clocks in at just over 300 calories per sandwich.

05 of 18

Avocado Fries

Avocado Fries
Karla Conrad

Why eat plain old potato fries when you can have avocado fries? These creamy avocado wedges are baked to perfection with a crispy, crunchy tortilla chip coating. Now all you need is a dipping sauce, like garlic or sriracha aioli.

06 of 18

Mexican Fried Veggie Rice with Radishes and Avocado

mexican fried veggie rice with radishes and avocado
Brie Passano

This fried rice is healthier than its takeout competition, thanks to substituting cauliflower rice and adding extra vegetables—yet it's still full of the flavor you're craving, with chili powder, cumin, and lime juice in the mix. The chicken-avocado pairing disguises healthy ingredients so well that even picky eaters will clean their plates.

07 of 18

Avocado-Yogurt Spaghetti with Vegetables

avocado-yogurt spaghetti with veggies
Brie Passano

A spaghetti dinner probably isn't the first thing you think of when it comes to avocados. But this 30-minute pasta recipe will convince you that it should be. With fiber-filled whole grain noodles, protein-packed Greek yogurt, and vitamin-rich bell peppers in the mix, it proves that a pasta party can be good for you.

08 of 18

Avocado Margaritas

Avocado Margarita
Hannah Bigot

Yes, avocados can even enrich happy hour drinks. This new take on the classic margarita has a smooth, creamy texture thanks to avocado. But don't worry: We kept the tequila, lime juice, and triple sec, so it has all the margarita staples, but tastes like a mash-up of an avocado smoothie recipe and a cocktail.

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09 of 18

Tomato-Avocado Grilled Cheese

Tomato-Avocado Grilled Cheese
Andy Lyons

Tired of the same old grilled cheese sandwiches? Try this unique and easy variation with avocado. A creamy spread of the green fruit is a perfect complement to tomato and cheese in this classic sandwich.

10 of 18

Oatmeal with Sunny-Side-Up Eggs, Avocado, Cheddar, and Chives

Oatmeal Sunny-Side Up Eggs Avocado Cheddar Chives
Blaine Moats

Ten minutes is all you need to turn a simple serving of oatmeal into a whole meal. True, oats are not a typical avocado pairing, but think of them as a blank slate (like a slice of toast). Simply top the hot cereal with a fried egg, avocado chunks, and Gruyère cheese for an easy one-dish breakfast recipe.

11 of 18

New Potato, Avocado, and Egg Salad

New Potato Avocado Egg Salad
Andy Lyons

Avocados and new potatoes add a modern touch (and a dose of healthy fats) to this mash-up of potato and egg salads. To make this one of the most refreshing avocado pairings you've tasted, very briefly freeze the lettuce before adding the creamy components. You'll get a chilled, extra-crisp result.

12 of 18

Avocado, Prosciutto, and Egg Sandwiches

Avocado, Prosciutto, and Egg Sandwiches
Andy Lyons

An egg and some prosciutto are what makes this breakfast sandwich look elegant. The avocado pairing, though, makes the rich, creamy fruit the MVP that acts as the glue to hold it all together. Drive-through egg sandwiches have definitely met their match.

13 of 18

Mango, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Mango, Tomato, and Avocado Salad
Blaine Moats

Buttery avocado is the perfect complement to the sweetness of mango and tomato in this fresh and healthy side dish salad. We like to serve the colorful fruits atop a bed of lettuce leaves or with chips as a chunky avocado dip recipe. Make it a meal by adding grilled shrimp, salmon, chicken, or steak.

14 of 18

Lemon-Avocado Sherbet

Lemon-Avocado Sherbet
Blaine Moats

Seeking ideas for things to do with avocado when it's scorching hot out? Add avocado to your sherbet for a new take on a frozen dessert. Slightly sweet, with hints of lemon flavor, this light sherbet recipe is a refreshing summer dessert.

15 of 18

Roasted Pumpkin Guacamole

Roasted Pumpkin Guacamole
Reed Davis

Guacamole isn't just for summer. Our hearty fall twist features toasty pumpkin, jalapeños, and cilantro. The dip recipe comes together in just 25 minutes.

16 of 18

Chile-Lime Grilled Tiger Shrimp with Avocado Cocktail Sauce

Chile-Lime Grilled Tiger Shrimp with Avocado Cocktail Sauce
Blaine Moats

This zippy avocado dip gives the lime-marinated shrimp a jolt of bold flavor. For a fun party appetizer, serve grilled shrimp swimming in glasses of cocktail sauce. Make a double batch of the sauce to serve as a condiment or an avocado side for grilled steak or chicken.

17 of 18

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Salad

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Salad
Andy Lyons

"A friend brought this to a work potluck, and I couldn't stop thinking about it," says BH&G home cook Tabitha, who added that the avocado pairing with the quinoa gives the vegetarian entrée "a creamy quality, and I just can't get enough of it." This 30-minute Mediterranean salad features lots of avocado and protein-packed quinoa. Even better, the colorful salad comes in at under 400 calories and delivers more than a quarter of your daily fiber quota.

18 of 18

Avocado Salsa

Avocado Salsa
Blaine Moats

Serve this avocado salsa as a nice way to break out of your guacamole rut. Salt, olive oil, and serrano pepper keep this fruit salsa from getting too sweet. For an irresistible avocado pairing, serve it with chips or as a relish for chicken or fish.

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