7 Creative yet Delicious Avocado Recipes

Creamy, earthy and oh-so versatile, avocados are indeed a superfood. Hass, Fuerte, Purple, Pollock and Round are some of the popular avocado varieties grown in India. While most of us have already jumped onto the avocado bandwagon, some of us are hesitant. Well, we know why. There’s nothing more depressing than buying an avocado for hundreds of rupees only to find them lying in your pantry. Cutting them too early means having to deal with small, green rocks while cutting them too late would give you a bowl of mush. Finding just the ‘right’ time to cut an avocado can be tricky. Well, don’t let your hesitancy hold you back from exploring the multitasking butter fruit.

Ripe Avocado Tip – Apply gentle thumb pressure on an avocado. If the skin feels soft yet firm, the avocado is perfect for a salad. If the skin is extremely soft, open it up ASAP.

7 Genius Avocado Recipes you need to try ASAP

I’m someone who has been enjoying this one-of-a-kind fruit since childhood. I vaguely remember my mum cutting open the fruit for me, sprinkling some salt and lemon juice, and I would scoop my way through it right out of the wrapper. Well, growing up, things are no different. I still have a soft corner for avocados. When they’re in season, I make sure I stock up on them. For those unaware, avocados are naturally packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, potassium, magnesium and a slew of vitamins.

For a long time, avocados and guacamole were synonymous to me. Though it is the classic and best way to use avocados, the fruit has a lot more potential. Did you know? This culinary chameleon can whip up into amazing recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. No, we’re not kidding!

In this blog, I am going to take you through some super-easy, creative and delicious avocado recipes that will not just feed your avo-obsession but also have you avo-control. Before I dish out these amazing recipes for you, here’s some meaningful avocado trivia you should know:

• Avocados come from the same family as cinnamon.
• An average-sized avocado has 4.6 grams of fiber, the most any fruit has.
• July 31^st is celebrated as National Avocado Day.
• Avocado is the secret to a healthy immune system.

So exciting, right?

Let’s get cooking!

Guacamole

Guacamole is a fresh and easy way to use avocados. It is a Mexican dip made with pantry staple ingredients. The best part is that it can be put together on-the-go which makes it a favourite picnic recipe.

You’ll need:

• 2 avocados
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder/cayenne pepper
• Juice of a lemon
• 3-4 jalapenos, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Method:

Scoop the avocado and chop into pieces. You could also mash it if you like a finer consistency (Do not discard the seed). Squeeze a lime on it to ensure it doesn’t go black. Combine the avocado and all the other ingredients. Mix well. Transfer it to a serving bowl. Place the seed in the centre. This prevents the guacamole from turning brown as it sits in the refrigerator. Serve cold with nachos/wafers or any crackers of your choice.

Avocado Hummus

For those craving hummus and guacamole at the same time, fret not! Whip up this delicious avocado hummus that is a Mexican take on this Mediterranean dip. It’s ultra-creamy and best enjoyed with pita bread, lavash or tortilla chips.

You’ll need:

• 2 cups chickpeas, boiled
• 1 avocado, scooped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp curd
• 1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves
• Olive oil for topping
• Red chilli powder for topping

Method:

• In a food processor, add the boiled chickpeas and pulse to mash it slightly.
• To this, add garlic, avocado, curd, sesame seeds, cumin powder, lemon juice and salt.
• Pulse again. At this point, if you find the mixture a little dry, add some portable water.
• Add some coriander for flavour. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some red chilli powder.
• Can be enjoyed immediately or refrigerated till intended use. Keeps well for two days.
  
  

Avocado Bruschetta

Move over avocado toast recipe because now avocado bruschetta is a thing. Though both the dishes are more or less the same, they differ in origin. Bruschetta is Italy’s favourite appetiser. This Italian-inspired twist on avocado is perfect for those lazy days. It can be enjoyed as a one of the perfect avocado breakfast ideas or literally at any time of the day.   

You’ll need:

• 1 avocado, mashed
• Juice of half a lemon
• ½ tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Crumbled feta (optional)
• Bread/baguette of your choice

Method:

• Take a bowl and mash the avocado well. Squeeze a lime on it.
• To this add the garlic paste, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Give it a good mix and set aside.
• Meanwhile, marinate the tomato in 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper.

Assembling the toast:

• Toast the bread of your choice on both sides. Apply butter like you would normally.
• Spread a layer of the avocado paste that you made ready.
• Top with the marinated tomato. Sprinkle crumbled feta is desired.
• Enjoy warm!
  
  

Avocado Pizza Toast

On a day when you’re feeling a bit fancy, just add some chopped avocados to your pizza and believe me it’s an absolute gamechanger. In this recipe, I’ve used bread slices. However, feel free to use a pizza base too.

You’ll need:

• Pizza base/2 bread slices
• Pizza sauce/puree
• Mozzarella cheese
• Olives
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Lemon juice
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Method:

• Marinate the sliced avocado in salt, cracked black pepper, and lemon juice.
• Meanwhile, get your pizza ready like you would normally.
• Top the pizza with the marinated avocado and olives, and bake till the cheese melts.
• Enjoy hot.

Avocado & Mango Salad

Picture credits: Foodhall

Summers are for refreshing salads and this is one salad you didn’t know you needed. This recipe combines two seasonal favourites – avocados and mangoes. It’s easy and effortless to put together, and is super-healthy.

You’ll need:

For the salad dressing:

• 1 tbsp Kasundi mustard
• ¼ tsp honey
• ¼ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 1 mango, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• Mixed microgreens
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• Roasted crushed peanuts

Method:

• Take a small mixing bowl and combine all the ingredients of the salad dressing. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, toss the mango, avocado, mixed microgreens and chopped onion in the salad dressing.
• Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve.
  
  

Avocado Brownies

When I got to know I could make brownies with avocado, I was quite surprised to be honest. Avocado brownies are decadent, moist, soft and wholesome. In baking, avocado is often used to replace butter. These healthy brownies are so good that you’ll never go back to making fat-laden chocolate brownies again.  

You’ll need:

• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 150 grams dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup sugar/honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup flour (maida)

Method:

• Preheat an oven to 180 degrees C.
• Melt the dark chocolate over a double-boiler. Add the oil and give it a good mix.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Blend the avocado till it is smooth and then add it to the cooled chocolate along with the sugar/honey and vanilla extract.
• Next, add the eggs one at a time.
• Stir in flour and cocoa powder and mix until the batter is smooth. At this stage, you could add chocolate chunks or chips for a more chocolaty flavour.
• Pour the batter into a desired pan and bake for 15 minutes until the top is firm to touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature.
  
  

Avocado Mousse  

This is my mum’s eggless avocado mousse recipe. It is a perfect dessert to make ahead of time. It’s creamy, smooth and extremely tasty. It’s also one of those 2-ingredient desserts or five-minute recipes.

You’ll need:

• 200 ml condensed milk
• 2 avocados, scooped

Method:

• In a blender or food processor, blend together the condensed milk and avocado till you obtain a smooth, creamy consistency.
• Transfer the mixture into bowls or ramekins and leave it in the fridge to set for up to three hours.
• You could pipe a dollop of cream if you wish or serve it chilled as it is.

These are a few of my favourite avocado recipes. Each time I buy a batch of avocados, I make sure I experiment in the kitchen as much as possible. If you happen to try out any of the above-mentioned recipes, do tag us on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter @girlsbuzzindia. If you've devised any one-of-a-kind avocado recipes, we would love to know.

AVO great day!

Disclaimer: All these recipes are created, tried and triple-tested by me. The images too have been shot by me unless mentioned otherwise.