How to Cut an Avocado

Cutting Your Avocado

With a large knife, cut the avocado in half vertically.

Twist the two halves of the avocado until one side breaks off from the pit. If you're planning on using only half of an avocado, keep the pit. Pitted avocado will turn off-colors faster than avocados with their pits still intact.

Take out the pit, if desired, by gently hacking your knife into the pit and pulling out. You may also use a spoon if the process turns out to be difficult to do it with a knife. Then, when you've removed the pit, you can either discard it or plant an avocado tree.

Cube the avocado. Cut into the avocado lengthwise at even intervals. Next, cut into the avocado at a 90 degree angle using even intervals to create a crosshatch pattern. Simply scoop the contents of the avocado out using a large spoon. This process will give you avocado cubes that are great for cooking or for using as condiments. Most recipes that call for avocado will expect you to cube it.

Alternately, slice the avocado. Using lengthwise cuts, cut into the avocado at even intervals. This process will create avocado slices that are beautiful as garnish. Slice the skin along with the avocado fruit if you only want several slices from you avocado half. Alternately, slice only lengthwise through the fruit, avoiding puncturing the skin. Then, when you've finished cutting the avocado in even intervals, take a spoon and carefully remove the whole outside of the avocado. Splay the even strips of avocado onto your dish for nice presentation.

Using Avocado in Other Dishes

Make guacamole. Guacamole is arguably the king of dips and a really fine way to use up avocados that would otherwise go bad. You can't go wrong with guacamole.

Use avocado in salad. Avocado's silky smooth texture goes great in most any salad, especially if it's being offset by the crunchiness of lettuce or nuts. If you really in the mood, you can try to make avocado dressing.

Make an avocado dessert. Because of its smooth texture, avocado is used as the essential ingredient in dessert in culinary traditions across the world. This particular recipe with chilled avocado and condensed milk is sure to please the avocado aficionado.

Make ceviche with avocado. Ceviche is shorthand for any fish that is "cooked" using only citric acid from a lime or lemon. Popular in Mexico along seaside resorts, this dish takes the delicate taste of fish and elevates it to a new level.

Make avocado juice or an avocado shake. Similar but distinct, either drink capitalizes on the unmistakable taste and texture of avocado and transforms it into a somewhat sweeter treat.