Experts Say An Avocado A Day Leads To Better Health—These Recipes Will Help You Get There

ripe avocado stuffed with chili and cumin spiced lump crab, tomato, mango, and scallion, served with plantain chips
15 Healthy Avocado Recipes PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Avocados truly are THE super fruit. And yes, I said fruit. Botanically, avocados are classified as berries, and when you really sit and consider their multitude of uses—including in smoothies, pastries, and desserts—this begins to make a lot more sense. Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids (read: healthy fats) that can lower risk of heart disease; vitamins C, E, and K, which are necessary for the body’s regulation of bone, skin, brain, and vision health; fiber, which helps regulate digestive health; and other vitamins and acids that may be linked to reduction of everything from cancer to heart disease, and depression. Plus, they just taste great!

Because of all the fatty acids and creamy texture, avocados are the perfect substitute for mayonnaise in any dish, though I particularly enjoy the swap in both egg and tuna salad, and in deviled eggs. But substitutions can only go so far. To place avocados on your go-to meals pedestal, try our avocado toast, summer roll bowls, or crab-stuffed avocados. Or bring even more green to the plate with our chicken-avocado Caprese salad or roasted chickpea & avocado salad.

Turning a humble avocado into a decadent dessert, it turns out, is incredibly simple. Don’t believe me? Give our keto chocolate truffles or keto chocolate mousse a try, and experience the joy of a flavorful and guilt-free sweet treat.

There are never-ending ways to enjoy avocados—use these ideas as springboards to create your new favorite recipes, and let us know what you're doing with them in the comments below.


Avocado Toast

This classic hearty, delicious breakfast combo of creamy avocado and crisp-chewy toasted sourdough bread with whatever toppings your heart desires is the easiest way to make breakfast your favorite meal of the day. At its simplest, it has to have lemon juice, plenty of flaky sea salt, and some sort of red pepper flake.

Get the Avocado Toast recipe.

olive oil toasted whole wheat sourdough bread topped with ripe avocado, garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes avocado toast
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER


Keto Chocolate Truffles

Dessert truffles are not only a chocolate lover's dream, but they're also completely customizable and so easy to make. This keto version of our chocolate truffles is made possible thanks to creamy avocado.

Get the Keto Chocolate Truffles recipe.

keto chocolate truffles
EMILY HLAVAC GREEN


Bacon Guac Bombs

Bacon + guacamole = our ideal combo always. Put them in bite-sized form like these in these snack bombs, and we truly can't get enough. Homemade guacamole is rolled into pieces of bacon in these keto-friendly apps that are just as perfect for snacking on throughout the day as they are at your next party.

Get the Bacon Guac Bombs recipe.

bacon guac bombs
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Guacamole

Whether you serve it as a simple dip, load it on top of your tacos, or smear it on a bun as a burger topping, we can all agree—it’s not a party without Mexico’s most famous dip. For this recipe I prefer to keep it simple to really let the star of the show—avocados—shine.

Get the Guacamole recipe.

guacamole with diced red onion, cilantro, and with chips
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI


Avocado Soup

File this one under: Why haven't we thought of this before? It's time to start making Avocado Soup a regular in your healthy soup regimen. Somewhere between the cool freshness of gazpacho and the savory richness of guacamole, Avocado Soup is equally great chilled or served at room temperature.

Get the Avocado Soup recipe.

avocado soup
Lucy schaeffer


Roasted Chickpea & Avocado Salad

We love a hearty, studded salad with a good dressing, and this one is just that. This one is full of roasted chickpeas, creamy avocado, and light tahini ranch dressing. This meal-in-a-bowl is perfect for weeknights or date nights.

Get the Roasted Chickpea & Avocado Salad recipe.

roasted chickpea and avocado salad
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Keto Chocolate Mousse

This keto mousse gets its rich, creamy texture from avocados. If you're a little wary of using them in desserts, we promise its amazing. In this case, the mild flavor of avocado gets masked instantly by the cocoa powder and the creamy texture works wonders.

Get the Keto Chocolate Mousse recipe.

keto chocolate mousse
EMILY HLAVAC GREEN


Sinh Tố Bơ

In Vietnam, sinh tố bơ is a go-to hot weather treat. This delicious, velvety, pale-green milkshake will have you cooled down in no time. Condensed milk is used to heighten the naturally sweet and nutty flavors of ripe avocado.

Get the Sinh Tố Bơ recipe.

sinh tố bơ
Emily Hlavac Green


Crab Stuffed Avocados

If you thought mini crab cakes would make your brunch feel fancy, wait until your guests see these crab-stuffed avocados. Fresh jumbo lump crab gets tossed with tomato, jalapeño, mango, and cilantro, then dressed with a combo of lime and sour cream before being stuffed into a halved avocado and served with plantain chips.

Get the Crab Stuffed Avocados recipe.

ripe avocado stuffed with chili and cumin spiced lump crab, tomato, mango, and scallion, served with plantain chips
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER


Avocado Butter

We're big fans of the classic avocado toast, but if you're looking to take this breakfast staple over the top, turn to this easy, creamy avocado butter. We combine a ripe avocado with softened butter, lime juice, and salt to create this simple compound butter.

Get the Avocado Butter recipe.

whipped green avocado butter in a yellow ramekin
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Avocado Hummus

Hummus is a favorite snack of many for a reason, and it just got even better. For this avocado edition, we beat in creamy avocado for an end result that's the best of hummus and guacamole combined.

Get the Avocado Hummus recipe.

avocado hummus
Erik bernstein


Chicken-Avocado Caprese Salad

Possibly the most quintessential example of a healthy salad is the Caprese salad. To make this chicken-avocado version, we stuck with that principle, just adding grilled balsamic chicken, creamy avocado, and a little romaine for crunch.

Get the Chicken-Avocado Caprese Salad recipe.

chicken avocado caprese salad in a bowl with balsamic dressing
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Keto Egg Salad

Classic egg salad is usually keto-friendly as it is. But because fat=good, we added an extra creamy, but healthy element: avocado! The whole thing tastes nice and fresh but trust us, it'll really fill you up—even in a lettuce cup.

Get the Keto Egg Salad recipe.

keto egg salad
Parker feierbach


Summer Roll Bowls

Love a Vietnamese summer roll but don’t want to fuss with the wrapper? Meet your new favorite summer dinner. Rice noodles, shrimp, avocado, thinly sliced veggies, and a plethora of greens are tossed together in a tangy nước chấm dressing for a refreshing dinner twist.

Get the Summer Roll Bowls recipe.

summer rolls bowl with shrimp, rice noodles, avocado, and peanuts
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Deviled Avocados

Think of these as egg salad-stuffed avocados with some definite deviled egg vibes. We love them drizzled with hot sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and chives. But the sky's the limit.

Get the Deviled Avocados recipe.

deviled avocados
Charlie Gillette

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