How to Cut an Avocado

Have you ever really just wondered if there was a super quick and mess-free way to dig into an avocado, particularly the part where you grab the seed out with a knife like all the really cool chefs do on The Food Network?

Well, I’ve had a lot of practice, being married to a man who is half Mexican- one must always be ready to make guacamole on the fly, especially when there are steaks on the grill or fresh tortillas around. 

Let’s dive into this big avocado, which is a bit larger than the more common Hass avocados that typically come from Mexico or California; this large one is from the Caribbean and is popular in Puerto Rican cuisine, which is why I love it so much. Regardless, the cutting method is the same. Just find a nice, healthy avocado that isn’t mushy or bruised or moldy- give it a look over and if it’s too hard, you can bring it home and let it soften over a couple of days at room temperature.

Use a sharp, non-serrated knife to cut it in a circular motion, starting from the top and swerving around. See how I do it here in this video.

A beautiful, ripe avocado will look like this- no browning and just the right texture to decide if you want to use it in a salad, on a sandwich, or to make guacamole.

 And the seed should be healthy and brown, like this one below.

Now comes the fun part. Being a real chef. Just be careful and don’t get too crazy. The knife can still slip out of your hand, fall on the floor and hurt someone. Trust me.

A chef’s knife is the best knife for this action, in my opinion. It’s flat, non-serrated and not too big. Just use a little force to swing the knife directly on the seed, pause for a moment to ensure you’ve actually got a hold of the seed, then twist it out.  Some seeds are more stubborn than others. Don’t be discouraged- when it actually works, you feel like a rock star. I mean, rock star chef.

Next, you’ll score each half of the avocado with a knife- make a whole bunch of vertical slits right into the meat of the fruit.

Then make horizontal slits. Brava! You’ve just scored an avocado…

Once you do that, it’s super easy to scoop out. A spoon works just fine for that job, but if you get a bit annoyed by how the spoon sometimes ‘cuts’ into some parts of the fruit, then I suggest this awesome avocado peeler by Pampered Chef.

I’m not big on gadgets, but this tool actually makes you look like a pro because it pulls everything out so neatly.

It’s the ‘wow’ factor  you’re after when entertaining, right?

And sometimes I’m just a little messy regardless.

No one actually cares because when an avocado is ripe and beautiful, it speaks for itself.

And that little peeler should also be called a scooper or scraper because it helps to get every last bit of barakah (blessing) out of this precious fruit.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy avocados? Anyone out there who has never tasted one?

Try fresh avocados on one of my favorite all-time party appetizer recipes and watch me make it here:

Black Bean Dip recipe and video