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10 Great Uses for a Ripe Avocado

Add some heart-healthy deliciousness to all kinds of dishes


spinner image a table covered in sliced ripe avocados
Hilaire Baumgartner

Nobody’s knocking guacamole. But Pati Jinich, chef, author and host of Pati’s Mexican Table and La Frontera on PBS, uses avocados from Mexico in over 250 recipes — from cocktails to salads to even desserts. Among her favorite ways to add the creamy wonder:

1. Breakfast sandwich: Top a grilled ham and cheese with a sunny-side-up egg and sliced avocado.

2. Burritos: Any wrap becomes more substantial with avocado.

3. Avocado pizza: Before cooking, add slices of avocado to your basic pizza, along with a protein such as grilled beef, or go with corn, zuc­chini or fire-roasted poblanos.

4. Seafood tacos: Diced avocado gives shrimp or fish tacos an authentic Mexican stamp.

5. Shrimp roll: Fill a grilled bun with shrimp topped with diced avocado and mango.

spinner image a steak and avocado sandwich
Stockfood

6. Grilled steak and avocado sandwich: Peeled slices of the soft green fruit work well on most tortas. Here, use refried beans as a spread.

7. Ceviche: Give this classic seafood-­citrus salad a new dimension.

8. Avocado chopped salad: Toss chopped avocado with chopped tomato, veggies (hearts of palm, corn) and a light vinaigrette.

9. Avocado tuna or egg salad: Add cubed avocado to a favorite lunchtime recipe.

10. Tomato avocado salad with queso fresco: Any salty soft cheese works well to balance the tomatoes’ sweetness.

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