How to Cut an Avocado

Much like a peach or plum, an avocado has a very large, singular seed or ‘pit’ in the very center of the fruit. This pit can cause difficulty when trying to cut the fruit open. Unlike the peach and plum, you do not want to consume the exterior of the avocado.

When consuming this fruit, you need to remove the pit and the peel so you can enjoy the internal green creamy flesh of the avocado. It is important to know how to cut an avocado. See How To Cut A Papaya and How To Cut A Mango. 

Cutting Process

Step 1:Pre-cut

The very first step before cutting into this scrumptious fruit is easy to wash and clean the exterior. Cleaning the fruit is a very important step. When these fruits are grown, there is always the chance of pesticides or if you choose organically, there may be natural insect deterrents. These fruits have also been handled by many people.

They move from the tree, to transport, stocked in the produce section of a grocery store, and even examined by customers. These fruits, like all others, pass through many hands before they reach your own.

Though you do not consume the outside portion of the fruit, the knife has to pass through in inorder to reach the internal flesh. This can spread any form of dirt and bacteria into the inner portion that you do consume. So always remember to wash your produce!

Step 2: Knife preference

Choose your knife. This part is totally up to you! Whichever type of knife feels best for you will work just fine. The external peel and internal flesh are soft enough that just about any knife will pass through with ease. Personally,I prefer to use a paring knife. This is a small, short knife with a pointed tip and sharp blade. I prefer this knife because of its small features. You are able to roll the fruit while cutting and only needing one hand for the knife. It is perfectly sharp enough and thin enough to cut the avocado with ease

Step 3: Separation cut 

Now it is time to cut. Starting from the center of the tip of the fruit, begin your cut. You can then roll the fruit in your hand or on your countertop while cutting. You want to ensure you cut evenly around the fruit so you will have two equal halves. Remember, you want the halves to be the two sides. Not the top and bottom. You will feel the pit with your knife and you cut through the fruit. Go around this pit and not through while creating the halves.

Step 4: Separating halves

Now that you have completed your cut, you can now separate the two halves of the avocado. This may, in some cases, be very simple and separate without any issues. If it feels harder to pull, you can simply twist the two halves in opposite directions. This will completely loosen the pit from one portion of the avocado, leaving it full in only one-half of the fruit.

Step 5: Removing the pit

Removing the pit can either be a very simple task or a bit of a more difficult one. This really all depends on the avocado itself. It may pop out on its own. If that is the case, then you can move onto the next step. If it does not pop out that easily, you will have to wiggle it out yourself. This can be done by placing the avocado half on the countertop then tapping the knife into the pit with one quick but a firm movement. When the knife is then secured into the pit, you can twist the knife and the pit will turn with it, releasing it from the avocado.

Step 6: The scoop and cut vs. the cut and scoop

There are many different methods of removing the avocado’s flesh from the outer skin. The process of doing this really all depends on how you intend to use the avocado. Will it be mashed? Cubed? Sliced?

If you intend to use the avocado in a means that presentation does not matter when removed from the skin, you can use the knife and score the avocado, making it easier to remove in smaller sections. If you are planning to use the avocado in slices and want the proper presentation of the fruit, you can use a smaller spoon and gently scoop the flesh from the skin, while keeping the entire half intact. This way when it is removed, it is easy to slice and creates a beautiful presentation for the consumer.

How do you cut your avocados? There are so many ways that you can go about cutting and preparing your avocados. What cool and innovative ways do you use to cut your avocados? Comment below!

Avocado Recipes

• Avocado Tomato Salad
• Avocado Mousse
• Avocado Lime Popsicles
• Vegan Avocado Milk
• Mango Avocado Salsa
• Tofu Steaks With Avocado Chimichurri
• Southwestern Avocado Toast
• Vegan Avocado Crema