Here's the Right Way to Cut an Avocado

Given how often we all like to enjoy avocados, knowing how to cut an avocado, as well as how to peel and pit it, is almost as important as learning how to properly slice an onion. This ever-popular ingredient is a crucial part of so many of our favorite soups, salads, and dips. Not to mention that avocado toast has become a cult classic. So, what makes avocados so popular?

They are one of the healthiest fats to be found. They have a rich, buttery texture and mild but distinct flavor. Avocados are the main ingredient in many of our favorite recipes—guacamole, anyone? They can also be used as a garnish, turning even the most drab soups and salads into something special. Their fatty texture even lends itself well to dessert, bringing richness and added health benefits to baked goods like muffins and brownies. 

No matter how you slice them (or dice or mash them!), avocados are a tasty way to add flavor, texture, and essential nutrients to your everyday diet. Here, we'll explain how to cut an avocado safely and efficiently.

How to Cut an Avocado

When you break it down, an avocado has three parts: the skin, the flesh, and the pit (or seed). The meaty flesh is the only edible part of the avocado, so before you can enjoy it, you have to remove the skin and pit. So first, we’ll explain how to halve, peel, and pit an avocado, plus what tools you need to do so safely and efficiently. 

Before you start, remember to wash your avocado first! It may seem odd since you won't be eating the peel, but the FDA advises washing avocados in water and scrubbing them with a clean produce brush, then drying them with a clean cloth towel.

Tools for the Task

• Cutting board: First things first, you need to have a secure cutting board to work on. If you have a non-slip mat to rest your cutting board on, we definitely recommend using it. If you don’t, a couple of layers of dampened paper towels will also work to keep the cutting board from slipping and sliding around the surface as you work.
• Sharp chef's knife: Dull knives are actually more dangerous than sharp ones! When your knife is sharp, it will glide easily over whatever you are cutting, lessening the chance of slippage. We like to use a good, solid chef’s knife when cutting avocados—this kind of knife will easily slice through the meat of the avocado, but you can also use the end close to the handle to pop out the pit.

Prepping an Avocado

Before you cut avocado slices or dice the fruit, you'll need to halve it, remove the pit, and peel the avocado.

Cut the Avocado in Half

1. Starting at the stem-end of the avocado, slice down until you reach the pit.
2. From there, simply glide your knife along the outside of the pit, slicing through the flesh of the avocado until you reach the stem-end again. (You want to cut lengthwise down the avocado instead of slicing it along the equator. Not only will this leave you with more options when you decide how you want to chop up the avocado, but it also makes it a lot easier to remove the pit.)
3. Once the avocado is sliced all the way through, twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them.

Remove the Pit

Once you have your two sections of avocado, one of these halves will contain the entire pit. Use the following technique to remove the pit. Again, use caution here—as is always recommended when using sharp knives and awkward foods.

Securely grip the skin-side of the avocado (keeping your fingers curled under) and, using one quick motion, launch the blade of the knife into the pit. You want to try to get the very bottom inch of the knife’s blade (the part nearest to the handle) into the pit of the avocado. That way, you can simply use the handle to twist the knife and pop the pit right out of the avocado. (If you have a sturdy trash can, you can bang the handle of the knife against the side of the can to release the pit from the knife blade. If it’s being stubborn, use a hand towel to grasp the pit and pull it off of the blade.)

When your avocado is perfectly ripe: Sometimes you can forgo the knife altogether when removing the pit if your avocado is ripe. Pinch the seed between your middle and pointer fingers and squeeze down gently against the flesh of the avocado. The pit should pop right out. If it doesn’t work perfectly, at least you’ve loosened it so there’s less knifework to be done.

Peel

There are two ways to peel an avocado, and they both depend on how ripe the fruit is.

• If your avocado is a bit on the over-ripe side, hold the avocado, cut-side up, in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Then, run a spoon between the skin and flesh of the avocado.
• If you have a firmer avocado, you can use your fingers to gently peel back the skin, leaving you with a perfectly smooth avocado half.

Safety First

As mentioned above, using a secured cutting board and a sharp knife are the main ways to keep yourself safe when cutting an avocado. In addition, make sure you use a knife that you feel comfortable holding. It shouldn't feel too large or heavy in your hands. Rather, the knife should feel more like an extension of your hand. 

When it comes time to slice into the avocado, make sure the outer layer of skin is free of any moisture. Water can cause your hand to slip, but if the avocado's skin is dry, you'll be able to get a better grip. If you're still worried about slipping up, drape a clean kitchen towel over your hand and use that to grasp the avocado. That way, if you do have any mishaps with a sharp knife, your hand will be protected by the towel.

4 Ways to Cut an Avocado

No matter how you choose to cut up your avocado, you want to start out by placing each peeled and pitted half cut-side down on the cutting board.

Slices

To slice the avocado into long, thin pieces:

Use a chef's knife or paring knife to cut vertically down the length of the avocado. (Alternatively, cut crosswise to create half-moon shapes. )

Dice

To dice an avocado into bite-sized chunks:

1. Cut the avocado lengthwise into approximately ½-inch planks
2. Rotate the avocado and slice the other way to create perfect little cubes. 
   

Wedges

Some people like to cut their avocado into wedges, which are perfect for eating as a snack with a knife and fork, drizzled with some lemon juice and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

To create wedges, cut each avocado half lengthwise into three or four pieces, with your knife meeting back in the center where the pit used to be. 

Mash

An honorable mention goes to mashing—you don't even need a knife for this technique. Use a fork to mash the avocado directly onto toasted bread or right on the cutting board.