17 Insanely Addictive Avocado Recipes

Try mixing avocado with Brussels sprouts, like in this salad from Marvin Woods, chef and author of Home Plate Cooking. For more flavor, add red onion, cilantro, peppers, and dressing to the little cabbages.

Recipe: Marvin Woods's Brussels Sprouts, Red, Pepper, and Avocado Salad

This recipe for the cookout staple calls for chile peppers, chili powder onions, and avocado.

Recipe: Southwestern Burgers

This luscious fruit and creamy avocado mingle in a honeyed lemon dressing to create this simple and elegant salad. Serve it as a light first course or alongside grilled chicken or fish.

Recipe: Avocados and Strawberries with Honey Vinaigrette

Taste buds will tingle with this zesty rice salad. Sweet mango and papaya tango with spicy habanero peppers to give this side dish its unique flavor.

Recipe: Tropical Fruit and Rice Salad

Let the mild, nutty flavor of avocados stand in for Swiss cheese in this classic sandwich. Slather baguettes with a buttery mustard spread, then stuff with avocado and slices of smoky ham.

Recipe: Avocado and Ham Sandwiches

For a tasty snack, mash some avocado with a smidge of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread on toasted baguette rounds.

Recipe: The Ultimate Guacamole

Prepare a satisfying snack in less than 3 minutes.

Step 1: Pop 4 slices of crusty artisan bread in the toaster, or on the middle rack of an oven set at 350 degrees F, until crisp and golden brown.

Step 2: While the bread is toasting, peel and mash 1 ripe avocado in a small bowl.

Step 3: Spread the avocado on the toasted bread and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Enjoy!

For this delicious recipe, be sure to use authentic sushi rice, which retains an appropriately sticky texture for expert rolling.

Recipe: Avocado Sushi

This fast, delicious sandwich is California-cool on a hot summer's day. Plus, it only takes 15 minutes to make!

Recipe: Avocado, Cheddar, and Sprouts Pockets with Tangy Lime Mayo

Layered between slices of whole-grain bread, creamy avocado, fresh sprouts, and a snappy goat-cheese spread add color and character to a healthy sandwich.

Recipe: Healthy Californian

If you're counting calories, you should know that a 10-ounce avocado has about 369 of them, as well as 37 grams of fat. However, the average avocado serving size—5 ounces—is half that. What's more, roughly 84 percent of the total fat count is "good" (i.e., unsaturated) oil. And some more good news: Avocados are also low in sodium, have no cholesterol, and provide substantial amounts of potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins A and C, and niacin.

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp, Pink Grapefuit, and Avocado Salad

To Pit: Halve a washed avocado lengthwise using a chef's knife to cut all the way into the flesh until it touches the pit. Twist halves to separate. Strike the pit with a sharp chef's knife to "grab" it. Rotate to loosen and release the pit from the fruit.

To Peel: If flesh is firm, peel skin with fingers; if not, scoop out whole with a large spoon and slice or chop.

To Cut: When looks count (as they do in salads and garnishes), slice the fruit vertically, in its skin, then horizontally to create perfect cubes. Scoop out with a spoon. For perfect slices, peel away skin and cut with a thin knife.

To Mash: For guacamole and other chunky-style avocado dips, use a fork to mash avocado cubes and to incorporate any remaining ingredients.

Tip: Inhibit "brown-out" by spritzing with lemon juice, then refrigerate in an airtight container.