7 unique avocado dishes that are insanely easy to make

If you’ve been slow to hop on the avocado bandwagon, now’s your chance. The multitasking fruit is having more than a moment: It’s proving to be not only a superfood, but “the perfect food”—and it’s being used in ways that make your homemade avocado toast seem run-of-the mill.

Naturally packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, and a slew of vitamins, avocado is easy to obsess over. Another reason to always have a few in your arsenal? Thanks to its subtle taste and creamy texture, it’s a culinary chameleon you can work into a wide range of recipes—breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

To feed the avo-obsession, we found seven unexpected ways to use avocados that take literally no time to prep (like the Minimalist Baker‘s super decadent, yet shockingly healthy, confection above).

Can you tell we’re obsessed? We’re obsessed. —Larkin Clark

(Photo: Minimalist Baker)

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Blogger and photographer Erin Gleeson put a spin on traditional deviled eggs for her cookbook, The Forest Feast. “Using avocado as a base makes these deviled eggs a little healthier and (I think) a lot tastier. Terrific party food!” Or an anytime snack, for that matter.

(Photo: Photos/Recipe by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast)

Grilled Avocado with Mango Salsa

“Even though guacamole is a summer staple, avocados are in their peak season through fall,” says Claire Thomas of The Kitchy Kitchen. Her simple recipe takes minutes to prep and marries several flavor profiles: sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy. “And if you don’t feel like heating up the grill, mixing the avocado with the mango salsa makes a killer guacamole.”

(Photo: The Kitchy Kitchen)

Gluten-Free Coconut Avocado Fries

Jessica Goldman Foung, the blogger behind Sodium Girl, says she loves this fresh take on “fries” because they taste indulgent, are nutritionally on point, and don’t require any cooking. They’re easy to modify, too: You can swap out the coconut flakes and honey for “anything ‘breadcrumb-like’ and ‘sticky.’”

(Photo: Sodium Girl)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Avocado Pudding

Whoever said there’s no such thing as a healthy dessert clearly hadn’t met Minimalist Baker team Dana and John Schultz. “The great thing about this pudding—besides its immensely rich texture and chocolate flavor—is that it’s naturally sweetened with dates.” The recipe also includes protein-packed peanut butter and bananas, which are high in potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6.

(Photo: Minimalist Baker)

Avocado Feta Dip

Sick and tired of guac? Two Peas and Their Pod blogger Maria Lichty whipped up this fix using leftover ingredients in her fridge. “This dip is thick, creamy, and flavorful. The feta cheese adds the perfect amount of saltiness and blends in with the avocado perfectly!”

(Photo: Two Peas and Their Pod)

Avocado Lentil Cranberry Salad

According to Gina Matsoukas, founder of Running to the Kitchen, “This salad is creamy, bright, fresh, and oddly hearty at the same time.”  It’s also jam-packed with healthy stuff: In addition to avocado’s benefits, you have those of lentils (fiber, protein, iron, folate), cranberries (antioxidants and vitamins C, E, and K), and parsley (flavonols, vitamins C, B, 12, K, and A).

(Photo: Running to the Kitchen)

Avocado Crème Brûlée

To make this healthy version of the French classic, blogger Katie Higgins swaps heavy cream, white sugar, and egg yolks for nut milk, uncut stevia, and avocado—and the results are as decadent as the real thing.

(Photo: Chocolate Covered Katie)

More Reading

Yes, avocado mayo is a thing and yes, it’s deliciousThese easy avocado eggs will revolutionize your morningsShaun Hergatt’s Poached Eggs with Avocado and Roasted Fall Vegetables