7 Fun Dishes To Enjoy On National Avocado Day

There’s perhaps no food more beloved than the avocado. Guacamole is a mainstay of any happy hour, and avocado toast is a brunch classic.

Avocado is delicious in salads and in sandwiches or wraps, and there sometimes feels like there’s nothing this fruit can’t do. On National Avocado Day, we test that theory, as restaurants and bars nationwide are rolling out some pretty creative dishes — all with the avocado as the star ingredient!

Avocado Hummus

At Momed Atwater Village in Los Angeles, this avocado hummus is like a marriage of two favorite appetizers. “The core of this Avocado Hummus is the tahini. The rest is inspired by LA and its incredibly diverse cuisines. The tahini is seasoned with charred poblano and jalapeño peppers, garlic, white soy and yuzu. Then it’s all whipped into avocado to make a creamy hummus packed with umami and hints of smoke. It’s paired with a salsa macha, a Mexican condiment made up of dried chiles that have been blended with oil, which is used to dress nuts and seeds. It has a deep heat that is cooled by the avocado. Ours has peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and toasted sesame seeds. It’s served with a housemade sourdough pita made with a combination of all-purpose, wheat, and rye flours, hand-stretched and baked in our wood-fired oven,” said chef Vartan Abgaryan.

‘shroomcado Toast

At Love Life Cafe in Miami, this dish is made with Zak the Baker sourdough, avocado, roasted local mushrooms. “This dish is a combination of flavors, texture, nutrition and high-quality ingredients. We use Zak the Baker sourdough, which we believe is a powerful nutrient and freshly baked one block away from us. We also use oyster mushrooms from a local mushroom farm here in Miami called Marvelous Mushrooms. Obviously avocado, adding a buttery and creamy texture to compliment the chewiness on the mushrooms and crunchiness of the toast. It is then topped with locally sourced micro greens,” said Diego Tosoni, Creative Officer.

Hass Kicker

At Grange Restaurant & Bar in Sacramento, this drink combines Blanco tequila, jalapeno, lime, and dry curacao. The addition of fresh avocado gives it a very distinctive mouth feel and body, as well as a vibrant green hue. Dane Blom, Executive Chef, says: “Spicy margaritas are a favorite summer drink, but this one includes fresh California avocado which is currently in peak season. The addition of the green fruit makes a heartier, more savory cocktail with an unexpected twist of added body and a distinctively rich mouth feel, while the curacao offers a complexity and dry finish that pairs perfectly with seafood and the summer grilling.”

Avocado Mousse

At Animae in San Diego, Executive Chef Tara Monsod offers guests a journey into her upbringing with Filipino dishes and flavors from her childhood. Avocado and ice happens to be Chef Tara’s mother’s favorite summer dessert, so she collaborated with Executive Pastry Chef Laura Warren to give it a fine dining interpretation. Traditionally in the Philippines, it’s chopped avocado with crushed ice, condensed milk, and sugar. Animae’s avocado and ice dessert has an avocado mousse that’s smooth and creamy with shaved ice, condensed milk granita and mochi bites. Chef Tara says: “Growing up in Palmdale, every summer when it’s extremely hot, my mom would make avocado & ice to cool down. It was our summertime ritual, so I wanted to create a homage to this Filipino staple on the Animae menu. It doesn’t look like the traditional dessert but has the flavors and texture of avocado that are so nostalgic to me.”

Avo’ Egg Toast

At Spiller Park Coffee at Ponce City Market, a sunnyside best side egg, avocado seasoned with salt and lime, chili compound butter, with fork and knife thick sourdough toast, and a couple radishes for crunch. “I make the greatest avo toast on earth. Everyone has an avocado toast these days but we have the only one you need,” said Dale Donchey, owner and barista.

The Avocado Tostada

At Donna in New York City, this Avocado Tostada is a hearty, nourishing tostada dish prominently featuring avocado. “The Avocado Tostada is a celebration of pan-Latin-inspired flavors and culinary innovation. This vibrant creation features a delightful medley of fresh lettuce, cucumber, tomato, rich cotija cheese, and sliced avocado paired with a smoky chipotle vinaigrette,” said Ulises Fuentes, Kitchen Manager and Worker-Owner at Donna.

Sweetfin Signature Yuzu Salmon Bowl

At Sweetfin in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the OC area, this bowl is filled with a bunch of avocado as well as sustainably raised salmon, yuzu kosho sauce, avocado, edamame, cilantro, and jicama. “This bowl is filled with energizing, nutrient dense ingredients to power your day. Of course, I love piling on the avocado to provide creamy flavor and a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. This yuzu bowl also has a mix of colorful veggies which delivers a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. The great part about this bowl is you can customize the base with your choice of rice, kale, or kelp noodle slaw too,” said Mackenzie Burgess, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices.