How To Cut Avocados (Step By Step Guide!)

There’s an art to cutting your favorite toast-toppin,’ guac-makin’ fruit. Here’s everything you need to know when it comes to how to cut avocados!

A white plate filled with two avocado halves and a bunch of peeled slices

Let’s be honest — there’s an art to cutting avocados! Whether you plan to beautifully arrange them on a salad or mash ’em up for guac, there is a way to cut them with ease. No more frustratingly digging out the pit or pushing it out and losing pieces of the fruit in the process. With this method, your avos will be neatly cut and no sliver will go to waste!

How to tell when an avocado is ripe

The best way to determine when an avocado is ripe is to do a touch test. Cup it in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze. If it slightly gives, it’s likely ready to eat! A firm avocado is not ripe yet.

Another way to test the ripeness waters is to remove the little stem on top. If the underneath is:

Green: Your avocado is perfectly ripe.
Brown: It’s overripe.
Difficult to remove: The avocado isn’t ripe yet.

Now, let’s say you want to enjoy your avo’ in a yummy dish N.O.W., but your stem won’t budge. What are you to do? Luckily, you have the power to speed up the ripening process. To do so, place the avo in a paper bag with an apple or banana. These fruits produce ethylene gas, which speeds up the avo ripening process. To learn more, check out the Avocado Nutrition Guide!

How to cut an avocado

There are a million different ways to cut an avocado, but this is the method that I’ve found creates the least amount of mess while keeping the flesh of the avocado pretty and intact!

Step 1: Halve
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, leaving the seed intact. To do this, there are a couple of methods you can use. The first option is to place the avocado on a cutting board and turn a knife through it horizontally until you’ve cut it all the way around. The second option is to place the avocado in the palm of your hand (if you’re comfortable) and do the same.

Never stab at the avocado while it’s in your hand (meaning, don’t point the knife tip toward your hand). Instead, move the avocado toward the knife, not the knife toward the avocado.

To open the avocado, simply twist each half in opposite directions, pulling apart at the same time.

Two halves of an avocado placed inside-up and side by side on a white background

Step 2: Remove Pit
Set the half with the pit on a firm surface (NOT in your hand), then carefully thwack it with your knife so the knife becomes lodged in the pit. Twist the knife to remove the pit from the avocado. This method allows it to come out in one easy movement!

Two avocado halves facing inside-up next to a knife lodged to an avocado pit

Step 3: Peel
Place each half cut side down, then cut in half lengthwise again. To peel an avocado, simply peel the skin off of each piece.

Many recipes will tell you to cut into the halved avocado and scoop out the flesh. I don’t like this method because spooning it out never leaves you with nice cubes or slices! It’s messy and part of the fruit will wind up mashed.

Four quarters of an avocado facing down displaying how to peel the skin from a quarter of the fruit

Step 4: Cut
From here, you can cut the avocado into slices or cubes.

And there you have it: perfect slices of avocado that nearly look too good to eat!

Avocado slices arranged in a row on a white background

how to store unused avocado

Like cut apples, avocados oxidize fairly quickly. Nobody likes a brown bit of avo, so the best thing to do is to securely seal any leftovers as soon as they’re cut. I have found the best method to be wrapping slices or cut halves in plastic wrap. This makes it super airtight and slows down oxidation.

To keep the fruit extra fresh, a nice drizzle of lemon juice will help preserve its pretty green coloring. You can also freeze avocado for longterm storage.

Try Avocado in these recipes

Now that you’re basically an avocado professional, it’s time to add it to some recipes! Try it in any of these for a nutrient-rich bite. You can also check out the full avocado recipe archive here.

A jam packed and savory sandwich? Yes, please! Try this classic Avo Sandwich or this Strawberry Grilled Cheese number.
Enjoy avocado in its freshest form by adding it to Pomegranate Toast or Mango Salad!
Ever had how avocado? You’ll love it in these crispy Avocado Fries!
For something sweet and fit for dessert, give avocado a go in this Chocolate Smoothie or this Chocolate Mousse Pie!