23 Creative Ways to Use Avocado, From Cakes to Ice Cream

For many, avocado exists in two forms: guacamole and on its own. But while adding avocado to virtually anything savory does amp up the tasty factor, there is so much more that this fatty fruit can do. Chefs have transformed far more bland produce into a wide array of delicious applications (hello, cauliflower everything), so who’s to say avocado isn’t as versatile? From surprisingly mouthwatering sweets to ultra-creamy sauces, here are 23 vegan avocado recipes to try now. But first, here’s more about why adding this creamy fruit to your diet is so beneficial.

What are the benefits of avocado?

Dubbed a “superfood” by some, avocados are undoubtedly a beneficial addition to your diet. Firstly, they are incredibly nutrient-dense—they’re packed with fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and more. But they also contain high amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which means they are linked with good heart health. In fact, according to the British Heart Foundation, research suggests that eating just two servings of avocado a week may reduce the risk of developing heart disease by 21 percent.

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Avocados are also creamy, versatile, and mild, which means they can be added to a wide variety of different recipes in different contexts. They work in dips, ice creams, soups, pasta, and more. To prove it, here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate avocados into vegan cooking.

How to cook with avocado: 23 vegan recipes to try

Sam Turnbull

1 Garlicky Avocado Hummus Dip

Have you ever thought to pair the creamy nuttiness of hummus with the richness of guacamole? You should. This combination is perfect for parties—it’s unique and enticing, and unlike guacamole, it won’t go brown on you thanks to a generous squeeze of bright lemon juice mixed in.
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Shivangi Rao

2 Creamy Avocado Indian Chutney

When your avocado is past the point of ripeness, give this spicy chutney recipe a go. It’s packed with fresh cilantro and mint, offering an herby contrast to the spicy jalapeño blended in. Serve with your favorite vegan Indian dishes or go rogue and dip fries, slather on sandwiches, or drizzle atop tacos.
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Natalie Norman

3 Chocolate Mousse With Pecan Crumble

This recipe excellently demonstrates the sweeter side of avocado. Avocado chocolate mousse is firmly “a thing” thanks to this fruit’s creamy richness. A scoop of cacao powder and a cup of sweet Medjool dates mask any lingering avocado flavor, so all you taste is a rich and decadent dessert. Pro tip: this treat must be blended thoroughly—you don’t want to see any green specks in your elegant mousse.
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Amy Lyons

4 Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

Those who follow a raw diet—or simply partake in raw foods from time to time—know that avocado is a key ingredient in any raw vegan key lime treat. Avocados not only provide a thick and creamy element but add to this dessert’s light green hue. When combined with coconut meat, real vanilla bean, lime juice, and agave, no one would guess there’s a full cup of avocado lurking in their ice cream.
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Summer Sanders

5 Raw Spicy Avocado-Jalapeño Soup

This is more than your average bowl of gazpacho. The recipe calls for avocado and tahini which both provide a creamy and nutty element to this classic dish of pulverized raw vegetables. This soup won’t weigh you down but eats like a hearty meal. Add a slice of quality artisan bread or soft and fluffy pita for an even more robust lunch or dinner.
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Oh She Glows

6 15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

If you fall under the belief that there can never be too much avocado, try it in a pasta sauce. This lightly green-tinted cream sauce is reminiscent of Alfredo without the heavy feeling that comes after eating. The healthy ingredient profile makes it taste decadent without demanding you take a nap after. Try it on short shapes like penne or farfalle or swirl it with fettuccine for a lighter take on a classic dish.
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Ela Vegan

7 Gluten-Free Avocado Chocolate Cake

Like vegan mayonnaise, adding blended avocado to a chocolate cake batter makes for a deliciously fudgy and moist cake. When fully incorporated, no one will realize they’re inhaling a serving of fruit (yes, avocado is a fruit) with their slice of chocolate cake. The resulting single-layer round cake is dense, chocolatey, and made even more luxurious with a thick schmear of nut butter-based chocolate ganache. Garnish with a few berries to add a pop of freshness to this intensely rich dessert.
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Viet Vegan

8 Creamy Avocado Shake

This isn’t a Shamrock Shake—it’s very avocado-forward without a trace of mint, but it’s delicious. Don’t skip the sweetened condensed coconut milk. The two tablespoons called for in the recipe are crucial to obtain a silky texture and transform a chilled avocado drink into a beverage worthy of being called “dessert.”
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Kathy Patalsky

9 ChocoCado Smoothie

There isn’t much to this frosty drink—just avocado, frozen grapes, chocolate vegan protein powder, a frozen banana, and some dairy-free milk to get the blender going. However, this short ingredient list lets you play. Here are two ways to shake up this shake: add fresh mint and a handful of cacao nibs or a dollop of peanut butter. Both are excellent flavor-boosters (just don’t add both at the same time … minty peanut butter chocolate just doesn’t work).
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Minimalist Baker

10 Oil-Free Avocado Aioli

Essentially fancy mayo, basic aioli gets a jolt of green when you blend in creamy avocado. Use this addictively good sauce anywhere you’d use vegan mayonnaise: on sandwiches, wraps, tacos, potato and macaroni salad, and even flatbreads. Of course, you could just dip fries in it. That works, too.
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Ambitious Kitchen

11Vegan Avocado Chocolate Birthday Cake With Chocolate Ganache

Once you bake, you never go back. That’s what we say about this beautiful birthday cake, made extra-fudgy with the addition of avo. Extra points for colored sprinkles!
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From My Bowl

12Crispy Baked Avocado Fries

Move over, potatoes—these perfectly crispy, gluten-free Avocado Fries are our new favorite way to snack hard. Pass up the fast-food original and pass the spicy mayo dip!
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Namely Marly

13Avocado and Jalapeño Grilled Cheese Sandwich

We all know that a grilled cheese benefits from some add-ons, and what better combo than spicy jalapeño-garlic vegan Havarti and smooth avocado? Peppered faux turkey slices and a squeeze of lemon juice complete this hearty sandwich.
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The Viet Vegan

14DIY Cucumber Avocado Sushi Rolls

Keep on rollin’ with these homemade sushi rolls that combine crunchy cucumber and thick slices of avocado. We might just get wild and mix in some vegan cream cheese and shiitake mushrooms.
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Post Punk Kitchen

15Creamy Avocado Potato Salad

Your next picnic will be ‘cado-riffic if it includes this creamy potato salad. Plus, this mayo-free recipe is spiced with cayenne pepper and garnished with a touch of scallions.
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My Darling Vegan

16 Tofu Benedict With Avocado

Few things can rouse us from our beds like a properly made bennie. This one is loaded with buttery avocado and decadent vegan Hollandaise. Now, who’s making mimosas?
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A House in the Hills

17Kale Noodle Bowl With Avocado Miso Dressing

This marvelous meal has as much flavor and heartiness as your go-to noodle takeout. Combine your vitamin K fix and your carbs into one scrumptious, easy-to-prepare bowl.
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Chocolate Covered Katie

18 Avocado Fudge Bites

Very green, these five-ingredient avocado fudge bites are an easy, healthy way to indulge in your cravings. Plan ahead and have these low-cal bites handy when you need a sweet, summer cool down snack. Our idea: throw in some dark chocolate or carob chips for an extra, chocolaty flair.
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Olives for Dinner

19Buffalo Chickpea Soft Tacos With Avocado Sour Cream

Sure, the avo may not be center stage here, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t essential to this daring dish. The incorporation of sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, and rice vinegar in these tacos adds an Asian flair that make them a unique addition to your next potluck or dinner party.
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Healthy Happy Life

20Deviled Avocado With Spicy Curry Sauce

Deviled eggs? No thanks, we’re vegan. Deviled avocado? Bring it on. Loaded with crunchy salad and drizzled with a bold, spicy-sweet curry sauce, these stuffed wonders are as gorgeously green as they are tasty.
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Stresscake

21Avocado Lime Tequila Popsicles

It’s 1:42pm. Too early for a margarita? Well … we suppose so. But it’s never too early (or too cold) for one of these boozy popsicles!
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Healthy Happy Life

22Florida Avocado Summer Wrap

Come lunchtime, we love sinking our teeth into a great vegan wrap. This one’s got the works: yellow tomato, sweet onion, spicy bean spread, shredded carrots, pumpkin seeds, and—of course—big slices of avocado.
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The Mindful Strawberry

23Avocado Pesto Gnocchi

Gnocchi is the perfect nom when you’re craving comfort food. Add avocado-based pesto and you’ve got a tasty Italian dinner for two. 
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