How To Make Crispy Baked Avocado Fries
Serves2 to 4
Get the dipping sauce ready — there’s a new fry in town. Avocados have had their time to shine on toast, but now it’s time to turn these bright-green beauties into dreamy veggie fries. We’re talking super crispy and crunchy on the outside, and rich and creamy on the inside. It’s the instant-gratification way to use up that firm avocado sitting on your counter right now. With a few key steps, you can add a batch of crispy avocado fries to dinner.
Underripe Avocados Make the Best Fries
While underripe avocados don’t quite cut it for making avocado toast, they are exactly what you want for avocado fries. They hold up better than their soft and ripe counterparts, who prove to be a little too delicate for fry-making.
While the texture of avocado fries starts out firm, you certainly won’t be eating dense, rock-hard fries — they get totally transformed in the oven. The heat softens the avocados, making them super-tender and creamy and enhancing their overall flavor.
More Ways to Use Firm Avocados: 5 Ways To Enjoy An Underripe Avocado
Consider the Way You Cut the Avocado
Like most fries, a long and lean cut leads to the best crunch-factor — and avocado fries are no exception. Save the cubes for another time and cut your avocado into slices from pole to pole. I like to start by halving the avocado, then cutting each half into four to six even slices, depending on the size of the fruit. This makes for fries that are just the right size; they’re thin enough to achieve a creamy center, but not too thin that they fall apart.
The 3 Keys to Crispy-Crunchy Avocado Fries
These fries are all about the texture. It’s the best of both worlds with a soft, creamy inside (just like you’d expect from a super-ripe avocado) wrapped with a crispy, crunchy coating. It’s this contrast that makes them stand out.
The crispy-crunchy exterior requires some consideration every step of the way. From start to finish we’re making choices that lead to The Crunch. Overall, these are the three most important steps to remember.
1. Create a sturdy base.
In order to ensure the crispiest fries, you have to create a base for the panko to stick on. Here, we fully coat the avocado slices with a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper — this base will help the rest of the ingredients stick and begins to build in flavor.
2. Spray the panko after coating.
The panko coating is only half of what makes these fries so deliciously crispy. Once the fries are coated and resting on a baking sheet, they deserve a liberal coating of cooking spray. This extra-important step is key to baking up super-crispy fries with a deep golden color. No pale panko allowed.
3. Flip halfway through.
Because you don’t want avocado fries that are only half crispy, don’t forget to flip the fries halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking and crisping.
Eating Avocado Fries
Like all other veggie fries, avocado fries are at their absolute best when they come out of the oven. It will take some willpower, but let them cool for a couple minutes — just long enough until they’re comfortable to handle — and then dive right in.
And while I’m sure you’ll enjoy eating them as is, fries are always better when dipping sauce is involved. Stick with your standard ketchup, mayo, or aioli, or branch out with something spicy or filled with herbs.
5 Dipping Sauces to Serve with Avocado Fries
How To Make Crispy Crunchy Baked Avocado Fries
Serves 2 to 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2
firm avocados
- 1/2 cup
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2
large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups
panko or regular breadcrumbs
Cooking spray
Equipment
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups
Bowls for breading
Whisk
Baking sheet
Flat spatula or tongs
Instructions
Heat the oven: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.
Prepare the breading assembly line: Prepare the ingredients for the breaded coating in 3 separate wide, shallow bowls. Whisk the flour, salt, and pepper in the first bowl, beat the eggs or place the aquafaba in the second bowl, and place the breadcrumbs in the third bowl. Arrange the bowls in an assembly line: flour mixture, eggs or aquafaba, then breadcrumbs. Place a baking sheet next to the bowl of breadcrumbs.
Slice avocados: Use a chef's knife to halve the avocados, cutting from the stem end to the base. Remove and discard the pits. Cut each half into 6 (1/2-inch-wide) slices, and remove and discard the skin.
Flour the avocado slice: Working with 1 avocado slice at a time, coat in flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs. Start with coating it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
Dip the avocado slice: Dip the flour-coated avocado slice in egg, making sure the egg completely coats the slice.
Bread the avocado slice: Roll the avocado slice in the breadcrumbs. Make sure it is fully covered and well-coated.
Place the slices on a baking sheet and repeat: Place the breaded avocado slice on the baking sheet. Repeat the process with all the slices, spacing them about 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
Coat with cooking spray: Spray the avocado fries with cooking spray.
Bake the avocado fries: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the fries are golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven halfway through cooking and flip each avocado fry over with a flat spatula or tongs to ensure it cooks and browns evenly.
Cool the avocado fries: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover fries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F until warmed through.
Stylist Credits
- Food styling by Ayda Robana