How To Slice an Avocado

updated Aug 7, 2023
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Credit: Dana Velden
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An avocado cut in half, sliced and pits removed on a white plate
Credit: Dana Velden

Have you ever received a salad garnished with perfect, fanned-out slices of avocado and wondered how the chef managed to do it without making a squashed mess? Slicing an avocado is a simple technique that requires minimal knife skills and just a few seconds of your time. To do so, simply slice the avocado while it’s still in its shell and then gently scoop the slices out with a spoon.

What You Need When Slicing An Avocado

If the only thing you’ve done with an avocado is mash it into guacamole, then the thought of creating smooth, even slices of avocado may seem daunting. But the technique couldn’t be easier — it just requires a sharp knife and a gentle touch.

Way of Slicing An Avocado

One of the main issues in slicing avocado flesh is that it is easily mashed and squished. It’s hard to handle without getting your hands full of slippery green glop that gets over everything. The trick to avoiding this is simple: Slice the avocado while it’s still in its shell and then gently scoop the slices out with a spoon. It’s so easy!

Credit: Dana Velden

You can also do exactly the opposite with equal ease: Run a thin metal spoon (a larger soup spoon is best) between the flesh and skin of an avocado half to loosen it and then pop the intact avocado half out onto a cutting board. From there you can slice and dice to your recipe’s specifications.

If you don’t know how to remove an avocado pit, then visit our post on how to remove an avocado pit with a chef’s knife.

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A gorgeous avocado, ready to be sliced. (Image credit: Dana Velden)

How To Slice an Avocado

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado

Equipment

  • Chef's knife
  • Thin metal soup spoon
  • Cutting board

Instructions

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  1. Remove the pit: Slice the avocado open vertically and remove the pit. (For more details see How to Remove the Pit from an Avocado)

  2. Slice the avocado inside the skin: Using just the tip of the knife, slice into the avocado flesh, making sure to not pierce the skin. Follow the natural curve of the avocado using the tip of the knife. Repeat until you have cut through the entire avocado. Slices can be as thick or as thin as needed and can go either vertically or horizontally. You can also slice the avocado in both directions, cross-hatched, to make cubes.

  3. Scoop out the avocado: Gently work a spoon between the flesh and the skin of the avocado. Following the curve of the avocado with the bowl of the spoon, scoop the slices out of the shell.

Recipe Notes

Switch to a paring knife for slicing the avocado if that feels more comfortable than using the larger chef's knife.

You can also scoop out the entire avocado half, still whole, using your thin soup spoon and then use it whole or slice it on a cutting board.

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