Learn how to cut an avocado to use in your favorite recipes! Follow my easy, step-by-step instructions and photos for perfect avocado slices and cubes every time.
Do you ever wonder how sushi chefs make perfectly thin avocado slices to layer on their sushi rolls? How about those beautifully fanned-out slices you get when you order avocado toast? And the neat avocado cubes that come in your salads and donburi rice bowls?
It‘s actually not as hard as it looks! I’ve put together a simple tutorial with detailed, step-by-step instructions and photos to teach you how to cut an avocado like a pro. With some techniques and a little practice, you can cut perfect avocado slices and cubes at home to use in your favorite recipes.
Ways to Use Avocados
- Poke Bowl
- Avocado Toast
- Negitoro Avocado Donburi
- California Rolls
- Dragon Rolls
- Shrimp Broccoli Salad
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
How to Cut an Avocado
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
Instructions
To Remove the Pit
- In this simple tutorial, I‘ll show you how to cut an avocado into perfect slices and cubes. First, let‘s slice open 1 avocado. Cut it in half lengthwise around the seed. To do so, I insert my knife through the skin and flesh until it meets the pit. Holding the knife in place, I rotate the avocado with my other hand so the knife slices all the way around the pit.
- Next, twist the two halves until they separate. To remove the pit, set the avocado half on the cutting board or hold it in your non-dominant hand; it‘s best to do so with a folded kitchen towel to protect your hand. Now, gently hack into the pit with the knife‘s heel to embed its edge. Then, twist the knife in a counter direction to the avocado. The pit will come out smoothly. Tip: Please be careful not to cut your hand! For your safety, do not use too much force with the knife.
To Cut Thin Slices
- To cut thin slices, first cut the avocado into quarters. Peel off the skin with your hands.
- Place an avocado quarter on the cutting board, flat side down. Carefully cut the delicate avocado flesh lengthwise into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices. (For some recipes, like Dragon Roll, you will slice the flesh crosswise.) Set the slices aside and clean your hands and knife with a damp kitchen cloth before working on another quarter.
To Cut Cubes
- Leaving the skin on the avocado half, gently cut through just the flesh with the tip of the knife in a crosshatched pattern. Depending on the recipe and the avocado‘s size, I usually make 3–4 lengthwise cuts and 4–6 crosswise incisions. Scoop out the avocado cubes with a spoon.
To Serve
- The avocado slices and cubes are now ready to use in your favorite sushi rolls, rice bowls, sandwiches, and salads! Use the slices in recipes like Dragon Roll, California Roll, Vegetarian Sushi Rolls, Temari Sushi, Wanpaku Sandwich, and 6 Japanese Twists on Avocado Toast. Avocado cubes are delicious in rice bowls like Poke Bowl, Avocado & Negitoro Donburi, and Vegan Poke Bowl; try them in salads like Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing and Steak Salad with Shoyu Dressing, too.
To Store
- You can squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the cut avocados to prevent them from turning brown.
