Pitting an avocado isn’t always as easy as it looks. If your fruit isn’t perfectly ripe yet, that pit can really cling to the flesh. To help you get to the good stuff without the struggle, I’ve put together a few of my favorite tips.
How to Cut an Avocado
So, you’ve picked out the perfect avocado and you’re ready to dig in? First, you’ve got to get that pit out of the way. There are two main ways to slice it:
- The Vertical Cut
- The Horizontal Cut
The Vertical Cut
Grab a sharp kitchen knife. Hold the avocado securely in the palm of your hand. Start at the stem end and slice all the way around the fruit lengthwise, cutting deep until you hit the hard pit. Once you’ve made the full circle, grab both halves and give them a gentle twist in opposite directions. One half should pop right off, leaving the pit in the other.
To get the pit out of the remaining half, some people like to carefully tap their knife into the pit and twist. Just be super careful with this method—you don’t want any kitchen accidents!
A safer alternative? Try twisting a corkscrew into the center of the pit. Once it’s secure, you can just pull or twist the pit right out.
The Horizontal Cut
Just like the name suggests, you’re going to slice the avocado crosswise. Aim for the bottom third of the fruit (the wider, rounder end). Slice all the way around until you hit the pit, then give the two sections a twist. The cool thing about this method? You can usually just squeeze the bottom half of the fruit, and the pit will pop right out of the top!
Scooping Out the Goodness
Now for the best part: getting that creamy fruit out of the skin. The easiest way is to hold a half in your hand and use a large spoon to scoop the flesh out in one big piece. Alternatively, you can cut the avocado into quarters. Use your knife to gently score the flesh into slices while it’s still in the skin, then just peel the skin back or “pop” it inside out to release the slices.
Pro Tip: If you only need half an avocado for your toast, keep the pit in the leftover half. It helps keep the fruit from browning so quickly!