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She lives in Oakland, CA. updated Aug 8, 2023 [(10)](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#comments-200500) [Read reviews\!](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#comments-200500)  Credit: [Dana Velden](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/authors/danavelden) Cook Mode+ Save Save this to your Recipe Box — so everything you want to cook is in one place\! Send to Me Print Share [Jump to Recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#post-recipe-13440) We [independently](https://www.thekitchn.com/about/the-kitchn-commerce-guidelines) select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.  Credit: [Dana Velden](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/authors/danavelden) Have you ever received a [salad](https://www.thekitchn.com/salad-recipes-23059497) garnished with perfect, fanned-out slices of [avocado](https://www.thekitchn.com/avocado-recipes-tips-and-ideas-22927427) 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/knife-skills-22949891) 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**. More Videos Volume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Shortcuts EnabledDisabled Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Seek %0-9 Next Up How To Make Avocado Fries 00:30 H.264 320px H.264 480px H.264 720px H.264 1280px AAC Audio H.264 1920px H.264 1080px Live 00:00 00:55 00:55 More Videos 00:30 How To Make Avocado Fries 00:56 Avocado Brownies 00:44 Prosciutto-Wrapped Avocado 00:44 Super Simple Avocado Pickles 00:30 Recipe Roulette: Fancy Up My Avocado Toast 00:34 Easy Avocado Caprese Salad Close This video file cannot be played.(Error Code: 224003) X ## What You Need When Slicing An Avocado If the only thing you’ve done with an avocado is mash it into [guacamole](https://www.thekitchn.com/perfect-guacamole-recipe-23411749), 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/best-chefs-knives-262405) 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](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/authors/danavelden) 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-repair-a-cracked-butcher-block-or-cutting-board-projects-from-the-kitchn-215403). From there you can slice and [dice](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-dice-almost-anything-234653) to your recipe’s specifications. If you don’t know how to remove an [avocado pit](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-remove-the-pit-from-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-199211), then visit our post on how to remove an avocado pit with a chef’s knife. ## More Great Avocado Tips - [**The Best Way to Keep an Avocado Fresh\!**](https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-keep-cut-avocado-fresh-126950) - [**A Roundup of Avocados**](https://www.thekitchn.com/a-roundup-of-avocados-122591) - [**The Best Place to Store an Avocado**](https://www.thekitchn.com/best-place-to-store-avocados-i-150613) - [**How To Determine Whether an Avocado is Perfectly Ripe**](https://www.thekitchn.com/use-this-simple-trick-to-determine-whether-an-avocado-is-ripe-inside-tips-from-the-kitchn-172933) -   -  -  -  -  -  -  A gorgeous avocado, ready to be sliced. (Image credit: [Dana Velden](https://www.thekitchn.com/authors/danavelden)) 1 / 7 [Comments](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#comments-200500) [(10)](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#comments-200500) [Read reviews\!](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500#comments-200500) ## How To Slice an Avocado #### Nutritional Info View - fish-free - wheat-free - red-meat-free - alcohol-free - egg-free - high-fiber - no-oil-added - vegetarian - peanut-free - pork-free - low-sodium - vegan - low-carb - pescatarian - soy-free - shellfish-free - sugar-conscious - paleo - gluten-free - tree-nut-free - dairy-free Per serving, based on 2 servings. (% daily value) - Calories 161 - Fat 14\.7 g (22.7%) - Saturated 2\.1 g (10.7%) - Carbs 8\.6 g (2.9%) - Fiber 6\.7 g (26.9%) - Sugars 0\.7 g - Protein 2\.0 g (4.0%) - Sodium 7\.0 mg (0.3%) [](https://www.edamam.com/ "Powered by Edamam") ### Ingredients - 1 ripe avocado [Shop Recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-slice-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-200500) #### Equipment - Chef's knife - Thin metal soup spoon - Cutting board ### Instructions 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. Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? **[See more How To posts](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/how-to)** We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! **Submit your own tutorials or ideas here\!** Reviews (10) Filed in: [Skills](https://www.thekitchn.com/skills) [recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/recipe) [appetizers & snacks](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/appetizers-snacks) [cutting & peeling food](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/cutting-peeling) [dish types](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/dish-types) ## More to Love from The Kitchn  [I Tried This TikTok Hack for Cutting Hard-Boiled Eggs and I Was Shocked by the Results](https://www.thekitchn.com/cutting-hard-boiled-eggs-tiktok-hack-23483010) "It may take a little trial and error, but I think it’s worth giving it a shot — especially if making deviled eggs for a crowd." Meleyna Nomura Dec 1, 2022  [I Tried the Popular Method for No-Peel Eggs and It’s Perfect for Your Summer Salad](https://www.thekitchn.com/no-peel-eggs-recipe-23397893) "If you need to make a lot of eggs at once this is a simpler method and you’ll only end up with one dish to wash." Abigail Abesamis Demarest Jun 22, 2022  [A New Study Reveals America’s Favorite Way to Make Eggs, and the Results Might Surprise You](https://www.thekitchn.com/americas-favorite-way-to-make-eggs-23386373) And no, scrambled eggs did not win\! Abigail Abesamis Demarest Jun 4, 2022  [I Just Learned My Favorite Way to Keep a Cut Avocado from Browning](https://www.thekitchn.com/avocado-lemon-juice-trick-23671565) First, let us be clear: There’s nothing wrong with a brown avocado. Avocados that are browned in spots are simply oxidized; the oxygen in the air causes the enzyme in the homemade guacamole to turn from green to brown. It’s still safe to eat, but let’s be honest — it’s not the most pleasant to look at. Who wants to eat brown guacamole, right? And yet, sometimes when you cut open an avocado, you don’t plan on using the entire thing. Kiersten Hickman Jul 28, 2024  [How to Cut a Bell Pepper for Any Recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cut-a-bell-pepper-23579665) Here’s how to dice, chop, mince, and everything between\! Nathan Hutsenpiller Sep 21, 2023  [What Is a Persimmon — And How Exactly Do I Eat It?](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-eat-persimmon-23457687) How you eat a persimmon depends on the variety. Rochelle Bilow Nov 14, 2022  [How to Peel Pearl Onions](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-peel-pearl-onions-23457689) The best way to peel pearl onions is also the easiest and the fastest. Rochelle Bilow Feb 9, 2024  [12 Delicious Tropical Fruits Worth Seeking Out](https://www.thekitchn.com/tropical-fruit-types-23409182) Load your shopping basket with these delicious fruits. Rachel Ng Oct 29, 2022  [The Best Olive Oil Substitutes — And When to Use Them](https://www.thekitchn.com/olive-oil-substitutes-23345823) Ran out of olive oil? There are plenty of substitutes you can use instead. Rochelle Bilow Jul 7, 2022  [How To Cut Spaghetti Squash for Any Recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cut-spaghetti-squash-23384359) Spaghetti squash is a perennial favorite here at Kitchn. We love its versatility — this squash is good for so much more than faux spaghetti noodles. But whether you’re planning to make spaghetti squash chicken Parm or broccoli and cheese spaghetti squash casserole, you have to prep it first. Cutting a spaghetti squash the right way isn’t hard, as long as you have the right tools and technique. Rochelle Bilow Dec 13, 2023  [The Absurdly Easy Trick for Bringing Hot Dogs to the Beach](https://www.thekitchn.com/beach-hot-dogs-23734315) It’s so easy. Meleyna Nomura Jul 11, 2025  [This Is the Best Way to Keep Apples from Browning](https://www.thekitchn.com/skills-showdown-how-to-keep-apples-from-browning-23244847) It's way better than lemon water\! Casey Barber Sep 2, 2023  [This Is the Easiest Way to Cut an Apple](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cut-apple-23386032) Follow our step-by-step guide to cut apples for snacking and baking. Rochelle Bilow Oct 4, 2023  [How to Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown (With Photos)](https://www.thekitchn.com/best-way-to-keep-guacamole-from-turning-brown-showdown-23503922) Don't serve your guests brown guacamole! This is all the info you need to make sure of it. Cory Fernandez Jan 12, 2026  [How to Core an Apple with a Knife](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-core-apple-23388338) Try these two easy ways to core any kind of apple — all you need is a paring knife. Rochelle Bilow Sep 16, 2023  [My Mom's Secret Marinade Ingredient Makes Awesome Grilled Steak](https://www.thekitchn.com/sweetened-condensed-milk-marinade-23724859) And it won't break the bank. Vy Tran May 10, 2025 [The wordmark and logotype for the Kitchn brand.](https://www.thekitchn.com/) More From Us - [Our Team](https://www.thekitchn.com/team) - [About Us](https://www.thekitchn.com/about/about-us) - [Contact](https://www.thekitchn.com/about/contact) - [Site Map](https://www.thekitchn.com/sitemap) Follow along GET ON THE LIST Our daily email is filled with delicious recipes, trusted cooking tips, must-have groceries, and so much more. 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- [Skills](https://www.thekitchn.com/skills) - [Cutting & Peeling Food](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/cutting-peeling) [Dana Velden](https://www.thekitchn.com/authors/dana-velden) [Dana Velden](https://www.thekitchn.com/authors/dana-velden) Dana Velden's first book, Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook (Rodale Books) is available where ever books are sold. She lives in Oakland, CA. updated Aug 8, 2023  Cook Mode+ Save this to your Recipe Box — so everything you want to cook is in one place\! We [independently](https://www.thekitchn.com/about/the-kitchn-commerce-guidelines) select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.  Have you ever received a [salad](https://www.thekitchn.com/salad-recipes-23059497) garnished with perfect, fanned-out slices of [avocado](https://www.thekitchn.com/avocado-recipes-tips-and-ideas-22927427) 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/knife-skills-22949891) 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/perfect-guacamole-recipe-23411749), 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](https://www.thekitchn.com/best-chefs-knives-262405) 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\!  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](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-repair-a-cracked-butcher-block-or-cutting-board-projects-from-the-kitchn-215403). From there you can slice and [dice](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-dice-almost-anything-234653) to your recipe’s specifications. If you don’t know how to remove an [avocado pit](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-remove-the-pit-from-an-avocado-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-199211), then visit our post on how to remove an avocado pit with a chef’s knife. More Great Avocado Tips -  A gorgeous avocado, ready to be sliced. (Image credit: [Dana Velden](https://www.thekitchn.com/authors/danavelden)) ### Ingredients - 1 ripe avocado #### Equipment - Chef's knife - Thin metal soup spoon - Cutting board 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. Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? **[See more How To posts](https://www.thekitchn.com/collection/how-to)** We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! **Submit your own tutorials or ideas here\!** Filed in: ## More to Love from The Kitchn   [I Just Learned My Favorite Way to Keep a Cut Avocado from Browning](https://www.thekitchn.com/avocado-lemon-juice-trick-23671565) First, let us be clear: There’s nothing wrong with a brown avocado. Avocados that are browned in spots are simply oxidized; the oxygen in the air causes the enzyme in the homemade guacamole to turn from green to brown. It’s still safe to eat, but let’s be honest — it’s not the most pleasant to look at. Who wants to eat brown guacamole, right? And yet, sometimes when you cut open an avocado, you don’t plan on using the entire thing. Kiersten Hickman Jul 28, 2024  [How to Peel Pearl Onions](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-peel-pearl-onions-23457689) The best way to peel pearl onions is also the easiest and the fastest. Rochelle Bilow Feb 9, 2024  [How To Cut Spaghetti Squash for Any Recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cut-spaghetti-squash-23384359) Spaghetti squash is a perennial favorite here at Kitchn. We love its versatility — this squash is good for so much more than faux spaghetti noodles. But whether you’re planning to make spaghetti squash chicken Parm or broccoli and cheese spaghetti squash casserole, you have to prep it first. Cutting a spaghetti squash the right way isn’t hard, as long as you have the right tools and technique. Rochelle Bilow Dec 13, 2023