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These healthy stuffed avocados are the best way to enjoy ripe, creamy avocados. Lightly seasoned cauliflower rice, hearty chickpeas and your favorite toppings for the ultimate flavor. Ready to serve in less than 25 minutes!
I’m always on the lookout for good deals on avocados at my local grocery store and farmers markets. It’s no secret that avocados aren’t always the cheapest, but every now and then they can be found for a great price (at least in California!).
If you are an avocado lover, you must try these healthy stuffed avocados. They can be served as a simple lunch, dinner, appetizer, side dish, or a quick afternoon snack. The creamy filling is the perfect base for a healthy vegan meal and a great way to have a healthy portion of avocado!
Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Avocados
- Packed with health benefits. The benefits of avocados are numerous. They’re a great source of good fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. They make a delicious, edible bowl that’s the perfect base for a range of flavor profiles.
- Ready in 25 minutes. Preparing my Stuffed Sweet Potatoes requires a little more prep work, but if you’re short on time, these Stuffed Avocados are the next best thing! From start to finish, these avocados are prepared in just a few simple steps. Ideal for busy weeknights when you need a quick meal.
- child friendly These avocados are mildly flavored and suitable for kids who love avocados! Make this stuffed avocado recipe for the whole family.
- A great alternative for taco shells. Swap the classic taco shells for creamy avocados on taco night. It’s a great option for keto dieters or low-carb eaters.
- Easy to customize. Swap legumes, rice, spices and toppings. Make this easy dinner recipe any way you like.
The ingredients
- avocado: Ripe, creamy avocados are best. If you need to ripen your avocados quickly, place them in a paper bag for a few days or store them at room temperature near ripe apples and bananas. The ethylene gas in these fruits helps the avocados to ripen faster.
- Chickpeas: Canned or dried chickpeas work well. If using dried chickpeas, cook them from scratch before using. Or substitute black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, or lentils for the chickpeas!
- Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflower florets and process in a food processor until cauliflower rice is formed, or purchase pre-made cauliflower rice for convenience.
- Oil: A teaspoon of cooking oil is used to flavor the cauliflower rice. If you’re oil-free, skip the oil and enjoy without.
- Spices: Simply season with a mixture of cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and black pepper or season to taste.
Optional toppings
The best thing about these stuffed avocados is that they are flavorless enough to use with different toppings. Below are some ideas, but don’t be afraid to try something different and experiment with your favorite ingredients!
- Favorite Taco Toppings: Season the chickpeas with taco seasoning, then top with vegan sour cream, vegan nacho cheese, pico de gallo, fresh lime juice, red onions, shredded lettuce, sliced ​​black olives and more for the perfect taco night.
- Salsa: ​Add restaurant-style 5-Minute Mixer Salsa, Tomatillo Green Chili Salsa, or Homemade Roasted Red Salsa.
- Hot sauce
- nutritional yeast
- Toasted breadcrumbs
- Roasted pepitas
- Balsamic glaze with juicy tomatoes
- Fresh herbs
How to make stuffed avocados
- 1) First prepare the cauliflower rice. Using a large food processor, puree the cauliflower until it has a rice consistency. If your food processor is a small cup, work in portions.
- 2) Next, season the cauliflower rice. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the cauliflower rice with 1 teaspoon olive oil until warmed through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper or as desired.
- 3) Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to the cauliflower rice and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
- 4) While the cauliflower and chickpea mixture is cooking, prepare the avocado. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the stone and scoop out a thin layer of flesh. Season the remaining avocado halves lightly with salt and black pepper.
- 5) Fill the center of each avocado half with the cauliflower and chickpea filling.
- 6) Enjoy the avocados as is, or take a final step and bake the avocados. Place both halves on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 9 minutes.
- 7) Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then serve with hot sauce, salsa, nutritional yeast, or topped as desired.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. When you bake these avocados, they can be “baked” in the air fryer. Air fry at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes, or as desired.
Avocados themselves can be frozen, but I wouldn’t recommend freezing stuffed avocados. Once frozen, the avocados will change texture and become softer and mushy. If you choose to freeze excess ripe avocados, save them for use in making smoothies, shakes, or creamy sauces like Easy Creamy Avocado Sauce or Avocado Green Goddess Dressing.
serving suggestions
These Stuffed Avocados make a great healthy lunch or dinner. Switch up the side dishes you pair it with depending on what toppings you choose. For example, if you’re serving these stuffed avocados as a side dish for taco night, enjoy them with sides like frijoles de la olla, Spanish cauliflower rice with salsa, or even something heartier like a vegan bean quesadilla.
If you’d rather serve these stuffed avocados as an appetizer or appetizer, complement the meal with one of these recipes:
Storage Instructions
Stuffed avocados are best enjoyed fresh. If you want to make these stuffed avocados for a work or school lunch, prepare them no more than 24 hours in advance and squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice over the flesh of the avocado half to prevent browning. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to eat.
More avocado healthier recipes you’ll love
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
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Preheat the oven to 400°C. Then puree the cauliflower in a food processor until a rice forms.
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Cook the cauliflower in olive oil over medium-high heat until warm (3–4 minutes). Add seasonings (I used salt and pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne, but you can mix it up).
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Add the chickpeas to the rice and cook for another 5+ minutes. While it is cooking, take your avocado, cut it in half lengthways, remove the stone and scoop out a thin layer of flesh. This can be saved as a topping for your cauliflower and rice mixture, or left out entirely. Lightly salt and pepper the leftover avocados.
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Once the rice is done, remove from the heat, add rice to each half of the avocado, and place both filled halves on a baking sheet in the oven for 7-9 minutes.
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Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and top with hot sauce, salsa and/or nutritional yeast.
- Mix it up and enjoy these stuffed avocados without baking the avocado. It’s just as good!
- These stuffed avocados also work in the air fryer! Simply set your settings for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees or as desired.
- When preparing meals, prepare them no more than 24 hours in advance and squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice over the flesh of the avocado half to prevent browning
Calories: 507kcalCarbohydrates: 42GProtein: 13GFat: 36GSaturated Fatty Acids: 5GPolyunsaturated fat: 5GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 23GSodium: 440mgPotassium: 1620mgFiber: 22GSugar: 4GVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 93mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 3mg
Disclaimer: While plantbasedonabudget.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, please note that these are estimates only. Nutritional information may be affected by product type, brand purchased and in other unpredictable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on nutritional information. If you have a specific calorie intake requirement, please consult your doctor first.