Try these yummy Baked Avocados for a creamy and super soft avocado dish. They’re perfect as vessels to load up with your favorite fresh ingredients and full of healthy fats and other filling nutrients.
If you love guacamole and avocado toast, you need to try these warm and creamy baked avocados. Top with a classic combination of tomato, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil for a healthy and satisfying meal that’s bursting with refreshing flavors!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you love the creamy texture and mild flavor of avocados, you'll love this stuffed avocados dish. It features aromatic basil, melty mozzarella cheese, sweet cherry tomatoes and a balsamic drizzle that pulls it all together.
It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare this flavorful and healthy meal. The avocado ensures that you'll be nice and full, and the combination of ingredients packs in lots of vitamins and nutrients.
And for another caprese-inspired recipe, try these Caprese Stuffed Baked Portobello Mushrooms! Or, for avocado fanatics, try this Avocado Mango Salad as a tasty side dish or lunch.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- cherry tomatoes - add a pop of beautiful color and sweetness.
- fresh basil - provides a distinct herbal flavor that pairs well with the tomato and cheese.
- avocados - act as the base for all of your yummy ingredients.
- mozzarella cheese - shredded mozzarella tends to be the easiest, but feel free to use fresh mozzarella for a more traditional caprese-style dish.
- balsamic vinegar - combined with sugar and water, this will create a delicious and acidic balsamic reduction.
🔪 Instructions
- Saute cherry tomatoes in olive oil for about a minute, then add basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon tomato mixture into halved avocados and distribute the mozzarella over top. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melty.
- For the balsamic reduction, combine vinegar, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer. Drizzle over avocados once finished baking, serve, and enjoy!
👪 FAQs
Despite common belief that cooking avocado ruins its flavor and texture, popping some avocado in the oven makes it tender and creamy, and especially when topped with other ingredients, it's delicious! Be aware that baked avocados will go a bit brown, but there's nothing wrong with brown avocado. If you want to try to preserve some of the color, you can try lemon or lime juice.
Much like raw avocado, the flavor is a bit earthy and grassy. Some describe the flavor of cooked avocado as more piney as well, which pairs well with the caprese-style toppings of these baked avocados.
Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and other vitamins, and can also contribute to heart and eye health. Basil has lots of antioxidants and essential oils, and mozzarella has calcium and other good minerals. And the avocado base is loaded with healthy fats, as well as properties that keep you fuller longer and can even help fight off cancer!
Yes, avocados are also high in fiber, which can lead to weight loss or generally improved metabolic health. Foods that are high in fiber help reduce appetite, decrease risk of high blood pressure, and can lower levels of cholesterol. Of course, avocado is best enjoyed in moderation, like everything!
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- If you can't find cherry tomatoes, you can also use halved grape tomatoes or dice a large tomato. Just be sure to drain the excess liquid.
- Leave the peel on the avocado to ensure everything stays together while baking. No need to peel!
- To get the avocados to balance, it may be helpful to shave a small part of the peel in the middle to provide a flatter surface.
📌 Baked avocados are a great source of a wide variety of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. You'll feel great serving this flavorful and elegant entree to your family and friends!
📖 Substitutions and Variations
- To save on prep time, you can skip the reduction stage and just drizzle the balsamic vinegar over your avocados.
- Other good cheese choices are provolone and gouda. You can also use fresh mozzarella or mozzarella pearls.
- If you're not a fan of balsamic vinegar, you can also drizzle with some olive oil or make another kind of sauce, like a garlic basil oil sauce.
- For a bit of kick and extra color, add some red pepper flakes.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
These stuffed avocados will be best right out of the oven, but can be stored in the fridge for a day or two. Just be aware the avocado will likely brown over time, but you can still eat it!
I don't recommend freezing these baked avocados.
💡 What To Serve With This Dish
For a full and super satisfying meal, pair your baked avocados with Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad or Chicken Macaroni Salad to work in some protein. You can also serve with delicious and bold Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits, or a warm and comforting Stovetop Mac and Cheese.
🥙 More Healthy Recipes You'll Love
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps - With crunchy cashews for extra flavor, these lettuce wraps are topped with a honey soy sauce.
- Acai Smoothie - Make this sweet smoothie for a delicious pick-me-up in the morning!
- Black Bean Ranch Tuna Salad - You'll love this unique twist on tuna salad, perfect for sandwiches, wraps, and more.
- Chicken Caprese Salad - From Healthy Fitness Meals, this is another take on the caprese salad featuring chicken for protein!
If you love avocados, you must try this Avocado Salsa! And by the way, it's not the same as guacamole! Check it out to find out more!
Stuffed Avocados Recipe
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📋 Recipe Card
Baked Avocados
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- handful fresh basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 2 Hass avocados (halved and pitted)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, then add the cherry tomatoes and saute for about 1 minute. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper, and saute for another 30 seconds.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved, handful fresh basil leaves, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Place the avocado halves cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Carefully spoon the tomato/basil mixture into the hole left when the pit was removed.2 Hass avocados
- Distribute the shredded cheese on top of the avocados.½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Place the avocados in the oven and bake 6-8 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
- While the avocado are baking, combine the vinegar, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a simmer.¼ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture reduces by about a third. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- When the avocados finish baking, drizzle with the balsamic reduction and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use halved grape tomatoes, or dice a large tomato and drain off the excess liquid prior to placing in the skillet.
- There's no need to peel the avocados.
- If it's difficult to get the avocado halves from leaning too much on the baking sheet, strategically shave a strip of skin from the bottom to provide a more even balance.
- Provolone and gouda are also good choices for cheeses to use.
- If you are short on time, skip making the balsamic reduction and just drizzle with prepared balsamic dressing.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Pam says
So Yummy....another great baked avocado is to crack an egg into the "well" and bake until soft set....velvety goodness with toast for a quick meal. Oh - and a trick for keeping the avacado from rolling: turn a muffin pan upside down - the avocado nestle into the spaces to hold them steady!
Thanks for sharing another great recipe!
Kristin King says
Great tips! Thanks, Pam! 🙂
MacKenzie says
This avocado dish was fabulous. I made this last night and it was so tasty. The warm avocado, tomatoes, basil and cheese combine to make the best flavors.
cyndy says
This idea is fantastic. I LOVE avocados and always have them in my kitchen. Made this for my lunch today. Super easy and so tasty. Thanks for this unique idea!
Diana Reis says
This is such a great combination. I love how the smooth the baked avocado is.
Tawnie Kroll says
OK I've been LOVING these for quick breakfasts all week long. YUM! thank you!
Aimee Mars says
I love avocados but never in a million years though to bake them. Saving this and can't wait to try this recipe!