The Best Way to Cut an Avocado

Once it's ripe, an avocado is one of the greatest foods in existence, and so versatile that you can add it to many of your favorite dishes for a boost of healthy fats, fiber, potassium and more vitamins and minerals.

Here's the best way to cut avocado for salad, avocado toast, guacamole and more healthy avocado recipes.

You don't need any special avocado tools to open an avocado. Though they seem effective, any single-tasking avocado tool won't work any better than what you already have in your kitchen. All you need is a cutting board and a sharp knife, preferably ceramic or even plastic. Why? A metal knife can react with the avocado to initiate the oxidation process, which turns the avocado flesh brown. Unlike metal, ceramic and plastic are nonreactive, so the oxidation process doesn't start as quickly—though the avocado will start to brown eventually.

Carefully slice into the avocado with a knife until the blade hits the pit in the center.

Run the knife lengthwise around the avocado. Twist the two halves of the avocado to separate and open the avocado. (Check out these Stuffed Avocado Recipes for halved avocados!)

To remove with a knife, firmly smack the thick end of the knife blade into the pit until it sticks. Rotate the avocado so that the pit separates from the flesh and remains on the knife. (Improve your cutting techniques with these 4 Knife Skills You Need to Look Like a Pro.)

To remove the slippery avocado pit from the knife, smack the side of the pit against a cutting board or countertop to loosen it. Or if you would rather not use a knife, you can simply run the tip of a spoon around the pit and scoop it out.

With the pit removed and the avocado still in the peel, make vertical slices with the tip of the knife.

Run a spoon around the edge of the avocado to separate the peel and the flesh, then scoop out the slices. (Try sliced avocado in this Avocado & Kale Omelet.)

Start by slicing the avocado as described above, then make horizontal slices to create cubes.

Run a spoon around the edge of the avocado to separate the peel and the flesh, then scoop out the diced avocado. Use diced avocado in salads or as part of a fresh salsa like this Avocado Corn Salsa.

Unfortunately, once an avocado is sliced or cut, it's a race against time to enjoy it before the avocado starts to brown. The best option is to use your avocado as soon as it's been opened. Many so-called hacks to keep cut avocado from turning brown just don't work, like leaving the pit in the bowl or keeping it stored next to a piece of onion.

There are two effective methods to keep cut avocado fresh for a few hours:

1. Use the acid in citrus to protect the cut surface. Squeeze lemon or lime juice over the avocado to create a barrier. (This works especially well when you're making guacamole, which benefits from lots of citrus flavor.)
2. Prevent the cut surface from coming into contact with air. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or another wrapper to create an airtight surface.