Avocado Spread

First, our avocado spread is not guacamole; check out our guacamole recipe for that.

This is a different recipe with a very different feel.

You can still very much taste the avocado since it's the main ingredient. However, this healthy spread is nuttier, creamier, silkier, and heartier than guac.

To achieve a creamy-dreamy texture and a rich and nutty flavor, we use tahini, a middle-eastern condiment made with hulled sesame seeds.

If you haven't tried this combination yet (avocado + tahini), you are in for a treat: it's simply delicious, one of the best spreads/dips we've ever tried.

For us, avocado and tahini have become the combination of the year, and we hope you will love them as much as we do!

All you've got to do to make it is blend ripe avocado, tahini, fresh lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and garlic in a food processor.

Spread it on fresh bread or crunchy crostini, use it for avocado toast and wraps, and add it to sandwiches, tacos, or roasted eggplant boats.

You can also serve it in a bowl as a dip to enjoy with warm pita bread, tortilla chips, and veggie sticks.

Let's see how to make and serve this delicious, Mediterranean-tasting, creamy avocado spread.

Avocado

Try to pick perfectly ripe avocados.

If you are unsure how to do that, we've compiled a short guide on picking avocado in our guacamole post.

Lemon juice

Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best for this recipe.

Lemon juice goes well with avocado and perfectly well with tahini.

Please make sure not to blend the seeds of the lemon; they are bitter when blended. We haven't tried lime juice in this recipe.

Tahini

When buying tahini, choose one made from 100% hulled sesame seeds, with a light brown color, and smooth, with a pourable consistency.

Tahini is the secret to many creamy-dreamy dips and sauces, such as tahini sauce, hummus, and baba ganoush or eggplant dip, making this avocado spread irresistible.

Since we are using tahini, a dense, smooth, and relatively (healthy) fat ingredient, there's no need for extra-virgin olive oil, greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or other ingredients we've seen in other avocado spread recipes online.

Garlic

Preferably use fresh garlic as opposed to garlic powder.

It adds a zestier taste and a fresher aroma. Don't add too much garlic; start with half a clove.

Two quick tips. Since we don't cook the garlic, we recommend cutting it in half lengthwise and removing its core, if any. The core of the garlic is hard to digest.

Additionally, when you add the garlic to the food processor, slice it finely, or pre-chop it to help the food processor.

It is important because we are not blending the avocado spread for too long, and the food processor might not be able to blend the garlic thoroughly without our help.

Salt and Pepper

Avocado requires a little salt to taste fantastic; this avocado spread is no different.

We generally use sea salt or kosher salt.

You can also add a twist or two of freshly ground black pepper to the avocado mixture.

Fresh herbs

Fresh herbs are optional. However, before serving it, you can sprinkle fresh flat-leaf parsley on top of the avocado spread (or dip).

Flat-leaf parsley is perfect with tahini, lemon, and garlic. We haven't tried fresh cilantro.

Other ingredients

We tested many variations of this spread, but honestly, in this case, the basic recipe is our favorite.

That's why we decided not to include herbs, bagel seasoning, red onion, spices, and other ingredients.

If you'd like to add more stuff to this recipe, we recommend a pinch of ground cumin for a middle-eastern spin and red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and score its flesh with the tip of a knife.

Then, scoop the flesh out and add it to a food processor.

Peel the garlic, cut it in half lengthwise, and remove its core, if any, with the tip of a knife.

Next, slice the garlic and add it to the food processor.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor: tahini, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

Pulse until you reach your desired texture. You might have to stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the food processor.

We think the avocado spread should be almost completely smooth, without too many avocado pieces.

Taste, adjust for salt and lemon juice, then transfer to a bowl and serve as a dip or a spread.

Appetizer or Breakfast

This is an excellent recipe for an appetizer or a great breakfast/brunch in multiple ways.

You can serve it as a spread on crunchy homemade crostini and chickpea farinata.

Or you can even make an irresistible avocado toast with crispy roasted chickpeas or chopped cherry tomatoes seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Alternatively, you can serve it as an avocado dip in a bowl and let people enjoy it with warm pita bread, homemade flatbread, piadina, vegetable sticks, boiled potatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grissini.

These are some of our favorite ways of enjoying this recipe. The combination of crunchy bread with creamy avocado, nutty tahini, fresh tomatoes, and zesty garlic is out of this world.

Brunch tip: use this recipe to make avocado toast and top it with our tofu scramble for a delicious egg-free vegan brunch.

Snack or Lunch

Avocado spread is excellent for lunch because it's nutritious and fulfilling. It'll make you feel satiated for a long time without weighing you down.

If you have it for lunch, we recommend taking it easy with the garlic, though, as that can be hard to digest for some people.

Serve it as a sandwich spread, use it to fill up a bagel, or drop a few tablespoons in a wrap.

If you prep it in the morning, you might want to squeeze some lemon juice on top, then wrap it well in the film to slow oxidation and prevent the avo spread from turning brown.

If you use it as a sandwich spread, we recommend combining it with tomatoes and roasted or grilled eggplants.

Alternatively, you can make a quick and easy avocado toast by toasting bread slices and spreading some of this green gold.

Apply a thick layer of avocado spread on top of roasted eggplant boats, and top it with chopped cherry tomatoes, air-fryer chickpeas (or roasted chickpeas), and plenty of freshly chopped parsley.

Stuffed eggplants with avocado spread are a simple, healthy, and delicious main dish, perfect for dinner with family or friends.

Tips

Make it right before serving it: avocado spread is one of those recipes best made right before serving because the avocado will quickly turn brown as it gets in touch with the air.

Don't have a food processor? No worries. You can make this recipe with a blender, potato masher, and even a fork, mashing the avocado first, then adding the other ingredients.

If you love cooking with avocado, check out our avocado recipe favorites here:

• Easy guacamole.
• Tomato bruschetta with avocado.
• Crispy tofu salad or avocado and tomato salad
• Rice salad or chickpea salad with creamy avocado.
• Flatbread pizza with avocado mash.

Or check out any of these vegan salad recipes that pair well with fresh avocado.

For more appetizer-friendly dips and spreads, see these creamy recipes:

• Muhammara (bell peppers, tomatoes, cumin, olive oil, walnuts, etc.)
• Hummus (chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, etc.)
• Vegan mayo (olive oil, canola oil, lemon juice, mustard, etc.)
• Tofu cream cheese (tofu, tahini, salt, lemon juice, etc.)
• Vegan sour cream (cashews, water, lemon juice, salt)
• Chipotle sauce (chipotle in adobo sauce, vegan sour cream, vegan mayo, etc.)
• Eggplant dip or baba ganoush (eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, etc.)
• White bean dip (cannellini beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, etc.)

Or see our list of 25 top vegan sauces that will satisfy most dip cravings. You can also see our best recipes for what to eat with dip and hummus beyond pita chips and veggie sticks.

Make Ahead: avocado spread (like most avocado-based recipes) is best eaten soon after it's made.

Avocados are hard to store once they are out of their shell because they contain many antioxidants that turn brown as soon as they come in contact with air.

Refrigerator: to store avocado spread leftovers, transfer them into a bowl, level it with a spoon, and cover it with a thin layer of lemon juice.

Next, cover it with plastic wrap, pushing down the wrap with your fingers making sure it's in contact with the avocado. Keep in the fridge for max 38 hours.

When you take it out of the refrigerator, remove the wrap and stir the spread well with a spoon to mix in the lemon juice.

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