I told you guys, I'm getting pretty into this barbecuing business. So, grilled avocados, obviously.
I think I first saw grilled avocados on my friend Jessica's blog, Nutritioulicious.
I knew they would obviously be delicious. But really, I don't think even I was ready for this.
They might just be my favorite recipe. (For the moment anyway...but still.)
There's just something about the grill that gives avocados so much flavor, while also helping them become nice and soft...a little mushy but in a good way.
The perfect vessel for curry chickpea salad. So, I tossed crispy curry roasted chickpeas with a quick tomato cucumber salad and then stuffed it into little grilled avocado bowls.
I mean really, what could be better?
I love this dish as a small plate or appetizer for parties - colorful, flavorful, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
But by all means, feel free to enjoy these babies in yoga pants too.
Overall, they're a healthy, simple dish to prepare and can be ready to enjoy in just over a half hour.
(Make the chickpea salad in advance and you have what has to be one of the most festive five-minute weeknight meals ever.)
A note on serving:
I like to fill the avocados with only a couple spoonfuls of salad (just where the pits once were). Then, I like to serve them alongside a bowl of the extra chickpea salad.
As you eat, continue to mash the avocado a little bit more, and add more chickpea salad as the space inside the avocado grows.
You can also just mash them all up immediately after grilling and load them up with more chickpea salad from the start.
But I'm telling you, give the mash-as-you-go technique a try first.
You won't regret it.
More serving notes:
Especially if you're serving these for a party where they will be sitting out on a buffet table, try drizzling extra lemon juice on the avocados to help keep them looking fresh.
Leftover chickpea salad can be used on top of salad greens or in a wrap or sandwich like this one.
In addition to nutritional yeast as a topping (nooch love-professing post coming soon), feel free to also add condiments like hot sauce, tahini, salsa, a drizzle of flavored oil, or anything else you think sounds good.
- 4 avocados halved and pits removed
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast optional, substitute with parmesan cheese if desired
- Curry Roasted Chickpeas:
- 1 can chickpeas drained (or 1 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas)
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper I used 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Salad:
- 2 medium tomatoes diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 large cucumber diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 lemon zest and juice
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Preheat the oven to 400º F and preheat the grill to medium heat. In a large mixing bowl, toss together chickpeas, oil, curry powder, cayenne, and salt. Spread chickpeas on baking sheet and roast until crispy, about 20 minutes.
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While the chickpeas are roasting, prepare the salad. Use the same mixing bowl to combine tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and lemon. Set aside until chickpeas are finished.
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remove chickpeas from oven and transfer back to mixing bowl. Stir until combined and set aside.
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Add avocados to grill (skin side up and flesh against the grill) and cook until warmed and grill marks appear, about 4-7 minutes.
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Transfer grilled avocados to serving dish and fill with chickpea salad. (If desired, mash the avocado first to create a larger bowl.) Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and serve with extra chickpea salad if desired.
What's your favorite dish to serve as a party appetizer?
[Tweet "Grilled Curry Stuffed Avocados make the perfect #vegan party plate"]
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
These look delish Steph! Gotta try the curry roasted chickpea salad! So glad I could inspire such a delicious recipe! Thanks for the shoutout!
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
Thanks for the inspiration, Jessica! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O yes!!! And just when you think avocados can;t be creamier...grill them and bam! So so creamy and luscious!
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
Bam! So delicious. Thanks Rebecca! 🙂
Courtney says
How have I never grilled an avocado before?! These look amazing and I want to eat all of them!
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
You have to try it, Courtney! I DID have to eat all of them! 😉
Danielle LeBaron says
What a wonderful recipe for summertime! I’m a pescatarian so I don’t often know what to grill that would taste good. This recipe looks phenomenally delicious, along with being incredibly nutritious!
I loved the recipe, but tweaked it a little to fit my family’s tastes. My husband hates tomatoes (to my constant dismay) so I left them out, but I also added some red pepper and jalapeno for a little kick. It gave the dish a bit of a Mexican theme that I loved.
Also, have you ever tried sprouted grain bread crumbs? They can be a wonderful substitute for nutritional yeast, since that is an ingredient people sometimes struggle with.
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
Hi Danielle, thank you so much for your comment! Your Mexican twist on my grilled avocados sounds so delicious! (and omg - how do you live without tomatoes!) 😉 I also love your idea of substituting bread crumbs for the nutritional yeast - what a great dairy-free alternative! 🙂
Danielle LeBaron says
Thank you for replying to my comment! To answer your question, I love tomatoes far too much to live without them. Sometimes I am nice and find alternatives or leave them out of dishes, but most of the time I just make my husband pick them out 🙂
APPROVED
Danielle LeBaron says
Oh sorry for the random "APPROVED" at the end of my post! I was working on something else when I wrote this and my computer pasted that in as I clicked "post comment" 🙂
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
No worries, I was glad to see your approval!! 😉
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
Haha, that sounds like a good call. I think I'd do the same exact thing. Thanks, Danielle! 🙂
Vegan Recipes says
Oh wow I love this recipe! Avocados are fantastic, aren't they? I'm obsessed with them hehe 🙂 and this recipe is another great way to enjoy them!
Steph | The Grateful Grazer says
Agreed, nothing better than avocado! Thank you! 🙂