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Wondering what goes with avocado? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

Knowing what goes well with avocado gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors pair well together.

What's An Avocado?

Avocado is a fruit with a large pit in the middle, yellowish-green flesh, and leather-like skin that ranges in color from bright green to almost black depending on the variety and level of ripeness. They're a great source of heart-healthy fats with an earthy, buttery taste and a creamy texture.

Avocados thrive in tropical and subtropical regions such as California, Florida, and Hawaii in the United States, along with Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Colombia.

Varieties

Although there are hundreds of varieties around the world, some are much more popular than others. The Hass variety for example accounts for 80% of avocados in the world today. This variety has thick, pebbled, purple-brown skin and an oval shape. The texture is buttery and meaty.

Another popular variety is the Fuerte. This variety has thin, smooth, dark green skin with a higher water content and a sweeter, fruitier flavor than Hass.

Helpful Tips

When to Buy

Fuerte avocados are available from November through March. Hass is generally available beginning in late March and ending in early to mid-September. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what's in season right now.

How to Know When Ripe

An avocado is ripe if it slightly gives to the touch. If you can't tell by lightly pressing on it, here's another way to tell. Remove the little stem on top.

• Green underneath: it's ripe!
• Brown: it's overripe.
• Difficult to remove: it hasn't ripened yet.

How to Store

Store uncut avocados at room temperature until ripe. Once ripe, store them in the fridge to prevent over-ripening. Once cut, rub with a lime or lemon wedge to prevent browning then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

If some browning occurs after it's refrigerated, it's still safe to eat as long as it doesn't smell off and doesn't have mold.

What Goes Well With Avocado?

Vegetables

Arugula (rocket), bell peppers, corn, chayote squash, chile peppers, cucumbers, endive, fennel, frisée, garlic, jicama, onions, radishes, scallions (also called green onions), and spinach.

Fruit

Grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango, orange, tomatillos, and tomatoes.

Spices

Cumin, black and white pepper, kosher salt, and sea salt.

Herbs

Basil, Thai basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, and tarragon.

Non-dairy/dairy

Unsalted butter, cream (use coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free), sour cream, and yogurt.

Proteins

Bacon, chicken, crab, fish, lobster, shellfish, shrimp, and smoked fish (such as trout).

Pantry Items

Black beans, masa, dashi, mayonnaise, olive oil, sake, salsa, soy sauce, chicken and vegetable broth, tabasco sauce, tequila, vinaigrette, and vinegar: balsamic, apple cider, white wine.

Popular Avocado Pairings

• bacon + tomatoes + scallions
• basil + red onions + tomatoes + balsamic vinegar
• chiles + cilantro + lime + scallions + s&p
• cilantro + lime juice
• crab + grapefruit + tomato
• endive + frisée + lemon juice + sea salt
• jalapeño + cilantro + cumin + garlic + lime + onion
• smoked trout + lemon

What To Make With Avocado

Avocado is a common ingredient in Central American, Mexican, and Southwestern cuisines. Enjoy it sliced, mashed on toast, or straight up with a sprinkle of salt.

One of the most popular ways to use avocado is for guacamole, which is a classic example of why the ingredients in it work so well together (onion, jalapeño, lime, tomato, etc.). Guacamole is great as an appetizer with tortilla chips or on top of taco salad bowls, Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower and chickpea tacos, or crispy cod tacos.

Avocado is a staple ingredient in bowls and burritos such as sushi burritos, poke bowls, salmon rice bowls, dragon bowls, and spicy tuna crispy rice.

Slather it on a turkey club sandwich or veggie burger, or enjoy it in a black bean and corn salad or a tropical chicken mango salad.

Although avocado is typically used in more savory ways, it can also be added to sweet drinks and desserts such as smoothies, milkshakes, and chocolate pudding for extra creaminess.

More Ingredient Pairings

• Brussels Sprouts
• Oranges
• Tomatoes
• Spinach

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Wondering what goes with brussels sprouts? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

Knowing what goes well with brussels sprouts gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors pair well together.

What Are Brussels Sprouts?

Brussels sprouts are a part of the cruciferous family along with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and kohlrabi. They grow underground in bunches of twenty to forty on the stems of the plant. They resemble mini cabbages, are green in color, and are sold either on the stalk or loose.

Helpful Tips

When to Buy

Brussels sprouts are in season from late August through March. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what's in season right now.

How to Store

Remove any yellow or wilted leaves and store unwashed and untrimmed, Brussels sprouts (both loose and on the stalk) in a reusable produce bag in the crisper drawer in the fridge.

Although they can last up to one week when stored this way, they have the best flavor when prepared within three to four days of purchase. After this time, their taste becomes more pungent and less sweet.

What Goes Well With Brussels Sprouts?

Vegetables

Celery, celery root, garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), and turnips.

Fruit

Apples and lemon.

Spices

Coriander, fennel seeds, nutmeg, paprika, black and white pepper, kosher salt, and sea salt.

Herbs

Basil, bay leaf, chives, dill, marjoram, parsley, and thyme.

Nuts & Seeds

Almonds, chestnuts, and hazelnuts.

Non-dairy/dairy

Butter, cheese (esp. blue, cheddar, goat, parmesan, provolone, ricotta, swiss), and cream: coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free.

Proteins

Bacon, eggs, and pancetta.

Pantry Items

Apple cider, apple juice, bread crumbs, chicken broth, mustard, olive oil, vermouth, vinaigrettes, vinegar (esp. apple cider and white wine), water chestnuts, and white wine.

Popular Brussels Sprouts Pairings

• bacon + garlic + apple cider vinegar
• onions + bacon
• cream + nutmeg
• lemon juice + thyme
• pancetta + thyme

What To Make With Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts can be boiled, braised, fried, roasted, sautéed, or steamed. However, for the best flavor and texture, I recommend the roasting, pan-frying, or sautéing methods. Cooking isn't the only way to prepare them though. They're delicious when shaved thin and eaten raw in a slaw or shaved brussel sprout salad.

Although you'll often find brussels sprouts in a side dish or salad (warm or cold), they can also be added to a main course such as pasta like in these umami garlic noodles - just swap out the kale for brussels sprouts, a savory galette, tart, quiche, or frittata.

Another way to use them is to make Brussel sprout chips similarly to how you'd make kale chips - by dehydrating them or cooking them low and slow in the oven until crispy.

If you're on the fence about this vegetable, try my Asian Brussels sprouts with lemon miso sauce or roasted Brussels sprouts salad with poppyseed vinaigrette.

More Ingredient Pairings

• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Butternut Squash

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Wondering what goes with asparagus? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

Knowing what goes well with asparagus gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors already pair well together.

What is Asparagus?

Asparagus, also known as garden asparagus, is a spring vegetable with long, pointy spears and a hard woody stem near the bottom. Unlike most vegetables that need to be planted each season, asparagus is a perennial. This means it grows back year after year, which is why people hunt for wild asparagus.

Green asparagus is by far the most commonly found variety, but white and purple asparagus also exist. The taste varies depending on the season and variety, but it generally has an earthy flavor similar to broccoli, broccoletti, or green beans.

Helpful Tips

When to Buy

Asparagus is in season from March through June. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what's in season right now.

What to Look For

Look for asparagus that has compact heads and freshly cut ends. The color should be as bright as possible as this indicates tenderness.

How to Store

Asparagus tastes best the day you buy it. If that's not possible though, store it similarly to how you'd store flowers or fresh herbs. Trim about an inch off the bottoms and stand the spears up in a glass jar with an inch or two of water and cover with a plastic or reusable silicone bag.

Change the water as needed if it gets cloudy to keep the spears fresh. It'll keep fresh in the fridge for about 4 days this way. To freeze, blanch it first then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

What Goes Well With Asparagus?

Vegetables

Artichokes, beets, carrots, fava beans, garlic, ginger, leeks, mushrooms, onions, peas, potatoes, ramps, scallions, shallots, spinach, and turnips.

Fruit

Lemons, limes, oranges, and tomatoes.

Spices

Bay leaf, black and white pepper, caraway seeds, cayenne, saffron, sesame seeds, kosher and sea salt.

Herbs

Basil, chives, dill, flat-leaf parsley, sage, tarragon, and thyme.

Nuts & Seeds

Almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios.

Non-dairy/dairy

Butter: unsalted and brown, parmesan cheese, almond ricotta, cream: use coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free, hollandaise sauce, sour cream, and yogurt.

Proteins

Anchovies, crab, eggs, ham, lobster, oysters, pancetta, prosciutto, salmon, and shrimp.

Pantry Items

Breadcrumbs, capers, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, olive oil, pasta, rice, soy sauce, chicken and vegetable broth, vinaigrettes, vinegar (esp. champagne, red wine, sherry, white wine), and dry white wine.

Popular Asparagus Pairings

• shrimp + ham + capers
• lime + cayenne
• shallots + mushrooms + garlic + chives + parsley
• crab + mushrooms + ramps
• garlic + ginger + sesame
• garlic + onions + potatoes + leeks
• goat cheese + thyme
• ham + mushrooms + parmesan cheese
• lemon + olive oil + black pepper
• eggs + parmesan cheese
• pancetta + parmesan + vinaigrette

What To Make With Asparagus

Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that can be blanched, boiled, fried, grilled, roasted, steamed, simmered, or stir-fried.

Add it to dishes such as vegetable frittatas, risotto, a savory tart or galette, a bowl of pasta, sushi burritos, or a warm roasted potato and asparagus salad (the roasted garlic vinaigrette is divine).

You can also make quick-pickled asparagus, a creamy dairy-free asparagus soup using cashew cream, or grill it with butter, salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and crushed crispy prosciutto sprinkled on top.

More Ingredient Pairings

• Leeks
• Spinach
• Artichokes

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Wondering what goes with butternut squash? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

Knowing what goes well with butternut squash gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors already pair well together.

What is Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash, known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin, is a variety of winter squash that grows on a vine. It's cylindrical with a bulb-shaped end that houses the seeds and tan skin. A deep orange flesh signifies that it's ripe and as the name suggests has a nutty, sweet taste.

This vegetable originated in Massachusetts., and has made its way to South Africa, Australia, and Europe, but is primarily found in the U.S.

Helpful Tips

When to Buy

Butternut squash is in season from September through March. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what else is in season.

How to Store

Whole

Store raw, whole (unpeeled) squash in a cool, dark place or on the countertop. It can last for about two to three months when stored this way.

Cut

Store peeled and cubed, uncooked butternut squash in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days.

To freeze, spread the peeled and chopped butternut squash into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet with some space in between the squash. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Cooked

Store cooked butternut squash in the fridge in an airtight container. To freeze, let it cool first, then add it to a silicone ice cube tray or muffin tin until frozen before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag or container.

What Goes Well With Butternut Squash?

Vegetables

Carrots, celery, celery root, chile peppers, garlic, ginger, leeks, lemongrass, mushrooms, onions, flat-leaf parsley, parsnips, potatoes, shallots, spinach, sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichoke), and watercress.

Fruit

Apples: esp. green, lemons, limes, oranges, and pears.

Spices

Allspice, bay leaf, black and white pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and salt: kosher and sea salt.

Herbs

Basil, chives, cilantro, marjoram, mint, flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme.

Nuts & Seeds

Chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.

Non-dairy/dairy

Brown butter and unsalted butter, cheese: goat, parmesan, pecorino, ricotta, cream: coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free, sour cream, and yogurt.

Proteins

Anchovies, bacon, duck, pancetta, pork, and shrimp.

Pantry Items

Bourbon, bread crumbs, chickpeas, chili sauce, coconut milk, couscous, yellow curry paste, Thai fish sauce, honey, maple syrup, olive oil, chicken and vegetable stock, brown and white sugar, vanilla, vinegar: balsamic, champagne, and sherry, dry white wine.

Popular Butternut Squash Pairings

• anchovies + bread crumbs + onions + pasta
• bacon + sage + maple syrup
• bay leaf + nutmeg
• cilantro + coconut + ginger
• cream + nutmeg + sage
• ricotta cheese + rosemary
• risotto + sage

What To Make With Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is an incredibly versatile vegetable that can be sautéed roasted, braised, mashed (use in place of the sweet potato), steamed, or battered with tempura.

Add it to soups such as red curry soup, enjoy it thinly sliced in a fall harvest salad or in beet and butternut salad, on pizza with caramelized onions, added to any kind of savory galette, in risotto, or vegan butternut squash mac and cheese.

Make dairy-free lasagna with butternut squash noodles or Hasselback butternut squash. Add leftover cooked squash to a healthy breakfast hash or a dragon bowl.

Use puréed squash to make soups or pies or as a substitute for mashed bananas in bread or muffins.

More Ingredient Pairings

• Lemon
• Cucumber
• Apple

Wondering what goes with oranges? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

Knowing what goes well with oranges gives you a starting point for putting meals together using the ingredients you already have on hand.

Whether you want to reduce food waste, get more creative in the kitchen, or improve your cooking skills, it starts with understanding what flavors already pair well together.

Orange Varieties

Oranges are actually a hybrid of two citrus fruits: the pomelo and the mandarin. They were first cultivated in China thousands of years ago, but now there are more than 400 varieties of oranges grown around the world.

Each variety has its own unique flavor and appearance with varying levels of juiciness, sweetness, and tartness. Here are some of the most popular orange varieties:

Navel Orange

Navel oranges are the most popular orange for eating in the U.S. They're sweet and juicy, have a thick peel, and are typically seedless. This variety tries to grow a second orange at the base of the fruit, resembling a human belly button. Which is how it got its name.

Valencia Orange

Valencia oranges are named after Spain but originated in southern California in the 1800s. They have a very sweet flavor and are primarily used for juicing, but can also be eaten.

Bitter Orange

The bitter orange is sometimes known as a Seville orange or sour orange. As the name suggests, this orange is lacking sweetness therefore it isn't eaten alone or juiced. The peel is incredibly fragrant and is used as a flavoring or spice. It's commonly used in marmalade and beer, while the juice is used in marinades.

Mandarin Orange

Mandarin oranges are a small, sweet, and easy-to-peel variety that is great for snacking or adding to salads since they are seedless. There are over 200 varieties because of how easily they are hybridized with other citrus varieties. The three most popular mandarin varieties in the U.S. are clementines, tangerines, and satsuma (a Japanese, cold climate variety).

Tangelo

The tangelo is a cross between a tangerine and a pomelo with a sweet-tart flavor. They have reddish-orange skin and a distinctive nipple at the stem. The fruit is often seedless, but some may contain up to 20 cream-colored seeds depending on the variety of tangelo. They can be juiced, eaten plain, added to sauces, cocktails, and in many other ways you'd typically use a navel orange.

Blood Orange

Blood orange is a variety of orange that is smaller in size, more aromatic in flavor, and has flesh that ranges in color from ruby pink to blood red, hence the name. The skin is thick and ranges in colors from orange to deep purple/red.

The flavor of a blood orange is sweet, tangy, and tart similar to an orange mixed with a raspberry, which is also why it's sometimes referred to as raspberry orange. Enjoy them raw, in juice, or make blood orange curd.

Cara Cara Orange

Cara cara is a type of navel orange that was discovered in Venezuela in 1976. This variety looks like an orange from the outside, but once cut into, a ruby, pinkish-red flesh is revealed that looks similar to a grapefruit. Cara cara oranges have a sweet flavor, are seedless, and taste delicious eaten on their own, but are also great in salads or juices for a bright pop of color.

Helpful Tips

When to Buy

Oranges are in season from November through May. Look at the seasonal produce guide to see what else is in season right now.

How to Store

As with other citrus fruits, store oranges in a cool spot. They'll keep on the counter for about 4 days. To make them last longer, you're better off storing them in the crisper drawer (uncut) in the refrigerator where they'll keep for a couple of weeks.

What Goes Well With Oranges?

Vegetables

Arugula, beets, carrots, fennel, garlic, ginger, greens, lemongrass, onions: esp green and red, pumpkin, rhubarb, romaine lettuce, sweet potatoes, watercress, and winter squash.

Fruit

Apples, apricots, avocado, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, coconut, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, guava, kumquats, lemons, limes, mangos, melon, nectarines, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapple, plums, pomegranates, quince, raspberries, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Spices

Anise seeds, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, kaffir lime leaf, paprika, poppy seeds, saffron, salt, and star anise.

Herbs

Basil, chile peppers, chives, cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, mint, rosemary, and thyme.

Nuts

Almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and walnuts.

Non-dairy/dairy

Buttermilk, caramel, cheese (goat, ricotta), cream (coconut cream or cashew cream for dairy-free), ice cream, and yogurt.

Proteins

Chicken, crab, fish, game, meats, pork roast, scallops, shrimp, and veal.

Pantry Items

Almond liqueur, black olives, brandy, dark and white chocolate, coffee, cognac, dates, granulated brown and white sugar, honey, maple syrup, oats, olive oil, orange liqueurs, prunes, rum, raisins, rice, tea, vanilla, vinegar: rice and sherry vinegar, wine: red, sweet, and white.

Popular Orange Pairings

• anise + chocolate
• dried figs + anise + walnuts
• basil + sugar
• chocolate + pistachios
• cinnamon + honey + saffron
• seafood + tarragon

What To Do With Oranges

Oranges can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. They're a popular ingredient in desserts such as carrot cake, custards, pastry crust, sorbet, curd, meringue, and coconut rice pudding.

They're also a common ingredient in cranberry sauce, fruit salad, juice, smoothies, and cocktails.

Use oranges in savory dishes when making Chinese orange chicken, in leafy green salads, or as a marinade for ceviche or steak fajitas.

More Ingredient Pairings

• Lemon
• Cucumber
• Apple