Smoky Southwestern Avocado Cups

Name: Smoky Southwestern Avocado Cups
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 4 small to medium avocados; 2 tablespoons avocado oil; ¼ onion; ½ small zucchini; Pinch of sea salt; ½ small bell pepper; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika; ½ cup black beans; ½ cup rice or another grain; 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce; 1 medium tomato; 2-3 pinches of coarse salt for garnish; 1-2 small lime; Cilantro for garnish; Tortilla or rice chips for serving

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Excellent

Total Time
30 mins
Servings
4 servings
Calories
527 kcal
Course
Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine
American

Smoky Southwestern Avocado Cups

Omar Parker

Report

A smoky black bean, rice and veggie mixture is the perfect filling for these smoky, Southwestern-style avocado cups. Serve them as they are, or with chips for scooping.

Share:

I Made This!

Be the first!

Print

7 people printed this

Save this

Be the first!

Ingredients

Servings

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 small to medium avocados
2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
¼ onion diced
½ small zucchini chopped
Pinch of sea salt
½ small bell pepper any color, chopped
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
½ cup black beans drained
½ cup rice or another grain cooked al dente (we used Lundberg Family Farms' black pearl rice)
1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce chopped + ½ tablespoon of adobo sauce from can
1 medium tomato diced
2-3 pinches of coarse salt for garnish we used a smoked habanero Himalayan salt
1-2 small lime cut into wedges, for garnish
Cilantro for garnish optional
Tortilla or rice chips for serving optional - we used Lundberg Family Farms Sea Salt rice chips

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Heat a small, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, until they're fragrant and just turning golden-brown. This may take anywhere from 45 seconds to 3 minutes depending on the pan and your stove. Make sure to watch the seeds carefully so they don't burn (a little smoke is normal). Set the cumin seeds aside.
Cut the avocados in half, removing the pits. Using a small knife, carefully scoop out the flesh from the middle of each avocado half, leaving a little bit of avocado around the sides. You may need a small spoon to help lift the avocado flesh out of the skin.
Arrange the avocado "shells" on a serving plate, and cover them with an upside-down mixing bowl or plastic wrap. Set aside.
Place the avocado flesh on a cutting board and dice gently, being careful not to mash. Set the diced avocado flesh aside and cover it with plastic wrap or an upside-down mixing bowl to prevent browning.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and pinch of sea salt into the pan and sauté until the zucchini just browns, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and sauté until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the oregano, paprika, beans, rice, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, and half of the toasted cumin seeds to the pan, stir and adjust heat to low, cooking until heated through. (If the pan gets too dry, add a little water or a squeeze of lime juice.)
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture into each of the 8 avocado shells, until the mixture is about level with the top of the shell (you might have extra rice). Top each shell with about 1 tablespoon of diced avocado, then sprinkle with tomato until they're all filled just above the shell.
Drizzle the avocado cups evenly with the remaining avocado oil, then sprinkle them with the remaining cumin seeds and coarse salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro if desired, and serve alongside lime wedges that can be squeezed onto the cups and chips for scooping (optional).

Notes

You can make this recipe less smoky by using regular paprika (not smoked) and omitting or decreasing the amount of chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. We used a smoked Himalayan sea salt to garnish, but regular coarse salt will work just fine.
Toasted cumin seeds adds a deeper, earthier flavor than ground cumin—and a little bit of crunch at the end!

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 2g Calories 527kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 37g (57%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 25g Sodium 264mg (11%) Potassium 1302mg (37%) Fiber 18g (72%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 1292IU (26%) Vitamin C 54mg (60%) Calcium 68mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 527 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	2g
Calories	527kcal	26%
Carbohydrates	47g	16%
Protein	9g	18%
Fat	37g	57%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Polyunsaturated Fat	5g	29%
Monounsaturated Fat	25g	125%
Sodium	264mg	11%
Potassium	1302mg	28%
Fiber	18g	72%
Sugar	4g	8%
Vitamin A	1292IU	26%
Vitamin C	54mg	60%
Calcium	68mg	7%
Iron	3mg	17%