Looking for a summer side that's a little more exciting than pasta salad, potato salad or coleslaw? These grilled stuffed avocados are colorful, fresh and guaranteed to stand out at your next cookout or picnic. This new side that’s sure to steal the show all started with a cruise to the Caribbean.
In November 2019, I took a Caribbean cruise with my husband’s family. While at the pool, I met a lovely couple, Sue and Pete, who reminded me a lot of my parents, and as it turned out, they were from Illinois, too. We met up on the ship several times and said we’d stay in touch after the trip. I had no idea that we’d actually follow through and that our chance meeting at the pool would turn into a lasting and beautiful friendship almost seven years later!
Sue and I text regularly, sharing pictures and life updates, and last summer, after the pandemic and then having my daughter Scarlett in 2023, we finally got together for lunch at their house! We had the absolute best time and only stopped talking long enough to eat Sue’s amazing chicken salad. I was so excited to add my 10 month old son, Carter, to this summer’s visit and we had a gorgeous afternoon full of laughs, twirls in the garden, and of course, delicious food. This time, alongside the chicken salad was the most beautiful platter of avocados I’d ever seen! Sue had grilled them and stuffed them with a salad full of summer flavors: corn, mangoes, crunchy macadamia nuts, etc. I’d never had avocadoes served that way, and immediately, I knew I’d be adding Sue’s avocados to my repertoire! Thankfully, she shared the recipe with me. and I made a few changes to make it my own. We both agreed a drizzle of balsamic glaze would be delicious!
These avocados are now at the top of my list for summer side dishes. Perfect for an alfresco dinner party or a picnic at the park – these avocados are sure to impress!
Stuffed Avocados
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
4 avocados, halved and pit removed
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided in 3)
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (you can omit if you prefer no heat)
1 mango, diced (watermelon, peaches, or nectarines, would be good too!)
2 ears of corn, grilled and cut of the cob
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade
8oz Halloumi cheese
1/3 cup pistachios, chopped (reserve a few for garnish)
1 orange, juiced (1/4 cup)
1 lime, juiced (2 tablespoons)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Balsamic glaze, to garnish
1. Preheat your grill to medium high heat.
2. Brush cut side of avocado with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt
3. Brush corn with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Place corn on the grill, turn as needed, and grill until lightly charred. About 10-15 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside.
5. Place avocado halves cut side down, along with the halloumi, on the grill for 2 minutes, turn 90 degrees, and grill 2 more minutes to create hatchmarks. Remove from the grill.
6. While the corn, halloumi, and avocados are on the grill, add mango, jalapeno, red onion, basil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and pistachios to a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Cut corn from the cob, and add to the bowl.
8. Dice the halloumi cheese, add to the bowl.
9. Fill grilled avocado halves with corn mixture.
10. Garnish with pistachios, drizzle with balsamic glaze and enjoy.
I hope these stuffed avocados have inspired you to enjoy the bounty of the summer. I encourage you to change what you fill them with based on what you find is fresh and local at a nearby farmers market!
Beyond the avocados, I hope I’ve inspired you to seek out the opportunity to have a conversation with someone new. If you’re as lucky as me, you’ll find your own Sue and Pete, and gain friends that become more like family. We all know that good food tastes even better when we share it with great people!
Speaking of good food and good people… we have both! Gather some friends, plan a date, or join us solo and meet other fun home cooks in an upcoming cooking class:
We look forward to cooking with you soon!
