Around here, the running joke is that you can tell someone is from California because they eat an avocado daily. We’re all 100% guilty of that very thing because it’s easy to do when avocados are in season and Fried Avocado Tacos are on the menu!
This year we’re celebrating the height of avocado season with this Fried Avocado Tacos recipe we created in partnership with our friends at California Grown.
First, let’s talk California avocados.
The California avocado season is from spring through summer, so that’s when you’ll find various avocados in your local stores, farm boxes, or at the farmers’ markets. Though avocados might as well be the official state fruit (is there such a thing?), the reality is that only 1% of the state has the ideal conditions–sea breezes, sunshine, rich soil–that are suitable for growing them.
It all started with Haas Avocados.
Dip your toe into the world of California avocados, and you’ll quickly notice that there are many avocado types here. There are hundreds of avocado varieties out there, but just a handful are grown commercially in the Golden State. Namely, the Bacon, Fuerte, Gem, Gwen, Haas, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano.
But the star of the show is the Haas variety. It is the most popular avocado, but all Haas avocados can be traced back about 100 years to one tree in La Habra Heights, California. Haas avocados have pebbly skin that turns dark green when ripe, and they’re also super versatile for all sorts of recipes.
Why should you fry an avocado?
Here on the site, we prepare avocados every which way: blended with Indian raita flavors in this cooling Avocado Cucumber Soup; smashed with cilantro and tahini on this Asparagus Toast; thrown on the grill for this Green Goddess Salad, and even frozen in this Coconut Strawberry Semifreddo.
But we hadn’t Fried Avocado Tacos until now. If you haven’t had one fried before, it’s worth a try. Once they’re battered in panko crumbs and fried, the avocado slices become crunchy on the outside and cool and creamy on the inside.
First, let’s talk about California avocados.
The California avocado season is from spring through summer, so that’s when you’ll find various avocados in your local stores, in farm boxes, or at the farmers’ markets. Though avocados might as well be the official state fruit (is there such a thing?), the reality is that only 1% of the state has the optimal growing conditions of sea breezes, sunshine, and rich soil. As such, you’ll largely see avocado groves from California’s Central Coast through Ventura and down to the San Diego foothills.Â
It all started with Haas Avocados.
Dip your toe into the world of California avocados, and you’ll quickly notice that there are many types of avocados. There are hundreds of avocado varieties out there, but just a handful are grown commercially in the Golden State. Namely, the Bacon, Fuerte, Gem, Gwen, Haas, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano.
But the star of the show is the Haas variety. It is the most popular avocado, but all Haas avocados can be traced back about 100 years to one tree in La Habra Heights, California. Haas avocados have pebbly skin that turns dark green when ripe, and they’re also super versatile for all sorts of recipes.
Is Avocado Good To Fry?
Here on the site, we prepare avocados every which way: blended with Indian raita flavors in this cooling Avocado Cucumber Soup; smashed with cilantro and tahini on this Asparagus Toast; thrown on the grill for this Green Goddess Salad, and even frozen in this Coconut Strawberry Semifreddo.
But we hadn’t Fried Avocado Tacos until now. If you haven’t had one fried before, it’s worth a try. Once they’re battered in panko crumbs and fried, the avocado slices become crunchy on the outside and cool and creamy on the inside.
If you’re wondering, “What does deep fried avocado taste like?” Well, the truth is this is more about the texture than the flavor. The avocado’s slightly sweet, subtle taste gets heightened, but really, it’s all about the contrast between the crisp coasting and the creamy fruit.
We have only made these deep fried but I’m sure they’d work just as well tucked into an air fryer basket if that is your thing. And a quick note that this panko bread crumb coating would work on a slew of vegetables from zucchini spears to asparagus.
California-Style Fried Avocado Tacos
The history of fried avocado tacos isn’t clear, but one thing is for sure: Torchy’s Tacos in Austin definitely brought the idea onto our collective radar. Their avocado tacos are true to the Lone Star state in that they’re unapologetically big: loaded with layers of refried beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, and a charred poblano sauce.
This twist on fried avocado tacos is slightly sunnier, breezier, and just a bit more California with loads of freshness. All the garnishes are optional, but we’d recommend including at least topping it with spicy tomatillo salsa and shredded cabbage for a bit of coolness and crunch.
We love the tacos topped with the chipotle crema that Brandon created for our Baja-Style Fish Tacos, as it adds a kick of all the good things–spice, lime juice, creaminess–similar to what you’d have in a good dipping sauce.
Okay, now it’s time to stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
California-Style Crunchy Fried Avocado Taco Recipe
Ingredients
For The Fried Avocado Taco Coating:
- 3 large eggs beaten until smooth
- 1 1/2 cups unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko, (if desired)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour, if desired
- 3 firm-ripe avocados halved, pitted, and cut into 6 wedges each
- kosher salt plus more for after frying
For Frying The Avocado Tacos:Â
- 6 cups avocado oil vegetable, or grapeseed oil, for fryingÂ
For Serving:
- 16 warm corn tortillas
- Raw tomatillo salsa verde for garnish
- 4 handfuls shredded red cabbage for garnish
- 1 recipe chipotle crema for garnish (optional)
- Handful cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
- Lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Coat The Fried Avocado Tacos: Place the eggs, panko, and flour in three separate shallow medium bowls. Season avocado wedges with salt. Working in batches, dredge each avocado wedge in flour, then shake off excess. Coat the floured avocado wedge in the egg, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat with the panko, pressing to help it adhere. Repeat to coat all the avocado wedges.
- Fry The Avocado Tacos: Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed deep skillet to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches and heat over medium heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 325°F. Working in batches, fry the avocado wedges and turn once until they're golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season immediately with salt. Repeat to fry all the avocado wedges, then serve immediately.Â
- Serve The Tacos:Â To serve, make 8 stacks of 2 tortillas each. Divide salsa verde and cabbage between tortillas and top with avocados (you can do 1 to 2 wedges per taco).Drizzle with chipotle crema, if using, and top with a few cilantro leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges.Â
