Recipe: Crispy Breaded Avocado Wedges

These crispy avocado wedges taste wonderful in tacos with a tangy slaw and a sauce made from vegan mayo and sriracha. 

I was watching a food truck show on TV the other day, and a dish caught my eye. One food truck was serving deep fried avocado tacos. The entire process looked so simple that I thought I'd give it a try. You can Google such terms as "fried avocado," "deep-fried avocado," and "crispy avocado tacos" to find a variety of recipes. 

All you basically need are slightly ripe avocados, a batter, panko crumbs, lime juice, and oil. 

Here's what I used:

• 1 large slightly ripe avocado (you don't want a very ripe/squishy avocado)
• 1 or 2 limes
• Pancake or French toast mix
• Non-dairy milk or water
• Panko crumbs
• Salt to season with at the end
• Vegetable oil

I used a medium-sized pot that could easily hold 4 to 5 wedges. I added about an inch-high worth of oil, and I set the flame at medium. 

In one bowl, I made my batter. I had some Mom's Vegan Kitchen French Toast Mix in my pantry, and I mixed about 1/2 cup of the mix with the juice of one lime and then enough non-dairy milk to make a thick batter that was like a cake batter. If the batter is too runny, just add more mix. You want the batter to really cling to the avocado. 

In a second bowl, I poured 2 cups of Panko crumbs (You can add more Panko as needed). 

I then cut my avocado in half, removed the pit, and peeled off the skin (I don't use a spoon to scoop out the flesh -- I find it easier to just peel the skin off). Each half of the avocado should give you four good wedge slices. If your avocado is medium or small, you'll get three wedges per half. 

I then dredged each wedge in the batter then Panko and then carefully set each wedge in the oil. I lowered the heat as needed if I noticed the breading getting too dark. After about a minute, I could see the bottom of the wedges getting golden brown. I then took my tongs and carefully flipped them over. I let them cook another minute or so until that side was golden brown. 

Have a plate with paper towels nearby so you can drain the wedges as you pull them out. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each wedge as soon as they are sitting on the plate so the salt sticks to the oil on the Panko. 

I then finished cooking my last set of four wedges. 

These fried avocados taste wonderful when hot, so before frying them, have your taco or sandwich ingredients ready so you can assemble your meal as soon as your avocados are done. 

If some part of your wedge, such as the curved side, needs some browning, you can cook that side as needed. Some wedges are thinner (the ends), so one minute per side is usually enough. But the larger middle wedges might need another side in the oil for a minute. 

As I ate my crispy avocado tacos, it felt as if I were eating a nice breaded fish taco. The avocado was not overpowering in flavor, but was warm and creamy under the very crunchy and nicely seasoned Panko breading. My batter was slightly sweet and spiced (due to the ingredients in the French toast mix), but it wasn't overly sweet. It added a nice flavor to my taco. 

The whole recipe doesn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete. It's all basically prep work: having your batter and bread crumbs ready, slicing your avocado, and having the oil hot enough. 

If you prefer not to fry your avocados, some recipes stated that said you could preheat your oven to 400 degrees and then generously spray your dredged wedges with cooking spray and then bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through cooking. I plan to try this method as well, but so far I've only fried my avocados. 

I've done this recipe twice, and I have found it to be simple and with delicious results. My tacos contained cilantro, a zesty crunchy slaw, a little sriracha mayo, and fresh lime juice. All this with the warm, crunchy avocado wedges was heaven in my mouth.