Avocado Cups with Pomegranate Salsa Verde

From the kitchen of Carly

Creamy avocado halves crowned with a bright, herbaceous salsa verde spiked with pomegranate seeds and the salty punch of preserved lemon. This is minimal cooking with maximum flavor, ready in minutes and endlessly impressive.

Avocado Cups with Pomegranate Salsa Verde

Pomegranate salsa verde brings bright acidity and herbaceous heat to ripe avocado halves, while preserved lemon adds a funky, salty depth that fresh juice alone can't touch. The trick is treating the avocado as a vessel, not a star, so the salsa does the talking. Choose avocados that yield to gentle pressure but aren't mushy, and dress them right before serving so nothing gets soggy.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
n/a
Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/4 cupchopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cupchopped mint
  • 3 tbspolive oil
  • 2 tbspcoarsely chopped pomegranate seeds
  • 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbspfinely chopped preserved lemon peel
  • 1Kosher salt
  • 4ripe avocados, halved, pits removed
  • 1Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the cilantro, mint, olive oil, pomegranate seeds, lemon juice, and preserved lemon peel in a small bowl, then season with kosher salt. Spoon the dressing generously over and into the halved avocados, and finish each one with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Don't skimp on preserved lemon peel. That funky, umami hit is what separates this from a basic guacamole situation.
  • Coarsely chop the pomegranate seeds instead of crushing them so they burst in your mouth with texture and juice rather than dissolving into the dressing.
  • A ripe avocado should yield slightly to pressure at the neck but feel firm at the body. If it's mushy, it's already past its prime and will turn brown fast once cut.
  • Make the salsa verde up to 2 hours ahead, but assemble the avocados and dress them no more than 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

  • Swap pomegranate for fresh raspberries or diced strawberries for a softer fruit note and lighter color.
  • Add 2 tablespoons crumbled feta or cotija cheese and a pinch of chile flake to push toward savory and spicy.
  • Trade the preserved lemon for regular lemon zest and a touch of honey if you can't find preserved lemon, though the salsa will taste brighter and less complex.
  • Serve over crispy tostadas instead of avocado halves, topped with a soft-boiled egg, for a more substantial dish.

Make ahead and storage

Wrapped individually in plastic wrap, halved avocados will hold in the fridge for up to 1 day, though browning at the cut edge is inevitable. Salsa verde keeps for 3 days covered. Dress only what you'll eat immediately.