Here’s what to do with all those free avocados

Sharing Excess, a Philadelphia nonprofit that distributes surplus food, has 380,000 avocados to give away.

Organizers say the fruit are in various stages of ripeness.

To check for ripeness, give fruit a gentle squeeze in the palm of your hand. If it yields to the pressure, the fruit is ready to eat. Firm avocados should be left at room temperature to continue to ripen.

You can speed up ripening process by placing the avocados in a paper bag. To make it go even faster by add an apple or banana, to the bag. (Similarly, keep avocados away from such fruit if you don’t want them to ripen so quickly.)

Here are recipes to use up your haul.

24 servings; makes about 3 cups

Apply this condiment salsa pretty much anywhere, but it’s especially stellar on guacamole or avocado toast, hummus, soups, eggs — even ice cream. Note that the flavor continues to develop and deepen with time, so while it’s great immediately, it’s even better after a day or two.

Storage Notes: (Tip: Freeze what you’re not going to eat in within 1 week, and thaw 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time to then use within a week.)

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower

5 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut with scissors into small pieces

4 to 5 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed and cut with scissors into small pieces (with seeds)

6 garlic cloves, sliced

⅓ cup raw unsalted walnuts

⅓ cup raw unsalted pistachios

⅓ cup raw unsalted pine nuts

¼ cup apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar or grated piloncillo, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

⅓ cup hulled raw unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

⅓ cup amaranth seeds (may substitute sunflower or sesame seeds)

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the olive and vegetable oils until shimmering. Add the ancho chiles, chiles de arbol, garlic, walnuts, pistachios and pine nuts, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar, sugar and salt to combine. Stir in the pumpkin and amaranth seeds. Taste, and season with more vinegar, sugar and/or salt as needed.

Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes, to slightly cool and infuse with flavor. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely ground. Use immediately, if desired, or transfer to a lidded jar with and refrigerate until needed.

Nutrition | Per serving (2 tablespoons): 197 calories, 2 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar

Adapted from “Treasures of the Mexican Table” by Pati Jinich (Harvest, 2021).

2 servings

This easy snack or light meal for two people tops creamy avocados on German brown bread with salsa macha, a chunky blend of nuts and dried chiles fried in oil. The dish depends on each of the three elements being just right: The bread should be toasted heavily, so it’s very dark and crunchy. The avocados should be perfectly ripe and creamy. And the salsa macha should be homemade.

Where to Buy: Shelf-stable German-style bread, such as Mestemacher brand sunflower, rye or pumpernickel, can be found in many supermarkets or health food stores.

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted and sliced

2 slices German brown bread, such as Mestemacher brand, cut in half crosswise and toasted until quite crisp

¼ cup Salsa Macha (see related recipe)

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Scoop out the avocado slices from each of the halves. Fan the avocado slices on the toasted bread, and drizzle with the Salsa Macha. Sprinkle with the salt, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition information per serving (2 pieces avocado toast, using rye bread, and 2 tablespoons salsa macha) | Calories: 486; Total Fat: 30 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 375 mg; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Dietary Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 3 g; Protein: 8 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted by Joe Yonan, based on a dish by Pati Jinich, author of “Treasures of the Mexican Table” (Harvest, 2021).

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

2 to 3 servings; makes about 5 cups soup

This vegan black bean soup is flavorful as-is thanks to coconut milk, but it gets even better when dressed with a mango-avocado salsa.

I really like this soup with the salsa >> but if you can’t find ripe mangos or avocados, skip it and top the soup with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. It might also be nice with a pico de gallo or other tomato or tomatillo-based salsa.

Not in the mood for soup? The beans, pureed or not, are great over rice, with roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes, or in tacos or burritos.

Out of black beans? Use pinto or kidney instead.

If you have leftover soup, use it to make enfrijoladas: Mash or puree the beans with a splash of water or orange juice. Keep the puree warm. Lightly toast corn tortillas and dip them into the bean puree before folding them onto plates and serving with your choice of salsa, hot sauce, cheese or crema.

Storage Notes: Leftover soup can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days.

FOR THE SALSA

1 small red onion (about 5 ounces)

1 ripe mango (about 8 ounces), peeled, pitted and diced

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more as needed

Fine salt

1 tablespoon coconut or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground chiles or smoked or hot paprika

Two (15-ounce) cans black beans, preferably no salt added, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked black beans)

One (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, preferably light

¾ cup water or vegetable stock

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

Directions

Halve the onion. Grate one half on the large holes of a grater and set aside. Dice the other half.

Make the mango-avocado salsa: In a small bowl, combine the diced red onion, mango, avocado, cilantro and lime juice. Stir, and taste. Add more lime juice and/or a pinch of salt, if desired.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it begins to look transparent and just starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and ground chiles or paprika, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the black beans, coconut milk and water or broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt, then taste, adding more, if needed.

Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then, using an immersion blender, partially puree the beans until the soup looks half creamy and half chunky, with some coconutty broth holding it all together. (To puree in a standing blender, using a ladle, transfer about half of the soup to a blender jar. Remove the vent in the blender’s lid to allow steam to escape and loosely cover it with a towel to prevent splatter. Blend on low until smooth, then stir the pureed soup back into the pot.)

Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the mango salsa and serve, with extra salsa on the side.

Nutrition information per serving (1 ⅔ cup soup), based on 3, with light coconut milk | Calories: 536; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 12 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 411 mg; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Dietary Fiber: 16 g; Sugars: 16 g; Protein: 19 g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

— G. Daniela Galarza.