Crispy Avocado Tacos

Crispy avocado tacos with black beans and sweet ‘n tangy slaw take taco night to a whole new level.

The secret to these tacos is the crunchy and creamy avocado wedges.

We first developed this recipe for Allergic Living magazine and we’re excited to be able to share it with you.

Prepare yourself for the best tacos ever!

For the slaw, you can shred purple cabbage, green cabbage, and carrots…or to save on time, you can substitute a prepared coleslaw mix.

Whichever you choose, in a large bowl, combine cabbage mixture with sliced radish and chopped green onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together a little olive oil, fresh lime juice, maple syrup or honey, minced jalapeño, and garlic. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the fried avocados, fill a deep fryer with oil, or a large pot with 4-6 inches oil, and preheat to 350-degrees F.

Deep-Frying?????

We agree that frying is not the healthiest cooking method, but read Chef Joel’s tips below to see how frying at home can be made better. We talked these tips in our fried green tomatoes post, but they’re worth repeating.

Back to the avocados…in a medium bowl, whisk together garbanzo bean flour, cornmeal, allergy-friendly panko, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powders, dried thyme, and a little salt and pepper. Add unsweetened hemp milk and whisk to combine. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to allow the batter to thicken. If the batter gets too thick while you’re frying, whisk in an additional tablespoon of hemp milk as needed.

In a small bowl, gently toss avocado wedges with garbanzo bean flour.

Dunk each avocado wedge into batter and let excess drip off. Fry for 2-3 minutes per batch, or until crisp and golden. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

To assemble tacos, top each tortilla with beans, 2 fried avocado wedges and slaw. Serve with your favorite salsa alongside, or our roasted tomatillo salsa.

These fried avocados also make a delicious and totally addictive snack. Crispy outside and creamy inside, these wedges are pure genius!

Chef Joel’s Tips

Deep frying at home can be made better by the type of oil, and how it is used.

The ideal temperature of the oil for frying is 350-375-degrees F. When breaded or battered food is cooked in oil at this temperature, its surface cooks almost instantly and forms a type of “seal” that the oil cannot penetrate.

If the temperature is too low, the oil will seep into the food, making it greasy. Also, overcrowding the skillet or overloading the fryer basket greatly lowers the temperature of the oil.

On the other hand, if the temperature is too high, the oil can oxidize, posing serious health risks.

Some oils can withstand much higher temperatures than others. Fry with an oil that has a high smoke point. Heating oil to the point where the oil begins to smoke produces toxic fumes and harmful free radicals (unstable atoms that can cause oxidative damage in the body) which can contribute to a number of different diseases including dementia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

With the right oils, the occasional deep-fried treat (preferably home-fried) can be enjoyed without the guilt!