Smoky Avocado Mutabal
This recipe is part of Kitchn 100 — the hundred recipes you need right now. Check out all of the amazing dishes, from Kitchn and beyond, here.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe avocados (about 8 ounces each)
- 1 medium lime
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower
- 1 charcoal briquette
- 1/2 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup whole-milk yogurt
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Pita bread, for serving
- Halve and pit 2 large ripe avocados. Scoop out the flesh into a small bowl. Halve 1 medium lime and squeeze the juice from 1 half over the avocado (reserve the remaining half). Smash the avocado with a fork until mashed. Place the bowl in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Create a small cup from a 4 to 5-inch square sheet of aluminum foil that is wide enough to hold a piece of charcoal. Place on the other side of the baking dish and pour 1 tablespoon neutral oil into the cup. It’s preferable to smoke the avocado outside, so place the baking dish outside if you can.
- Hold 1 charcoal briquette with tongs and heat over the flame of a gas burner or directly on an electric stove burner, turning occasionally, until red hot, 5 to 10 minutes total (make sure your hood and exhaust is on and your windows are open). Alternatively, if you have a portable butane stove, use it outside to heat the charcoal to keep the smoke outdoors.
- Place the lit charcoal in the oil. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Trim and seed 1/2 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper. Place in a mortar and pestle, add 1 garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and smash into a paste. (Alternatively, finely chop the pepper and garlic and smash and mince it with the salt against the cutting board until it forms a paste.)
- Transfer the paste to a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup tahini, 1/4 cup whole-milk yogurt, and the juice of the reserved lime half, and mix until combined.
- When the avocado is ready, add to the tahini mixture and gently fold to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Enjoy at room temperature or cold with pita bread.

