SPONSORED POST: Herbed Cheese and California Avocado Flatbread

Flatbreads are a blank canvas for all sorts of fun and tasty toppings, and this one that channels California cuisine and its farm-to-table spirit is no exception. It’s colorful, gorgeous, and easy too — just top baked pizza dough with quickly pickled onions, herb and garlic cheese, crunchy radishes, California Avocado slices, and fresh herbs for an impressive-looking flatbread. You can pull it together in less than 30 minutes and serve it as a hearty appetizer or light vegetarian meal.

Why You’ll Love It

• It’s fresh, vibrant, and beautiful.

• You can feel good about adding California Avocados, which are locally grown and sustainably farmed.

• You can serve it as an appetizer or a vegetarian meal.

• It takes less than 30 minutes to prep and bake.

Key Ingredients in Herbed Cheese and California Avocado Flatbread

• Pizza dough: Make your own pizza dough or grab some at the grocery store. Just make sure you plan enough time to let the dough sit at room temperature until it’s easier to stretch.

• California Avocado: Sliced avocado adds a buttery flavor and texture to the flatbread, and contrasts nicely with the other crunchy ingredients.

• Pickled onions: Quickly pickle red onion by letting it sit in a mixture of vinegar, salt, and sugar that’s been heated.

• Herb and garlic cheese: Soft, creamy cheese flecked with herbs and garlic adds tons of flavor to the flatbread and helps hold the toppings in place.

Why California Avocados?

California Avocados are grown by farmers in California who are dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable farming. That means their avocados are fresh and high-quality. Look for the ones labeled with a “California” sticker at the store, especially when they’re in season spring–summer and at their delicious best.

How to Make Herbed Cheese and California Avocado Flatbread

1. Quick pickle the onion. Heat vinegar, salt, and sugar together until simmering, then stir in thinly sliced red onion. Let sit to pickle while you make the flatbread.

2. Bake the pizza dough. Stretch pizza dough out onto parchment, brush with olive oil, and bake until golden brown.

3. Peel, rather than scoop, the avocado to get the most from your fruit. Halve, seed, and peel the avocado skin to get the most beautiful dark green slices from it.

4. Finish topping the flatbread. Spread garlic and herb cheese over the flatbread, then top with the pickled onions, thinly sliced radishes, sliced California Avocado, and fresh dill.

Herbed Cheese and California Avocado Flatbread Recipe

Made with sustainably grown California Avocado, in season spring–summer.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the flatbread:

• 1 pound store-bought or homemade pizza dough, thawed if frozen

• 1 (5 to 6.5-ounce) package soft garlic and herb cheese

• All-purpose flour, for dusting

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 medium red radishes

• 4 to 5 sprigs fresh dill

• 1/2 medium lemon

• 1 ripe, but firm large fresh California Avocado (6 to 8 ounces)

For the pickled onions:

• 1/2 small red onion

• 1/2 cup rice, distilled white, or apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions

1. If the pizza dough is cold, let 1 pound sit at room temperature at least 2 hours before proceeding. The dough is ready when it does not bounce back when stretched.

2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 550°F. Meanwhile, let 1 (5 to 6.5-ounce) package soft garlic and herb cheese sit at room temperature. Quick pickle the onion.

3. Thinly slice 1/2 small red onion until you have 1/2 cup. Place 1/2 cup vinegar of choice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the onion and stir to combine; let sit to pickle while you bake the flatbread.

4. Dust a 15-inch-long piece of parchment paper lightly with all-purpose flour. Place the dough on the parchment. Roll out or use your hands to gently press the dough into a thin crust that covers most of the parchment, dusting the dough with more flour if sticky. If the dough starts to spring back, let it rest for a few minutes and then try again.

5. Transfer the dough-topped parchment onto a baking sheet. Brush the entire surface of the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

6. Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the flatbread and bake until the edges are deeply golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes more. If any big bubbles form, pop them with the tip of a knife and gently press down to deflate. Meanwhile, thinly slice 2 medium red radishes (about 1/4 cup). Pick the fronds from 4 to 5 fresh dill sprigs until you have 1/3 loosely packed cup and coarsely chop. Cut 1/2 medium lemon into 4 wedges and remove any seeds. Halve, seed, peel, and thinly slice 1 large California Avocado.

7. When the flatbread is ready, remove from the oven. Dollop the soft cheese evenly over the flatbread. Spread into an even layer with an offset spatula or butter knife, going all the way to the edges. It will become more spreadable as the heat from the flatbread starts to melt the cheese.

8. Drain the pickling liquid from the onions. Scatter the onions, radishes, and avocado slices evenly over the cheese. Top with the dill. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the whole flatbread before cutting and serving.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, but the avocado slices will darken.