Have you ever wondered if you can freeze avocados? Maybe you stumbled upon a bunch of discounted, perfectly ripe avocados at the grocery store and ended up buying them, convincing yourself you would have enough time to finish them all before they passed the point of perfection. But you realize you overestimated your ability to do so. What can you do to avoid wasting them?
Can you freeze avocados to harness that perfection? Can you freeze avocados that are not ripe yet? The good news about freezing avocados is that it can be done. The not-so-good news is that you’re not going to be able to hold on to that perfect yellow-green color or the freshness associated with fresh avocado. But don’t worry — in this article, you will learn how you can freeze an avocado to best preserve it and what to expect after it has been frozen.
Jump to Section
- Can Avocados Be Frozen?
- How To Freeze Avocados
- How To Thaw Frozen Avocados
- How To Use Frozen Avocado
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Can Avocados Be Frozen?
Can you freeze avocados? Yes. Truth be told, you can freeze pretty much anything, including avocados. The real question is — what will the avocados look and taste like when you get them out of the freezer and thaw them? The answer depends on the state of the avocado when you freeze it.
There is nothing like cutting an avocado open to find it is a perfect green-yellow color. But when you freeze avocados, you will most likely lose that bit of magic. As you probably already know, exposing an avocado to air is its ultimate enemy, since it will change its appearance.
If you cut a perfect avocado and only use half, the other half will start to brown in a matter of minutes even if you refrigerate it. That’s why you should always drizzle some lemon or lime juice on a sliced avocado before wrapping it and putting it in the fridge. That will slow the browning process for about a day. You can freeze avocado using this same strategy, but it will only do so much to save the color.
The other thing foodies love so much about avocados is the creamy texture. Unfortunately, as soon as an avocado goes past its prime, the texture goes with it. It begins to turn stringy and quickly becomes very unpleasant to eat. You can freeze avocados, but expect the texture to suffer a little.
Can You Freeze Whole Avocados?
Can you freeze avocados when they’re whole? Good question. If you’re thinking that it might stop the ripening process, allowing you to use it another day, you’re right. You can freeze avocados whole because the skin acts as a natural packaging. You don’t even need to wrap or bag with this technique.
However, it’s important to note that while you can freeze an avocado whole, you’re not going to get the same texture, color or taste when it thaws. Thawed avocados will be mushier, lose their pale green color and the taste will fade.
Can You Freeze Avocado Slices?
Yes, you can freeze avocado slices. If you’ve already cut open a perfect avocado and want to freeze the unused portion, your best bet is to remove the pit and skin and slice it up. Thicker slices are better, and you’ll want to drizzle lemon or lime juice on the slices before you freeze.
You can freeze avocado slices by placing them on a baking sheet and freezing them for about 30 minutes to get them firm. Next, transfer the avocado slices to a freezer-safe bag and press out as much air as possible before returning to the freezer.
Can You Freeze Avocado Purée?
In general, freezing avocado purée isn't the best idea. It can depend on what other fruits or vegetables, if any, are in the purée, but the more water content your purée has, the less successful freezing it will be. If you are making a recipe like avocado crema, which includes cream and fresh cilantro, freezing it will ruin the dish.
Can You Freeze Mashed Avocado?
Unlike avocado purée, mashed avocado can be frozen. In fact, mashing them first is the best way you can freeze avocados. Use the same strategy as with sliced avocado and drizzle some citrus juice into the mashed avocado before transferring to an air-tight container for freezing.
Can You Freeze Avocados for Smoothies?
As we’ve already mentioned, frozen avocados will not come out of the freezer the way they went in. The color will turn dusky, and the flavor and texture won’t be the same. For that reason, the best way to use frozen avocados is to make smoothies, like a healthy chia seed smoothie.
Because they are generally made with other ingredients that bring different colors and tastes, smoothies are perfect to hide the not-so-freshness of a frozen avocado. And you may very well still be able to enjoy some of the creamy texture.
How To Freeze Avocados
You can freeze avocados in a couple of different ways. You can throw a whole avocado right into the freezer if you don’t have time for anything more elaborate. That being said, the best way to freeze an avocado is to remove the pit and skin and take the time to mash it with citrus juice first.
What about underripe fruit? Can you freeze avocados that are just under their readiness point? Remember that when you freeze an avocado you stop the ripening process. That means if you freeze an avocado before it reaches its prime, it will still be an underripe avocado when it thaws.
How To Freeze Avocados Without Turning Them Brown
Once again, the key to preventing oxidation of an avocado is to mix it with citrus. Lemon is the most commonly used citrus, but lime works just as well and compliments the flavor of avocado more. If you have neither, you can freeze avocados by using a squeeze of fresh orange juice instead. Regardless of which citrus you choose, remember — you can’t freeze avocados without losing their original yellow-greenish color.
How Long Can You Freeze Avocado?
You can freeze avocados for up to one month. We don’t recommend doing it for longer, as the avocado might go bad if kept frozen for an extended period of time.
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Thawing avocados is quick and easy. Just remove from the freezer and allow to defrost for about 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the size of the avocado and whether it was frozen whole, mashed or in chunks or slices. You could also thaw your frozen avocado in the refrigerator overnight.
How To Use Frozen Avocado
You’ve figured out by now that you can freeze avocados but you can’t expect them to thaw like a fresh fruit. If you have chosen to freeze avocados, the two best uses are in smoothies or for baking, such as in avocado brownies. Avocado can also be a substitute for butter or oil in baking, where the color and texture of the avocado are less important as it will be mixed with other ingredients.
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Can you freeze avocados? Yes. Should you? Try not to. The essence of a perfectly ripe avocado is to harness exactly what it is — a fresh fruit. Mother Nature is a delicate thing, and you have to accept that each fruit she produces has just a fleeting moment where the color, texture and flavor are ideal. Avocados are no exception, so try to utilize fresh avocados at their prime. You can freeze avocados in a pinch to prevent waste or if you are intending to use them for baking or smoothies. But when you crave that lusciously creamy texture, stick to fresh.
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