How to Freeze Avocados So They'll Stay Perfectly Ripe for Later (2024)

FAQs

How to Freeze Avocados So They'll Stay Perfectly Ripe for Later? ›

Slice into quarters (or leave them halved). Place into a resealable bag (removing as much air as possible) and freeze for up to one month. If desired, use the California Avocado Commission's tip to brush your avocado slices or halves with lemon juice and wrap them in plastic before placing them in a resealable bag.

Only ripe avocados should be stored in the freezer because once they are frozen, they won't continue to ripen—even when thawed, says Ann Ziata, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Freezing avocado may help you reduce food waste and keep this fruit on hand throughout the year. While most nutrients are preserved during freezing, the flesh tends to become mushy and may brown during storage or thawing. Therefore, frozen avocados are best mixed into dishes like guacamole, dips, and smoothies.

When freezing mashed avocados: Mashed avocado, when defrosted, will be drier, grainier, and taste watered down. It's no alternative to the rich, buttery flavor of fresh Avocados From Mexico.

Frozen avocados are typically good for 3 to 6 months. The best way to thaw the avocados is to move them from the freezer into the fridge the night before you intend to use them. Then you're all good to go.

Better yet, frozen products have all of the vitamins, minerals and fiber you'll find in fresh avocados. So from a nutritional standpoint, you sacrifice nothing by using frozen. Frozen avocado is an excellent example of a speed-scratch ingredient that provides a high-quality head start on your own recipes.

The main goal is to prevent oxygen from touching the avocado's flesh. Plastic wrap is a practical, albeit not foolproof way to slow down the natural course of fruit aging. The trick is to make sure the plastic wrap is sealed flush with the flesh.

While the bag has instructions for how to microwave, we found the best way was to let them thaw on the counter. Microwaving the avocado chunks just risks them getting too warm and ruining the texture. They only need to thaw at room temperature for about an hour (we found even less time works too sometimes).

Since frozen avocados already have a tangy additive, they'll fit right into a dish like guacamole that's known for its zestiness.

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.

Will avocados ripen after being frozen? ›

Unripe avocados will probably never ripen if they're frozen. You don't need to jump through any hoops if you're freezing a whole avocado—just put the fruit in the freezer and call it a day.

"Freezing an avocado doesn't change the flavor that much, but the preparation and defrosting process could affect the taste," says Jessica Randhawa, the head chef and recipe creator behind The Forked Spoon.

Until they're fully ripe, avocados should be stored at room temperature. Placing an unripe avocado in the refrigerator will slow the ripening process, but the same concept applies to ripe avocados: put them in the refrigerator to keep them at their prime ripeness for longer.

Where to store avocado? Depending on your avocado's ripeness, you should either store it in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Stick your avocado in the fridge to slow down the ripening process or leave it on the counter or in the pantry to allow it to ripen further.

While the bag has instructions for how to microwave, we found the best way was to let them thaw on the counter. Microwaving the avocado chunks just risks them getting too warm and ruining the texture. They only need to thaw at room temperature for about an hour (we found even less time works too sometimes).

Slice into quarters (or leave them halved). Place into a resealable bag (removing as much air as possible) and freeze for up to one month. If desired, use the California Avocado Commission's tip to brush your avocado slices or halves with lemon juice and wrap them in plastic before placing them in a resealable bag.

Wash the avocado, skin still on. Cut the fruit in half, and peel. If you decide to halve it, wrap the halves separately (sans pit) in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then put them in a resealable bag and freeze. (Don't forget to label and date the bag!)