Wondering how to freeze avocados? This guide can help!
If you are like me, you probably have a few avocados that never seem to get eaten as soon as they should. And for me, at least one always seems to go bad. So I started researching how to freeze avocados and came up with three methods you can use.
Freezing avocados is a practical bit of know-how. If you’re lucky enough to have access to an avocado tree (I’ve always wanted one!!), or even if you’ve ever had even a single avocado sitting on your counter, you know that they can go from hard, to ripe, to rotten in the blink of an eye. The trick with freezing them is to get them when they are ripe. And I even have a trick for keeping them ripe longer! Now aren’t you glad you stopped by?
Keeping Avocados In The Refrigerator
The simple truth is, avocados ripen MUCH slower in the fridge. It’s one thing to leave them on your counter if they are hard. But once they even get a hint of softness to them, stick them in the fridge immediately. They will continue to ripen, but at a much slower pace, giving you a bigger window to do something with them, like eating or freezing.
Where a ripe avocado will stay ripe for a day or two before it starts to rot on the counter, it will stay in the ripe stage for a full week (sometimes more!) if it’s in the fridge. So don’t miss that opportunity to extend the life of your avocado.
Best Ways To Use Frozen Avocados
Does freezing avocados change their texture? The short answer is, yes. It will change their texture. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Again, it all depends on how you are going to use them.
- Guacamole
- Smoothies (makes them super creamy!)
- Smashed on your morning toast
- Homemade frozen yogurt or ice cream
- Avocado-based salad dressings
- Popsicles
- Pudding
- In quesadillas
- In burritos
- Used in baking
How To Freeze Avocados
If you are ready to freeze your avocados, there are three methods you can use. How you freeze them will depend on how you intend to use them when thawed. If you know you will be mushing or blending them, then mashing them in method three will be just fine. If you aren’t sure, you can use method one or two, as you like.
For all methods, follow these steps first.
Wash
Wash the avocados so that no dirt on the outside gets pushed into the flesh with your knife when you cut.
Cut
Cut the avocado in half.
Seed
Press the knife into the seed, twist, and remove. Give the handle of your knife a good hard tap on the side of your garbage can to get the seed to fall off easily.
Freezing Avocados – Method 1
Once the seed is removed, put the avocado back together and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Then place several avocados in an airtight container with a locking lid and freeze for up to 4 months. You can also vacuum seal them like this.
Freezing Avocados – Method 2
Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh from the skin.
Place the whole scooped-out flesh on a pan as it is. Spritz with lemon juice and freeze overnight. In the morning, transfer the frozen avocados to an airtight container. Before placing the lid on the container, press plastic wrap down, around your avocados. Then fasten the lid and return to the freezer.
Note, you can also vacuum seal the avocados once they are frozen.
Freezing Avocados – Method 3
If you know you’ll be mashing or blending your frozen avocados, you can save time and mash them right inside a plastic zipper-top bag. Just make sure to add a little lemon juice to keep things from browning.
The most important step in this method is, once the avocados are mashed, you have to spread them out in the bag and press out any excess air. Air will brown your avocados, so make sure you press out as much as you can get out. Then place in the freezer for up to 4 months.
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