Ever feel like avocados have a personal vendetta against your guacamole plans? One day they’re rock-hard avocados that could double as paperweights, and the next they’re a blackened mess. If you’ve ever wondered how to ripen avocados just right (and on your schedule) you’re in the right place.
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You know just how finicky avocados can be. One minute they’re about as sliceable as a hockey puck. Blink twice, and suddenly they’re the consistency of pudding, but with a pit and no purpose.
But the worst of all is when you need guacamole-ready avocados and you’re staring at a countertop full of green, rock-hard lumps. Been there, done that. Once, I was prepping for a taco bar gathering and realized much too late that my usual avocado ripening trick didn’t ripen the avocados in time. Thankfully, I’ve since learned a few faster, more reliable methods — and I’ll share them all with you below.
In This Article
Buying Avocados
When is the best time to buy avocados? Well, that depends. How soon do you need to use them? How ripe do they need to be? And, just as important, are they a good deal? When you find avocados on sale, stock up! You may not realize it, but you can freeze avocados. That way, you can have them whenever a recipe calls for them.
Avocados grow in warm climates like Southern California and Mexico, so they’re a year-round fruit — unlike seasonal stars like Maine fresh blueberries. That means you can find them at the store pretty much anytime. And that’s especially good news during football playoff season — the number one time of year people buy avocados. According to The Packer, a supermarket trade magazine, Americans consume 250 million pounds of avocados leading up to football’s biggest weekend. Wondering what’s the second-highest period for avocado sales? It’s Cinco de Mayo.
How to Tell If an Avocado is Ripe
Avocados don’t exactly announce when they’re ready to eat. And guessing wrong can leave you with either a rock-hard avocado or one that’s way past its prime. Fortunately, there’s an easy ripening method to follow when shopping: focus on two key things — color and firmness.
Avocado Color
The darker the avocado skin is, the more ripe it’s likely to be. Bright green or pale green skin usually means you’re working with an underripe fruit. Although it’s not ready for guacamole or avocado toast just yet, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy it. As you’ll discover shortly, there are easy ways to ripen an avocado at home.
On the other end of the spectrum, if the skin is so dark it’s nearly black, it might be overripe. That’s why it’s important to pair color with feel.
Avocado Firmness
A dark, almost black avocado that feels uniformly firm is probably still good to eat. But if you find any soft spots, dents, or broken skin, skip it. Those are signs it’s headed toward the compost bin.
When you’re dealing with an avocado that can double as a [something clever that’s rock hard], it’s not ready yet. Keep checking the firmness until you find one that’s not too hard and not too soft. Think Goldilocks, but with something much more delicious than porridge.
What if the store only has underripe options? Don’t worry! Grab the green ones and ripen them at home using the method that works best for you. Laura Sampson of Little Frugal Homestead puts it this way, “Living in Alaska, it’s rare that I find ripe avocados, so I’ve become my own expert at ripening them out of sheer necessity.”
Ripening an Avocado at Home
Most avocados need a couple of days at room temperature to reach peak ripeness. This assumes you brought home a bright green avocado that’s just beginning its ripening journey.
To help it along, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources. A shady spot on a cool kitchen counter works great. And if you have a four-legged counter surfer (like my big, goofy Goldendoodle), be sure to keep your avocados away from pets. They’re extremely toxic to dogs.
If your avocados start ripening faster than expected, you don’t have to drop everything and eat them immediately. Just move them to the refrigerator. Cooler temps slow the ripening process, buying you more time.
How to Ripen Avocados Quickly
Now, let’s say you need ripe avocados fast. Maybe you’re hosting a party and that bowl of guacamole needs to happen tonight. Good news! There are a few reliable shortcuts that can help speed up the avocado ripening process.
Method 1: A Paper Bag with a Piece of Fruit
You may have used this ripening hack with green tomatoes, underripe peaches, or pears. Just place an unripe avocado in a paper bag with a banana or apple. Close the bag and let them hang out together for a bit. These fruits give off ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that speeds up the ripening process — sometimes as fast as overnight.
Sage Advice: In addition to apples and bananas, other ethylene-producing fruits include peaches, pears, kiwi, and tomatoes. Feel free to match your unripe avocados up with one of these, as desired.
Sometimes, you don’t even need the fruit. Sampson of Little Frugal Homestead has discovered that the paper bag alone can get the job done. “I wrap hard avocados in a brown paper bag and leave them at room temperature for one to five days, depending on how hard they are,” she added. “I start checking for ripeness after 24 hours. I remove any softened avocados from the bag. Then, the rest remain in the bag. I remove them as they become soft, too.”
Method 2: In the Oven
Placing an unripened avocados in the oven can expedite ripening. However, this method is my least favorite. Yes, wrapping an avocado in foil and slowly baking it at 200°F for up to an hour softens the fruit, but the result usually lacks the rich, creamy flavor of naturally ripened avocados.
Method 3: In the Microwave
For a faster route to a similar destination as an oven-baked avocado, try the microwave. Instead of wrapping the avocado in foil (unless you’re going for a fireworks show in your kitchen), cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Then, tightly wrap each of the avocado halves in plastic wrap. Microwave in 30-second intervals until soft enough to use. Like the oven method, using the microwave also results in an avocado that lacks the buttery texture of naturally ripened fruit, but it does deliver softer fruit fast.
How to Store Ripe Avocados
Once your avocado has reached the optimal ripeness, the clock starts ticking. But with the right storage method, you can slow things down and enjoy every last bite before it goes bad.
Whole, ripe avocados can be stored in the refrigerator to pause the ripening process. Tuck them into your crisper drawer where the cooler, slightly humid environment helps them stay fresh for a few extra days.
Cut avocados need a little more attention. If you’ve only used half, leave the pit in the unused half, then rub the exposed surface with lemon or lime juice to help prevent browning. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container before refrigerating.
Need to store your avocados longer? You can freeze them! While whole avocados don’t freeze well, sliced or mashed avocado freezes beautifully and works like a charm in smoothies, spreads, and even baking. Just cut your avocado into slices or cubes (or mash it), toss with a splash of lemon juice, and freeze in an airtight container.
Sage Advice: For slices or cubes, I like to spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about an hour. Then I move them to a freezer bag. This keeps the pieces from turning into one big frozen green lump.
When you’re ready to use frozen avocado, thaw it in the fridge for a few hours. In a rush? Submerge the sealed bag in a bowl of cold water and it should be ready in 30 to 40 minutes.
How Do You Ripen Avocados?
Got a tried-and-true avocado ripening trick? I’d love to hear it! Drop your best tips, kitchen wins, or avo-mishaps in the comments below.
Portions of this article originally appeared on Southern Maine on the Cheap.
