What's the secret to perfect guacamole and the best avocado toast? The answer is easy: ripe avocados! The only problem is that, more often than not, they're rock hard when you buy them in the grocery store. Of course, the best way to ripen an avocado is to let it happen naturally. But if you're about to make a recipe that calls for avocados, you can't just sit around and wait for nature to take its course.
So what do you do when the craving for your favorite party dip strikes? All hope is not lost because you're about to get the scoop on how to ripen an avocado. So, before you whip up those avocado recipes or reach for the green fruit (yes, it's a fruit), read on for everything you need to know. Most of these methods take just a couple of days, but you can speed it up to just one(ish). It all depends on how quickly you need to get that guacamole on the table!
How Can You Tell If an Avocado Is Ripe?
When shopping for avocados, look out for the firmness and color as indicators of ripeness. Ripe avocados will feel firm, with a slight give when squeezed, and will typically be very dark green in color. If it looks black and mushy, the avocado is past its prime. On the other hand, if it's bright green and very hard, the avocado is underripe and can still be used with one of the tricks below.
What Is the Best Way to Ripen an Avocado?
The best way to ripen an avocado is by letting it happen naturally. Set the avocado in a bowl in a sunny spot on your kitchen counter. The warmth from the sun will also help the avocado ripen faster. Depending on how ripe your avocado was when you bought it, this could take a few days.
To speed up the ripening process, place the avocados in a paper bag. This process is similar to how you ripen bananas. Certain fruits, like bananas and avocados, produce ethylene gas which causes them to soften after they're harvested. When avocados are placed in a paper bag, the gas becomes trapped which speeds up the ripening process. You can expect ripe avocados in three to four days (or less!)—keep an eye out every day.
Here's another paper bag trick: Place the avocados in a paper bag with other fruits that also produce natural gases, like apples or bananas. The gases will concentrate and help your avocados become softer, faster. This can happen in as quickly as one day.
Now, you may have seen supposed hacks to ripen an avocado in just ten minutes by using your oven or microwave. Unfortunately, these tricks are too good to be true. While they might soften the avocado, they will not ripen it so you won't get the same flavor profile. It's better to wait!
How Do You Store Avocados?
If your avocado is the perfect ripeness, but you’re not quite ready to use it, you can always store the avocado in the refrigerator. The chill from the fridge will allow you to hold on to the avocados for a few extra days. If you've already cut into the avocado, prevent it from turning brown by leaving the pit in, squeezing it with lemon juice, and covering it with plastic wrap. Or, invest in a handy silicone food saver. You don't want to let that ripe avocado go to waste!
What Can I Do with Ripe Avocados?
The options are endless with ripe avocados. With their high protein content, they make excellent additions to salad recipes (including plenty of salads without lettuce) because they help keep you feeling fuller longer. And thanks to their thick creaminess, they are naturals for dips like guac, but also add great texture to salsa recipes. Speaking of texture, try them as a burger topping for added interest or atop spicier fare like chili recipes to help balance the heat.
If you want to get super creative, you'll also often find avocado in a lot of modern vegan or plant-based recipes as a substitute for mayo, and also for butter and full-fat dairy subs in ice creams and cakes. It sounds crazy at first, but it makes sense if you think about it: it's creamy and thick with a higher fat content, while still being relatively neutral in flavor.
