How often did you end up with a half o avocado after making a dish, and after only a couple of hours, it turned brown and mushy? If you are tired of throwing away avocados because you can’t eat them fast enough, read this post and discover the simple methods you can use to freeze avocados.
Say goodbye to wastage and embrace the convenience of frozen avocados!
Avocado is an amazing fruit that should not be missing from our diet. It can be eaten raw, in salads or individually, seasoned with various herbs and spices, or become dessert ingredients in multiple cakes or protein shakes recipes.
What Does Avocado Taste Like?
Regarding taste, avocado is neither sweet, salty, nor bitter. Instead, it has a neutral taste and a creamy consistency, making it very versatile: it can be combined with other ingredients, either spicy and salty, or even with sweet ingredients, resulting in healthy cake creams.
Can You Freeze Avocados?
Absolutely! The good news is that avocados are freezer-friendly, allowing you to store them for extended periods in the freezer until you’re ready to utilize them.
Whether you want to make guacamole, add slices to sandwiches, or blend them into smoothies, frozen avocados can be a versatile addition to your culinary arsenal.
There are 4 distinct methods you can use to freeze avocados. You can freeze whole avocados or avocado halves, freeze avocado chunks or slices, or freeze mashed avocado.
How To Properly Freeze An Avocado
First, you must choose a ripened avocado because it will not change its texture once frozen. So now you must decide whether to freeze a whole avocado or make a puree from it first.
Freezing a Whole Avocado
Freezing the entire avocado, including the skin, is indeed a simple and effective method. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Start by washing the entire avocado fruit and ensure it is thoroughly dry.
- Next, tightly wrap each avocado piece with plastic wrap to provide an additional layer of protection.
- Place each wrapped avocado piece into a Ziploc freezer bag, ensuring the bag is sealed tightly to prevent air from entering.
- Finally, store the avocado in the freezer for a period of 3-6 months to maintain its optimum freshness.
To defrost, rinse the avocado under hot water, then thaw on the counter at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Freezing Avocado Halves
- Begin by washing the avocado while keeping the skin intact.
- Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit, but there’s no need to peel the skin.
- Sprinkle a little lemon juice on each avocado half to prevent browning.
- Individually wrap each avocado half tightly with plastic wrap, ensuring they are fully covered.
- Place the wrapped avocado halves in a freezer-safe bag.
- Squeeze out any excess air from the bag, zip it closed securely, and then transfer it to the freezer.
Freezing Avocado Slices
To freeze avocado slices, follow these easy steps:
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and then slice the avocado flesh into wedges or cubes.
- Place the avocado slices in a bowl and sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Arrange each avocado slice on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not touching.
- Freeze the avocado slices on the baking sheet for approximately 2 hours or until they are solid.
- Once the slices are frozen, transfer them to a resealable plastic bag.
- Press out any excess air from the bag to minimize freezer burn.
- Label the bag with the date to keep track of their freshness.
- Store the bag of frozen avocado slices in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.
To defrost: Place the avocado slices/chunks at room temperature for about an hour, and then you can use them to create guacamole, chocolate pudding, smoothies, etc.
Freezing Avocado Puree
- Start by washing the avocado you intend to freeze.
- Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
- Transfer the avocado flesh to an avocado blender or use a food processor to blend it until it reaches a creamy consistency.
- Mix the mashed avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. The lemon juice will help prevent browning.
- Place the avocado puree in a sealed container suitable for freezing.
- Ensure the container is tightly sealed to prevent air exposure.
- Label the container with the date for future reference.
- Put the sealed container in the freezer for storage.
Freezing Avocado Puree for Smoothies
I recommend freezing the avocado puree in an ice cube tray if you plan to use it for a smoothie.
Then just add them to the blender while making the smoothie.
How Can I Use Frozen Avocado?
- Smoothies: Frozen avocados are great for smoothies. Combined with fresh or frozen fruits, frozen avocados provide a creamy texture to the smoothie. You can try my Strawberry Avocado Smoothie.
- Dips and spreads: Defrost the avocado, mix it with some seasonings, and create a delicious dip or spread just like my Avocado Ranch Dressing.
- Salads: you can add defrosted avocado to your favorite salad.
- Guacamole: Use defrosted avocado puree to make delicious guacamole.
- Baked goods: you can also use pureed avocado in baked goods such as avocado brownies, cakes, cookies, or muffins.
How To Choose A Ripe Avocado
You need to know that the fruit starts to ripen only after being picked.
An avocado is ripe if it has dark green skin and is soft when pressed in the area where the tail is. Otherwise, a ripe avocado fruit should be hard to the touch. Avoid avocados that have brown skin, they are not ripe. If you have taken an unripe avocado, leave it for a few days until it reaches the desired consistency.
Benefits Of Eating Avocado
- Avocado contains 35% more potassium than a banana. This mineral is extremely important for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Avocado controls blood sugar levels in the human body.
- The fats in avocado fruit increase good cholesterol (HDL), lower bad cholesterol (LDL), and decrease triglycerides.
- Rich in nutrients, it can be a key ingredient in cosmetic masks, giving shine to the skin and hair.
- It also has strong antioxidant properties and prevents the onset of various types of cancer.
- Vitamin E and other substances in their composition stimulate the natural production of collagen and deeply moisturize the skin with quality oils and fats.
How to Freeze Avocados (4 Methods)
Description
Ingredients
- 4 Ripe avocados
- 2 tbsp Lemon or lime juice
Instructions
Freezing Whole Avocados or Halves:
- Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pits.
- Sprinkle lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.
- Leave the skin intact and keep the avocado halves together.
- Wrap each avocado half tightly with plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped avocado halves into a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container.
- Seal the bag or container tightly, removing any excess air.
- Label the bag or container with the date.
- Store the avocados in the freezer for 3-6 months for optimum freshness.
Freezing Avocado Slices or Chunks:
- Wash, peel, and pit the avocados.
- Slice the avocados into wedges or chunks according to your preference.
- Sprinkle or brush lemon or lime juiceto prevent browning.
- Arrange the avocado slices or chunks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not touching each other.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the avocado pieces for about an 2 hours until solid.
- Transfer the frozen avocado slices or chunks to a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container.
- Press out any excess air from the bag or container and seal it tightly.
- Label the bag or container with the date.
- Store the avocado slices or chunks in the freezer for future use.
Freezing Mashed Avocados:
- Wash, peel, and pit the avocados.
- Mash the avocados using a fork or a food processor until creamy.
- Add a little lemon or lime juice to the mashed avocado to prevent browning.
- Divide the mashed avocado into individual serving sizes.
- Place the portions in Ziploc freezer bags, airtight containers, or ice cube trays.
- Squeeze out any excess air from the bags or containers, or cover the ice cube tray with plastic wrap.
- Seal the bags or containers tightly and label them with the date.
- Place the bags or containers in the freezer for long-term storage.
How do we calculate the nutrition info?
These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.
