Got a surplus of ripe avocados and now you’re wondering, “Can I freeze these?” Great news – you can! Here’s how…..
Can You Freeze Avocados?
Yes, you can freeze avocados for up to 6 months. Don’t grab a whole avocado and toss it into the freezer. You’ll need to cut it in half, squeeze lemon juice over it, wrap it, and then pop it into the freezer. (**Full Instructions Below – Whole, Sliced, Etc**)
¿ Se congela bien? Sometimes
¿Se puede volver a congelar ? No
How to Freeze Avocados
Freezing avocados is a surprisingly effective way to extend the shelf-life of this delicious and nutritious fruit.
Tiempo necesario: 10 minutos
Freezing avocados is a really simple process, so let’s walk through it (nice and easy) step-by-step.
- Prepare Avocados
Prepare the avocados as you usually would by cutting them in half, and removing the stone (also called the “pit”). We’ve got a video below that shows you how to safely remove the pit. You’ll then want to drizzle or brush 1 tsp of lemon juice over the avocado halves. This helps prevent browning (oxidation) in the freezer.
- Wrap and Freeze
Wrap each avocado half in cling film and place it in the freezer on a cookie sheet. Leave them for several hours or overnight if possible.
- Bag Up and Freeze
When they have fully frozen, you can remove them from the plate and place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag to retrieve as and when you need them. This flash-freezing process will help protect the avocado when you freeze it for the longer term.
How to Freeze Different Forms of Avocado
Slices
Slice the avocado, sprinkle with a bit of lemon or lime juice, then arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the tray into the freezer for a few hours until the slices are frozen solid before bagging them up.
Be warned, though! The texture may be slightly different after thawing, becoming a bit mushy. They will also turn a little beige or brown.
Puree
Cut the avocado in half, ditch the pit, and scoop out all that tasty green flesh. Pop it into a blender or food processor, and add just a lemon or lime juice splash. This not only amps up the flavour but also helps keep the puree a vibrant green colour – to a degree!
Whiz it up until it’s nice and smooth, then scoop your puree into a freezer-safe bag or container. Press it flat in the bag for easy, space-saving storage, and into the freezer it goes! Full instructions here.
Pipe It
If you’re using a bag, cut a small corner off when you’re ready to use it and squeeze out the amount you need, like a piping bag. This way, you can store the rest easily!
Oil
Pour the oil into ice cube trays or any other small, freezer-safe containers, and pop it in the freezer. Once the oil has solidified, you can pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer bag or container for long-term storage.
The primary advantage of freezing avocado oil is that it will preserve the oil’s nutritional profile and flavour for much longer than storing it at room temperature.
How Long Can You Freeze Avocados?
You can leave avocados in the freezer for around 6 months. Unfortunately, I find that their appearance tends to degrade pretty rapidly, no matter what precautions you take.
If you keep it in the freezer beyond this point, your avoid will be fine, but there is a huge risk it will degrade in flavour and rapidly turn brown.
How Do You Defrost Avocados?
To defrost your avocado halves, place them on a plate in the fridge and leave for around 18 hours or overnight if possible. You want to opt for a slow and steady approach when defrosting avocados to try to maintain some of the texture.
Can You Refreeze Avocados?
WARNING
There is an increased risk of foodborne pathogens if you refreeze partially thawed fruits and raw or blanched vegetables….this includes avocados and avocado puree.
We don’t recommend refreezing avocados (see above warning).
Additionally, avocado is very sensitive – so when you freeze then thaw it, you’ll already have broken down the texture and lost some of the flavours.
¿Se congelan bien los aguacates?
If you’re comparing fresh to frozen, then it has to be fresh, unfortunately. You’ve probably seen what happens when you leave an avocado out on the side for just a few minutes… The same happens as you thaw avocado.
There isn’t a huge difference between frozen or fresh in terms of taste, but the colour can be off-putting if it does turn particularly brown.
Of course, if the option is throwing it in the bin or freezing it, do what you can to avoid wasting it.
It’s Going to Look Manky
I’m not going to lie… Thawed avocado looks pretty manky (especially if you didn’t add lemon juice and get all the air out). It’s discoloured. Brown. Slimy. Dappled. Try using it in another dish (salsas, smoothies or sauces) where its appearance isn’t too much of a big deal.
FAQs
Freezing a whole avocado is not a good idea. Freezing it in this way will completely ruin the texture. Instead, it is better to freeze avocado in halves without the stone.
It’s not recommended to defrost avocados in the microwave as it tends to result in a mushy texture and ruins the fresh taste we all love in avocados.
Uncut avocados will last for quite a long time in the fridge, up to 2 weeks. Once cut open, they will only keep for around 24 hours, unfortunately.
Sources
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