How To Freeze and Thaw Avocado

Picture this: you need to make an appetizer for a spur of the moment cocktail party. What to do? Or maybe you wake up in the mood for Huevos Rancheros, and would really like some guacamole to go with that. Fear not, if you have avocado in your freezer, your bacon is saved!

Avocado is great to have on hand for spur-of-the-moment dips, spreads, and dressings, but it's sometimes difficult to find ready-to-use avocados in the store. Putting up avocado in the freezer can be a good strategy to ensure you always have the good stuff on hand, and lets you take advantage of times of bounty at your local store.

Avocado freezes best when it has been pureed with a bit of lemon or lime juice because citrus juice helps keep the avocado from browning. Pureeing ensures that the juice is thoroughly mixed into the fruit. If you freeze mashed or cubed avocado, it will turn brown even if mixed with juice because the juice hasn't penetrated all the way through the whole pieces.

How To Freeze Avocado

1. Prep:: Place two peeled, pitted avocados into a blender, and add a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice.
2. Puree: Puree in blender until smooth, but not runny.
3. Seal: Scrape the puree into resealable plastic bags, squeeze the air out, and seal. Or, pack into a freezer-proof container, and press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface of the avocado to protect it from freezer burn before affixing the lid to the container.

The pureed avocado should last in the freezer up to five months.

How to Thaw Frozen Avocado

When you're ready to use your pureed avocado, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. If you're in more of a hurry, you can use the defrost setting of your microwave to thaw it. It's best to leave the avocado more on the icy side. Don't let it get warm at all or it will lose that fresh taste. Thaw the remaining ice crystals by stirring them into the avocado puree.