Avocado
I Learned the Hard Way That You Can't Actually Freeze Avocados
If you've ever wondered, "Can you freeze avocados?" please read this cautionary tale.
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70 Comments
Alexandra A.
March 20, 2024
Hello you all
I live in Portugal and i buy deepfreeze avocado all the time at my local grocer when can't find fresh. At home deepfreeze Fast😘
I live in Portugal and i buy deepfreeze avocado all the time at my local grocer when can't find fresh. At home deepfreeze Fast😘
JJ W.
September 5, 2022
I’m another successful avocado freezer, and I’m extremely kitchen challenged. My freezer is usually around 5 degrees Fahrenheit when working right.
I just mash the avocados with some lemon juice and then put about half a Haas avocado’s worth in a zip snack or sandwich bag and flatten them out to the edges of the bag (can help get rid of air if you wait until done to completely seal the zip). Then seal the bag and freeze flat horizontally. Once frozen you can also stack them vertically. Thawing a package doesn’t take long while preparing the rest of your meal, just set on the counter for a short time. If impatient, I have just broken off still-frozen chunks to eat or to put directly on crackers.
When I can’t pick out my own avocados and don’t trust other shoppers, a satisfactory substitute is to get frozen diced avocados. For example, Kroger’s have them in 1 lb bags. They have lemon juice and some other ingredients added to them. I do weigh them out in eight 2-ounce zip snack bags and after filling the bags and sealing them, I spread them out in one layer inside the bag with my fingers as I do when freezing fresh blueberries, cherries, sliced strawberries or bananas, etc. Try to freeze them horizontally at least initially so they stay spread out, in case they have thawed a little while transporting and processing them. This prevents them freezing together in one big clump. They don’t thaw as quickly as my thin layers of mash, but they get to the edible stage and even can be sliced in half soon enough for me just on the counter while I’m getting other food together or fighting off the cats. I either eat them by themselves or pile them on crackers or chips. If you like them on salads, it would be easy to just add them as-is, just give them enough time to thaw a bit before diving into the greens.
I ran into a hidden stack of my mashed avocado in zip sandwich bags (which make a very thin layer) that might have been in the freezer for a year or so (had missed my yearly opportunity for defrosting the upright freezer). They were still fine to eat. They may have been a little darker in a few spots than usual when you eat them up in a sensible time frame, but I’m not that fussy.
A more expensive alternative is to get those 2-ounce sealed little cups of mashed avocado, plain or with the Everything seasoning added. Kroger has those from Simple Truth; there are other brands. The little cups can be successfully frozen, I just opened up one frozen a few months ago and was able to start scraping off avocado with a cracker pretty quickly. Usually I just take a frozen little cup and set it in the refrigerator overnight, that works also.
Don’t know why you had such trouble with yours, maybe you didn’t add enough lemon juice? Or your freezer is set too high? Or you left it out on a counter to thaw too long? It should have worked just tossed into a bag like that, others have certainly frozen several avocados mashed together on a single much bigger bag before, but you need to thaw them in the refrigerator for that (unlike my avocado sheets). Never tried freezing halves or while, but definitely others have done it. The instructions I followed for mashed avocado was to just add lemon juice and not something like tomatoes, which would make them too watery. So if you want to make guacamole, wait until they are thawed to add the other ingredients.
I just mash the avocados with some lemon juice and then put about half a Haas avocado’s worth in a zip snack or sandwich bag and flatten them out to the edges of the bag (can help get rid of air if you wait until done to completely seal the zip). Then seal the bag and freeze flat horizontally. Once frozen you can also stack them vertically. Thawing a package doesn’t take long while preparing the rest of your meal, just set on the counter for a short time. If impatient, I have just broken off still-frozen chunks to eat or to put directly on crackers.
When I can’t pick out my own avocados and don’t trust other shoppers, a satisfactory substitute is to get frozen diced avocados. For example, Kroger’s have them in 1 lb bags. They have lemon juice and some other ingredients added to them. I do weigh them out in eight 2-ounce zip snack bags and after filling the bags and sealing them, I spread them out in one layer inside the bag with my fingers as I do when freezing fresh blueberries, cherries, sliced strawberries or bananas, etc. Try to freeze them horizontally at least initially so they stay spread out, in case they have thawed a little while transporting and processing them. This prevents them freezing together in one big clump. They don’t thaw as quickly as my thin layers of mash, but they get to the edible stage and even can be sliced in half soon enough for me just on the counter while I’m getting other food together or fighting off the cats. I either eat them by themselves or pile them on crackers or chips. If you like them on salads, it would be easy to just add them as-is, just give them enough time to thaw a bit before diving into the greens.
I ran into a hidden stack of my mashed avocado in zip sandwich bags (which make a very thin layer) that might have been in the freezer for a year or so (had missed my yearly opportunity for defrosting the upright freezer). They were still fine to eat. They may have been a little darker in a few spots than usual when you eat them up in a sensible time frame, but I’m not that fussy.
A more expensive alternative is to get those 2-ounce sealed little cups of mashed avocado, plain or with the Everything seasoning added. Kroger has those from Simple Truth; there are other brands. The little cups can be successfully frozen, I just opened up one frozen a few months ago and was able to start scraping off avocado with a cracker pretty quickly. Usually I just take a frozen little cup and set it in the refrigerator overnight, that works also.
Don’t know why you had such trouble with yours, maybe you didn’t add enough lemon juice? Or your freezer is set too high? Or you left it out on a counter to thaw too long? It should have worked just tossed into a bag like that, others have certainly frozen several avocados mashed together on a single much bigger bag before, but you need to thaw them in the refrigerator for that (unlike my avocado sheets). Never tried freezing halves or while, but definitely others have done it. The instructions I followed for mashed avocado was to just add lemon juice and not something like tomatoes, which would make them too watery. So if you want to make guacamole, wait until they are thawed to add the other ingredients.
Food52Mel
September 1, 2022
I have success for smoothies.
I just don't do it often because it's extremely hard to hit the right day for cutting and preserving them in bulk and I hate throwing them out when they brown, even while I think I'm being vigilant.
Step 1. Put avocado pulp into something that's going to make step 2 easiest.
Step 2. With a potato masher, mash all those pieces up into a semi-smooth, but still slightly lump consistency. This is my preference because it's easy not because it can't be blended or something.
Step 3. Take some lemon juice and shake it a few times over the avocado mash and stir it in.
Step 4. Get some ice cube trays and fill them with the avocado mush and freeze them.
Step 5. Once frozen, put in a gallon sized baggie for use in smoothies.
I usually take all my frozen stuff outta the freezer for smoothies and let it thaw some in the mason jar I am gonna blend it in.
I just don't do it often because it's extremely hard to hit the right day for cutting and preserving them in bulk and I hate throwing them out when they brown, even while I think I'm being vigilant.
Step 1. Put avocado pulp into something that's going to make step 2 easiest.
Step 2. With a potato masher, mash all those pieces up into a semi-smooth, but still slightly lump consistency. This is my preference because it's easy not because it can't be blended or something.
Step 3. Take some lemon juice and shake it a few times over the avocado mash and stir it in.
Step 4. Get some ice cube trays and fill them with the avocado mush and freeze them.
Step 5. Once frozen, put in a gallon sized baggie for use in smoothies.
I usually take all my frozen stuff outta the freezer for smoothies and let it thaw some in the mason jar I am gonna blend it in.
Allie.cat
April 16, 2022
Try it without cutting them in half first and then defrost them after freezing :) the oxidation going to ruin the avocado no matter how you try to seal it
Chris H.
February 17, 2022
I make what is called Taco Shop Guacamole and freeze it in a silicon ice cube tray. Freezes and thaws out perfectly. I've been doing this for years with great success. The beauty of the cubes is you can easily pull out just a handful for Taco Night and leave the remainder for another meals
Gurleygirl
December 2, 2021
Even though I froze them ripe, thawed them in the refrigerator and they looked good; the flavor was different!
cookinalong
August 8, 2021
In literally seconds of googling, I found this https://californiaavocado.com/how-to/how-to-freeze-california-avocados/. In less time than it took the writer to pen this inaccurate post, not to mention the wasted avocados, she could have done a bit of research. I'll save you a bit of time following the URL. According to the California Avocado Commission, you most definitely CAN freeze avocados. The website gives clear, complete info about how to do so. I expect better from the NYT. Food52 isn't some one person amateur blog.
erunuevo
May 8, 2021
I'm gonna stop you right there..... frozen avocado has saved me MANY times! When all I can find are hard avocados and I need them asap ( I like them as a spread/dip so....mushy) I freeze them whole. When they thaw the cell walls will have been pierced by ice crystals and they will be soft. Is it perfectly green? Maybe not. I don't really notice. It tastes good.
Michelle A.
May 5, 2021
I freeze avocados all the time - I do cut them into chunks and add lime juice. They’re ok on toast or for guac, but in all honesty if I have a good fresh one, that’s my preference. I mostly use my frozen avos for my morning green smoothie though, it’s absolutely perfect for that.
Angela H.
May 28, 2020
I just finished a previously frozen avocado on a bagel and it was perfect!
I think it depends on the state your avocado was in when you freeze it, as I've seen too many rotten avocados when i cut them fresh. Obviously those ones, would freeze as rotten.
If you happen on a good bunch, then i recommend freezing a few whole. Let it defrost for an hr before consuming and it'll be perfect!
I think it depends on the state your avocado was in when you freeze it, as I've seen too many rotten avocados when i cut them fresh. Obviously those ones, would freeze as rotten.
If you happen on a good bunch, then i recommend freezing a few whole. Let it defrost for an hr before consuming and it'll be perfect!
Corbbin G.
September 13, 2020
You're just teasing us here at this point. What is your secret? How ripe must an avocado be? What other ingredients did you add?
Jana E.
February 4, 2020
I don't know that I'd freeze an avocado and try to use it in something like guac or on toast, but I freeze mine for sauces and they blend in great - same creamy effect.
Naschol
June 10, 2019
I just toss them in my freezer whole and they thaw beautifully for guac. I have done this in both my regular and my frost-free freezer and they both work.
Jin J.
April 3, 2019
I have tried freezing the avocado in a laboratory freezer at-25 degree Celsius. And it can out just as it went in. Thawing took over 1 hours in 74 degree Fahrenheit and the tasted did not change at all. In fact, I did not used any lemon juice or citric acid.
I think you can do the same with dry ice at home. Or if you have access to liquid nitrogen perhaps that will be better.
I think you can do the same with dry ice at home. Or if you have access to liquid nitrogen perhaps that will be better.
Lauren N.
May 10, 2019
Yes, I think this is the way to do it as well. I'm going to attempt putting mine in the -80 and see how that goes.
Monica Y.
March 26, 2019
The reason you failed and others haven't is because of the time it takes for your particular freezer to freeze food. All freezing isn't the same. If a food's temperature is lowered slowly so that eventually it becomes frozen, this creates larger ice crystals and those particles distort the texture of your food. It's more noticeable in something soft like an avocado. If the food is flash frozen (frozen very quickly like the people in that movie Day After Tomorrow), the ice crystals are small enough to not distort the texture of the food. That's why commercially frozen food is always better than the stuff you freeze in your refrigerator's freezer. If you have a deep freezer, try putting them in the bottom of that. If your freezer has a power freeze option, try using that to speed up the time it takes to freeze the avocados. I haven't tried freezing them myself, but I know a little about commercially frozen food.
Lura
July 18, 2018
Did anyone experience bowel problems after eating a thawed avocado in a smoothie?
Taylor M.
July 17, 2018
You went wrong with a couple different things; not using lemon juice, not taking out the seed and not peeling the avocado. I'm not sure why but in my experience the avocado peel and seed just make for a disaster is the freezer. Peel and seed the avocado and then brush with a little lemon juice, make sure there is ZERO air in the bag when freezing (I crumple up some plastic wrap and put it in the divets where the seed was and it works great) and you'll do great! I use frozen avocados in guacamole and other recipes, I do not like avocado plain so I have never tried a frozen avocado plain before, so I can not tell you how it tastes but in the recipes I taste little to no difference. Hope this helps!
Smaug
February 4, 2020
The pit may act as a heat sink and slow the freezing of the fruit considerably, particularly near the pit (see Monica Y's comments above). At $2 a pop, I don't have avocados to experiment with.
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