How to Ripen Avocados Quickly (4 Easy Methods)
on Feb 09, 2022
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Learn how to ripen avocados quickly! This step-by-step guide shows you how to tell if an avocado is ripe along with 4 easy methods for ripening them faster. Enjoy the delicious and creamy ripe avocados every time!
Avocados, the superfood that many of us love, have grown in popularity by leaps and bounds. From vegans, to millennials, and everyone in between, there’s a lot to adore about avocados. We can’t get enough of it in creamy guacamole, mixed into fresh salads, as a tasty addition to toast, and swirled into smoothies. This compact fruit is incredibly versatile!
You might be surprised to learn that avocados are actually a fruit, not a vegetable! They’re high in fiber and healthy unsaturated fat, help to lower bad cholesterol, and pack 20 different nutrients into their small size.
If you’ve gone to the grocery store and scored a great deal on avocados, you’re in luck! Even if the avocados are hard and unripe, there are ways to speed up the process so you can enjoy them sooner. Keep reading to learn more!
How to Tell If an Avocado is Ripe?
There are a few telltale signs that will help you determine if an avocado is ripe and ready to eat.
- If the skin of the avocado is dark green or almost black, it’s ripe and should be used quickly.
- Hold the avocado in your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. If it yields a bit it’s ripe, if it’s hard it isn’t ripe, and if it gives very easily or is mushy, it’s overripe.
Can You Ripen an Avocado in the Microwave?
Microwaves usually aren’t a good option to speed up the ripening process. While a microwaved avocado may seem softer, it may not taste ripe at all.
How Do You Ripen an Avocado Overnight?
There are a few easy ways to quickly ripen an avocado. From other ripe fruit, to rice, and even an air fryer, you can enjoy that unripe avocado sooner than you think! Below are 4 ways to quickly ripen avocados.
How to Ripen Avocados Fast (4 Methods)
1. Place them in a paper bag with other fruits
Grab a ripe apple, or a banana, or a kiwi, and a paper bag and add your unripe avocados. The ethylene gas produced by these fruits will cause your avocado to ripen. Fold and seal the bag and leave overnight. In the morning, you should have an avocado that’s ready to enjoy!
2. Bury the avocados in rice
Similar to the ripe fruit method, covering an unripe avocado with uncooked rice helps to trap ethylene gas and accelerate ripening.
3. Ripen avocados in an oven
If you’re really stuck, try your oven! Note that it won’t have the best flavor, but this method can do the trick. Preheat the oven to 200˚F. Wrap the avocado in foil and place it on a baking sheet. Check it after 10 minutes to see how much it has softened. When it has reached the desired softness, allow it to cool, and then place it in the fridge to cool completely before using.
4. Ripen avocados in an air fryer
Similar to an oven, avocados can be quickly ripened in an air fryer. Wrap the avocado in foil and place in an air fryer set to 400˚F. Heat for 10 minutes and remove if it has reached the desired softness. Allow the avocado to cool at room temperature and then cool completely in the fridge before using.
How Long Does it Take for an Avocado to Ripen?
Left on a counter at room temperature, it takes anywhere from 4 to 7 days for an avocado to ripen. The time to ripen depends on the temperature of your home, and how ripe it was when purchased.
Can You Really Ripen an Avocado in 10 Minutes?
Using the oven or air fryer can ripen an avocado in a very short amount of time. Just keep in mind that the texture and possibly the flavor may not be the same as an avocado ripened at room temperature.
How to Cut an Avocado?
Once you’ve cut into an avocado a few times, you’ll be an expert!
- Using one hand and gripping one side of the avocado, use a large sharp knife and cut lengthwise around the seed.
- When you’ve completely cut around the seed, hold the avocado with both hands and twist; the halves should easily open leaving the seed on one side.
- To remove the seed, either cut each side of the avocado again to end up with 4 slices. You can then pop the seed out with a spoon. Or, if you’re comfortable with the knife, grab a thick kitchen towel and hold the avocado with the pit facing up. Use a heavy knife with enough force to wedge it into the pit. Then slightly twist the knife to remove the pit from the avocado. Use the towel to push the seed off of the knife.
How to Store Avocados?
After ripening your avocados at room temperature, use them as quickly as possible. If you know you won’t be using them right away, ripe avocados can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If you’ve already cut into a ripe avocado, seal the cut surface with lemon juice, lime juice or olive oil, and tightly cover with plastic wrap, ensuring that the plastic wrap is touching the flesh of the avocado.
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How to Ripen Avocados (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Ingredients
- 2 Avocados
- Optional apple, banana, or kiwi
Instructions
Place them in a paper bag with other fruits
- Add the unripe avocados to a paper bag together with a ripe apple, banana, or kiwi.
- Fold and seal the bag and leave overnight. In the morning, you should have avocado that’s ready to enjoy!
Bury avocados in rice
- Cover unripe avocados with uncooked rice helps to trap ethylene gas and accelerate ripening.
Ripen avocados in an oven
- Preheat the oven to 200˚F.
- Wrap the avocado in foil and place it on a baking sheet.
- Check it after 10 minutes to see how much it has softened.
- When it has reached the desired softness, allow it to cool, and then place it in the fridge to cool completely before using.
Ripen avocados in an air fryer
- Wrap the avocado in foil and place in an air fryer set to 400˚F.
- Heat for 10 minutes and remove if it has reached the desired softness.
- Allow the avocado to cool at room temperature and then cool completely in the fridge before using.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
