Avocados have such a short window of being perfectly ripe, and often they can take a very long time to reach that soft and tender ripeness. However, you won’t need to wait long when you learn these tips and tricks to speed up the ripening process! In this blog post, I will share how to quickly ripen avocados in two easy steps.
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How to Tell if an Avocado Is Ripe
First, you’ll need to know how ripe your avocado currently is! There are two main ways to check on ripeness and determine what method to use to speed up the ripening process.
The Squeeze Test
The squeeze test is where you gently squeeze around the avocado. It is perfectly ripe if the avocado gives a bit and feels soft but not squishy. If there is no give and the avocado is completely hard, it is not ripe. A slight amount of give means it is a day or two away from being ripe on its own.
The Color Test
The color test is another way to determine the ripeness of an avocado. Unripe avocados will be a lighter shade of green and can be very bright green. As an avocado ripens, the exterior color will darken to a deep shade of green, to almost black. An overripe avocado will usually be black and start to shrivel.
How to Tell if an Avocado Is Past Ripe and Going Bad
Avocados that are going bad will have a few telltale signs.
- Sunken in spots when squeezing an avocado means that those areas have rotting flesh, and an overly squishy avocado has typically overripened.
- When cut open, a bad avocado can have a foul smell and typically will have brown flesh that is often spotted or striped with darker shades of brown.
It is always best to throw away any avocados that have begun going bad, even if parts of the flesh inside are still green, as they could cause illness if eaten.
How to Quickly Ripen Avocados
Option 1. Place the Avocados on the Counter
The first and most well-known way to ripen avocados is to place them on the counter. Ripening this way is usually best for avocados that are only a day or two away from being fully ripe, which can be determined by having a slight give in the squeeze test. Also, keep them out of the full sun when placed on the counter.
Option 2. Use a Paper Bag
To ripen avocados more quickly, use a paper bag with a few holes poked in it. Place the avocado in the bag along with another fruit such as an apple, banana, or kiwi, roll the bag closed, and place the bag on the counter.
Some fruits emit lots of ethylene when ripening, and trapping that ethylene in the paper bag speeds up the ripening process. Avocados contain it as well, so the paper bag alone may be enough to speed up the process, but consider adding one of these fruits for extra fast ripening.
What NOT to Do When Trying to Quickly Ripen Avocados
When attempting to speed up the process of ripening an avocado quickly, do NOT microwave the avocado! It will only soften the avocado, but the flesh inside will still be sour or tasteless.
How to Store Avocados
Store any unripe avocados on the counter, unless you need to speed up the process with the paper bag method. A dry and cool place is usually best for storing avocados on the counter, out of any sunlight, which can cause avocados to rot.
Store ripe avocados in the fridge to stop the ripening process. Storing in the refrigerator can keep the avocados ripe for up to 5 days. Cut halves of ripe avocados should be stored tightly wrapped in the fridge, and they can stay ripe for up to 3 to 4 days.
