How To Freeze Avocado Chunks, Mashed, Whole and Halves

Avocados, with their creamy texture and rich flavor, are a favorite ingredient used in many dishes. But, they don’t stay ripe for long and quickly turn an unappetizing shade of brown once sliced open. Thankfully there’s a solution to that. You can easily freeze avocados – chunks, mashed, whole and halves!

By mastering these freezer methods, you can extend the lifespan of your avocados and enjoy their goodness at your convenience, without the fear of turning brown and going to waste. It’s so easy to prep avocados for freezing and using these methods will help preserve their nutritional value as well as their delicious taste.

This guide is your key to the best methods to freeze each form of avocado. It’s perfect for avocado lovers, meal preppers, smoothie enthusiasts or anyone looking to make the most of your avocados.

How to Freeze Avocados

I love using fresh avocado in recipes but sometimes they can be so expensive. In the past, when they went on sale, I would pick up extras to save money. But even when they were stored in the refrigerator I found that they still quickly became over ripe and started to turn brown. Even before you cut into them!

Thankfully I discovered that avocados can be frozen in just about any form – whole avocados, avocado halves, avocado chunks and even mashed avocados. Even better, freezing them not only saves money, but it saves me time and cuts down on food waste too! Just follow these simple steps below.

Ingredients needed:

• Avocados – pick up your avocados when they are on sale to get the most savings. Use your favorite type of avocado. They all can be frozen with the same methods.

• Lemon Juice – you’ll need to add a little lemon juice to keep any exposed surfaces from going brown. Use fresh lemon juice or try bottled lemon juice. Both work equally well.

• Plastic Wrap or Freezer Bags – you will also need plastic wrap for wrapping whole/half avocados and freezer bags to store all the avocados in.

How to freeze Whole and Half Avocados:

Start by picking fresh avocados that are ripe. Not sure if they are ripe? Check out this post on how to never pick a rotten avocado again. It’s easier than you think.

Wash the whole fruit and dry them off.

Wrap each whole avocado tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag that has been labeled with the date and freeze.

For avocado halves, wash the avocado, dry them and slice them in half. Gently twist the two halves and pull apart. Remove the avocado seed.

To keep the avocado flesh that is exposed to air from going brown you will want to dip the avocado into lemon juice or brush it over the surface.

Wrap each half in tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag that has been labeled with the date and freeze.

Storing frozen whole or half avocados:

For the best taste and texture you can freeze whole or half avocados for 3 to 6 months.

To use them simply take them out of the freezer the day before you need them, place in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw before using them. The texture of the avocado is a bit softer then the fresh fruit so if you are slicing or cutting them into chunks they will be softer. But they still taste delicious.

To freeze avocado chunks:

You can freeze avocado chunks and even avocado slices. Start by washing and drying the avocados.

Slice each avocado in half then gently twist to pull apart. The seed in the middle can be scooped out with a teaspoon.

Using a knife, carefully score the avocado and use a spoon to scoop the cut pieces out of the peel/skin. Place the pieces in a large bowl.

You can drizzle some lemon juice over the chunks and gently toss to coat them in the lemon juice. You can also place lemon juice in a cheap spray bottle and spritz the chunks. Both methods work to coat the pieces in juice needed to keep them from forming brown spots.

Place the pieces separated on a baking sheet that will fit into your freezer. You’ll want to freeze the chunks or slices for an hour before placing in a freezer bag. This will keep them from sticking all together. It makes it so much easier to remove just a few pieces when you need them rather than having to thaw a whole bag full.

Once they are frozen then place the pieces in a freezer-safe bag labelled with the date and freeze.

Storing avocado chunks:

Avocado chunks have the best texture when used within 3 to 6 months.

To use them simply take the amount of chunks you want to use out of the freezer the day before you need them, place in the refrigerator in an airtight container and allow them to thaw before using them. The texture is a bit softer then the fresh fruit so the chunks will be softer than freshly cut chunks. But they will still taste delicious in your recipes.

How to freeze mashed avocados:

I love freezing mashed avocados. It’s the perfect base for making guacamole, any type of avocado based dip, salad dressings or even used to top your favorite foods (tacos, avocado toast, etc).

Wash your whole avocados and dry them. Use a knife to slice open and remove the seed. Make several slices into the avocado.

Scoop out of the avocado pieces and place it in a large bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every two avocados you are using. This will keep the mashed avocados from turning dark and brownish. The color change doesn’t affect the taste  but they just don’t look as nice. 

Add the lemon juice to the bowl and mash the avocados:

 

Place your mashed avocado into airtight containers and freeze.

You can also use plastic freezer bags. The easiest way to package the avocado up is to first roll down the zip lock top of the bag. This prevents bits of avocado from getting in the seam of the zip lock preventing it from closing correctly.

Add in your avocado, gently push the extra air out and seal the bag. You can add any amount to each bag. I usually freeze about 2 avocados worth in each bag.

The bagged mashed avocados are ready to be tossed in your freezer.

I like to place several smaller quart sized bags inside of a gallon sized ziploc bag so they don’t get lost in the back of the freezer. Be sure to place a date on the bag or place a piece of paper with the date you prepared and packaged the mashed avocados inside of the larger freezer bag.

Storing mashed avocados:

Mashed avocados keep well in the freezer for about 6 months.

To use them simply take the container out of the freezer a day or two (depending upon the size of your container) before you need it, place in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw out or set it on the counter for a few hours at room temperature. Use the mashed avocado in your favorite recipes. As time goes on their bright green color may dull a bit but they are still fine.

Tips for freezing avocados:

• Use ripe avocados – make sure that your avocados are ripe and not still hard before processing and freezing. If you are freezing whole avocados once they thaw out they won’t continue to ripen. They need to be frozen when they are ripe.

• Lemon juice – you need some type of citrus juice to help prevent browning. Don’t have lemon juice? You can also use lime juice or even a citric acid powder you purchased in your local grocery store to help keep the avocados from browning. Look for Fruit Fresh or Ball Fresh Produce Protector powder. It can be sprinkled on the fruit or mixed in water that the fruit is dipped/soaked in before freezing.

• Use airtight containers or freezer storage bags – avocados begin to turn brown when exposed to the air. Citrus juice and citric acid can help slow down this process. Keeping air out also helps. This is where wrapping in plastic and storage bags can help. Mashed avocado should be kept in containers without a lot of head space whenever possible.

How can you tell when an avocado is ripe?

I’m sure everyone has a method they like to use to figure out the perfect level of ripeness for their avocados.

Forget all those tips on how and where to squeeze it and just how soft it needs to be to know it’s ripe. I’ve got a method that is pretty much fool proof. You can tell if it’s not ripe enough OR if it’s past it’s best eating point and has started to turn brown. It’s the best way to check for ripeness.

Check out the information here and you will never buy a rotten avocado again!

How do you ripen avocados?

Avocados ripen easily on their own when just let on the counter. Check them daily to see if they are starting to soften before you freeze them.

Want to ripen them faster? Place the avocados in a paper bag. Avocados are one of the fruits that release a gas (ethylene) that is used by the plant to make it ripen. Placing the fruit in a paper bag traps some of the gas (without trapping in moisture) and this causes the fruit to ripen quicker.

Are avocados health?

Avocados are a nutrient dense food that provides a substantial amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for the calories provided.

One third of a medium avocado (50 grams) has 80 calories and contains about 20 different vitamins and minerals.

Avocados contain heart healthy fats (monounsaturated fats).

They help to increase the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K so including them with other foods makes them a nutrient booster.

Avocados creamy texture and mild flavor means it can easily be incorporated into other foods to provide nutrients but won’t over power other flavors.

With all of these benefits why not add some avocado to your meals today? Why not try them in some of these recipes below.

Related Recipes:

Guacamole Deviled Eggs – why not created these tasty deviled eggs with your avocado.

Add some avocado to these Chicken Enchiladas.

Try sliced avocado on these pork carnitas rice bowls or these carne asada street tacos.

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