How to Store Mashed Avocado: The Complete Guide

Are you looking for a way to keep your mashed avocados fresh for a lengthy or short period? Before storing them next time, you’ll want to learn the best storage method.

To store mashed avocado for the long-term you must freeze it. Keep it in a ziplock bag or Tupperware container to prevent them from browning, and mix in some lime or lemon juice before freezing them. For the short-term, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container with a layer of water on top.

This article will discuss an in-depth explanation on how to store avocados properly. In addition, I’ll inform you what simple juice can be added to avocados which will help prolong it longer. If you would like to learn more, continue reading.

Why Store Mashed Avocados?

mashed avocado in a bowl. — Mashed avocado in a bowl

As a Certified Health Coach many clients ask me about food storage including avocados. Also, I purchase and consume them every week. Therefore, I have researched this topic in the past and present. Let’s examine the storage methods closely.

There are quite a few reasons you may want to store mashed avocados. Avocados are expensive, unlike bananas, oranges, and various other fruits and vegetables. During certain seasons, they may be more expensive.

Sometimes, you will find a lot of avocados on sale and be able to buy a bunch for cheap, but you will then need to find a way to store all of them so that they remain fresh.

Mashed avocados are perfect for any occasion. They can be used as a dip for your tortilla chips, substitute for butter for your toast, or mixed in a salad with eggs or tuna. You can even eat them plain or with some seasonings.

Instead of storing whole avocados, which take up a lot of space, you can save space by removing the peels and pits and storing only the green fruit.

Storing mashed avocado also allows you to have a quick and easy snack on hand whenever you need it with minimal preparation.

You can also quickly make avocado toast in the morning when you are in a rush without cutting and pitting the avocados.

Avocados are packed with healthy nutrients and fats, and they make a healthy addition to any diet¹. However, things get a little tricky when it comes to storing them, as avocados tend to rot very easily compared to other fruits.

Nevertheless, there are ways to store your mashed avocados to make them last for a very long time.

Wait Until Mashing Unripe Avocados

If you have many unripe avocados, it is best to leave them out until they get ripe. Some people put them in the fridge, but that will just make it take longer for the avocados to ripen. Additionally, if you put them in the freezer, you may end up damaging the cell structure of the avocados during the defrosting process.

If you are trying to get your avocados to ripen as quickly as possible, you can put them in a paper bag with a banana. This speeds up the ripening process. However, once the avocados do ripen, don’t leave them out too long, or they will become overripe.

Instead, it is time to mash them. If you are not mashing them right away, keep them in the fridge to stop them from becoming overripe.

You will know when it is time to mash your avocados when you can gently squeeze them and feel soft before they turn brown. The stem should pop off easily, but the avocado should not be so mushy that it just cracks open².

How to Mash Your Avocados Correctly

First, cut your avocados neatly in half with a sharp knife.
Remove the pit with a spoon and then use the spoon to scoop out the fruit.
Place all the scoops in a mixing bowl and use a potato masher. If you want a chunkier mixture that does not have a super smooth texture, you can use a metal fork instead of a potato masher to mash the avocados.

mashed avocado toast — Mashed avocado toast

How to Prevent Mashed Avocados From Browning

Now that you have mashed your avocados, it’s time to freeze or refrigerate them. This is because once you cut open the avocado, it will automatically speed up the ripening process.

As such, freezing your mashed avocados is the way to go for the long-term. This is also why you don’t want to wait until your avocados are too ripe before you mash them. Mash them before they start getting brown.

While you mash your avocados, cut a lemon or lime into two slices.
Squeeze the lemon juice onto the mashed avocado. This will help prevent the avocados from turning brown.
Mix the lemon juice in the mixture thoroughly so that it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Not only does adding lemon or lime juice help prevent the mashed avocado from browning, but it also adds a bit of flavor³. You can also use plain, pure lemon juice if you do not have any lemons on hand.

How much lemon juice should you use? This depends on the size of your avocados, but it should generally be between one and two teaspoons per avocado. If your avocados are small, lean towards one teaspoon. If your avocados are particularly large, lean towards two teaspoons.

If you do not have any lemons or lemon juice, you can substitute a small piece of raw onion or garlic, as some people have reported that this helps stop the browning. However, you may not see any improvements with these methods, so try to stick to lemon juice when possible.

How to Store Mashed Avocado in the Fridge

You can also store your avocado in your fridge if you plan on using it within the next few days⁴. Any longer than that, you should freeze it. This method also works when you have removed your frozen mashed avocado from the freezer and are now keeping it in the fridge for a few days or a week as you use it.

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Place the mashed avocado in an airtight Tupperware container. Make sure that the mixture is condensed and completely mashed, without any air bubbles If you need new or better containers, Amazon sells any type you need and unique ideas you probably never thought of. Check them out by clicking here, food storage containers.
Place a thin layer of water or olive oil on top of the mixture. This will help prevent air from getting to the avocado and will protect it from browning⁵.
Close the Tupperware container and place it in a plastic bag, if possible.

If you can, place the Tupperware on the top shelf, in the back of the fridge, so that it is in a cooler environment. If you place it near the front of the fridge or on the door shelf, it will get more exposure to warm air and will be more likely to brown.

When you are ready to serve the mashed avocado, pour out the water. If you have any leftovers, add new water when you put it back in the fridge.

Make sure to pour out all the water so that your guacamole does not get watery. Also, thoroughly mix the guacamole after you pour out the water to be creamy instead of watery. If you used olive oil, mix it in.

If you’re wondering if you can store avocados with other fruit like oranges, check my blog post by clicking here, Can You Store Avocados and Oranges Together?

How to Store Your Mashed Avocado in the Freezer

In addition to using lemon juice, it is important not to allow air to get to your mashed avocado, even in the freezer. You can put the mashed avocado in a ziplock bag to prevent air from getting in.

You can also put it in an airtight Tupperware container to protect it⁶. This is less messy than a bag, and the container can double as your bowl when you are ready to serve the mashed avocado.

You can even divide your mashed avocado into many small Tupperware containers so that you can use each container as needed. Don’t forget to leave a little space at the top⁷.

For example, if you use your mashed avocado to make avocado toast in the morning and each small Tupperware lasts for one week, you can take out one Tupperware container a week and keep it in your fridge. This way, you don’t have to expose the rest of the mashed avocado to the open air.

Another option is using double protection by putting the Tupperware containers in large, ziplock bags. This will provide your avocados with the best protection from browning. Avocados can last in the freezer for 4 to 6 months ((NASD: Food Storage for Safety and Quality)).

How to Defrost Frozen Mashed Avocado

The best way to defrost mashed avocado is to keep it in the fridge as it slowly thaws out. This will help keep it fresh and maintain its creamy texture.

If you do not have time to wait, you can also leave it out at room temperature but place it in cold water to stay in a somewhat-chilly environment while it is thawing. If you are defrosting avocado cubes, you can place them in a bowl of cold water, wait five to ten minutes, and then drain the water.

How to Make Frozen Avocado Cubes

Frozen avocado or cubes taste pretty good⁸. They are a healthy alternative to ice cream, and you can use them as dessert, either plain or as a topping on top of a cake or bowl of sorbet. You can also use them with some whipped cream to top a bowl of fruit.

If you want to create frozen avocado cubes, take your mashed avocado and fill up a plastic ice cube tray with it.
Make sure to add lemon juice beforehand to prevent them from browning.
Then, place the ice cube tray in the freezer and cover it with plastic wrap or silver foil. You can also put the entire tray in a ziplock plastic bag if it fits.

Making avocado cubes. — Making avocado cubes

Can You Microwave Frozen Mashed Avocado?

What if you are in a rush and need to use your mashed avocado quickly? Can you thaw it in the microwave for a few minutes instead of waiting for it to thaw on your countertop?

If you have no other options, you can do that. However, it is not ideal, as it might make your avocado too warm for comfort. Additionally, it may mess around with the texture a little. If you want to speed up the thawing process, putting it in lukewarm or cold water would be better.

It should not take more than an hour to thaw that way. If you use a microwave, try selecting the defrost option, if available, instead of the regular option.

How to Tell if Mashed Avocado Has Gone Bad

How can you tell if you can still use mashed avocado? If you have properly stored it and taken the necessary precautions to keep it fresh, it will last for a long time. However, you may notice that it is starting to get brown and extremely mushy.

A little bit of browning is okay because you can always remove the brown part and keep the green parts. However, if the entire mixture is starting to get brown, you should probably throw it out. This is especially true if you are noticing a musky, weird smell or any mold or mildew growing.

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