How To Perfectly Ripen An Avocado

Whether smashed onto toast, tossed into a salad, or arranged on your brunch plate in elegant slices, avocados are a versatile, nutritious, and satisfying addition to any meal. However, finding a perfectly ripe, tender avocado at the store can sometimes be a challenge, and more often than not, they'll need a little more time to ripen at home before they're ready to eat. While many people store avocados in the fridge, this isn't always the best idea. If the fruits are still a little firm, there are some more effective ways to store them to help them reach peak ripeness.

You can generally tell whether an avocado is ripe by giving it a gentle squeeze with the palm of your hand. If it's ready to enjoy, it'll feel slightly soft, but not mushy. Another top tip is to try to pull off the stem cap from the top of the avocado. This should be nice and easy to remove, so if it's proving tricky, the avocado might need a little longer to ripen. If your avocados haven't passed the ripeness test just yet, here are the best ways to expedite the process and ensure they'll reach tender, creamy perfection as quickly as possible.

One of the most effective ways to speed up the ripening process is by popping the avocado into a brown paper bag along with a banana or apple. As these fruits ripen, they release ethylene gas, which can help induce ripening in avocados. Keeping everything inside the paper bag helps to trap the ethylene, therefore intensifying its effects. If you use this method, you should have a perfectly ripe avocado within two to four days, and likely a much riper banana too!

It might sound simple, but storing your avocados in a sunny spot is a great way to help them reach peak ripeness. A windowsill or any spot that tends to get a lot of sunlight throughout the day is ideal, with the warmth helping to get that vibrant avocado flesh super tender and flavorful. With this technique, the fruits should be ready to eat within two to five days.

If you're short on time, there's also a speedier approach that can save the day. A super firm avocado is pretty hard to work with, but you can quickly soften it up using the oven or microwave. Just wrap the whole avocado tightly in foil, place it on a baking sheet, and pop this into an oven that's been preheated to 200 F. After ten minutes, check the avocado. It should have softened up nicely, but you can always bake it for longer if needed.

For the microwave method, slice the avocado in half first, wrapping the two pieces in plastic wrap. Then, simply microwave the halves in 30-second intervals until sufficiently softened. While these methods can absolutely improve the texture of an avocado, they likely won't yield the same creaminess and depth of flavor as the slower, more natural ripening techniques. So, the oven and microwave are best reserved for when you're really in a pinch.

Once your avocado has reached the desired level of ripeness, it's ready for slicing, mashing, or blending. Or, if you aren't using it right away, place it into the crisper drawer of your fridge to prevent over-ripening. It should keep well there for up to three days.