It is possible for an unripe avocado to ripen after being cut. A little patience and these steps are all you need to save your avocado.
If you have accidentally cut an unripe avocado, do not throw it away! Try out some of these methods to ripen it up.
How to Ripen an Already Cut up Avocado
- Put It on the Counter – One way to ripen an already cut avocado is to use plastic wrap. Put the two halves of the avocado back together using plastic wrap, masking tape, rubber bands, or a piece of twine. Make sure to secure them tightly together so that they cannot come open.
Now place the avocado back on the counter or in the fruit basket. Wait for 12 hours, and then check for ripeness by poking it gently. If it hasn’t ripened yet, wait for another 12 hours.
- Put It in the Fridge – To follow this method, first, you need to remove the stone from the avocado and then sprinkle the flesh with some citrus juice. This will prevent enzymatic browning.
Now wrap it in a cling film tightly to reduce moisture and air contact and put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To check if it’s ready by pressing on it tightly; if you can squeeze it a little, it is ready.
- Put It in the Microwave – For this method, you need to remove the stone and wrap the avocado in microwave-friendly plastic then microwave it for 3 minutes.
Make sure to keep the temperature at medium-high and check it frequently to see if it has reached your desired level of ripeness. Once it is ripe, take it out of the microwave and let it cool at room temperature. Then put it in the refrigerator to further cool it down.
Please note that by following this technique, the avocado might lose its soft texture and may develop an unpleasant odor in the process.
- Put It in the Oven – First, remove the pit and then cover the halves in aluminum foil. Put them in a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes at 200°F. Check it at regular intervals.
- Put It in a Paper Bag – Cover the pieces of avocado tightly with plastic wrap and put them in a brown paper bag with other climacteric fruits such as apples and bananas.
Make small holes in the bag with toothpicks, and let it rest at room temperature.
Apples and bananas contain ethylene gas which will soften the avocado by turning starch into sugar and breaking down the internal cell walls.
If you have cut an unripe avocado and do not want to wait for it to ripen, here are some ways you can use an unripe avocado.
How to Use Unripe Avocados
- You can use them in making smoothies by cutting them into cubes and blending them.
- Make stir-fried veggies by frying avocado cubes and mixing them with other vegetables.
- Make avocado fries! Cut them like french fries and bake them till they turn crispy.
- Prepare a meal with them. Stuff the avocados with bacon, your favorite veggies, cheese, and herbs. Bake them and enjoy!
- Make your scrambled eggs more tasty by garnishing them with grated avocado. You can also mix them with your salad.
- Nothing tastes better than fried avocados. Cut them in desired shapes, coat them with egg and your favorite spices, cover them with breadcrumbs, fry, or bake them and enjoy a delicious meal.
- Make pickled avocados by soaking them in brine or vinegar solution.
- Make avocado tempura by dipping them in tempura batter and frying them.
- Pour some béchamel sauce over the avocado, throw some cheese on it, and bake it until it is golden.
How to Quickly Soften an Uncut Avocado
What if you need your uncut avocado to ripen in a hurry? Don’t worry! We have got you covered. Here’s how you can ripen an uncut avocado quickly.
Here are two hacks that you can try to ripen an avocado faster.
- The Banana Hack – For this hack, you need a banana and a paper bag. Put the banana and the avocado together in the paper bag and leave the bag on the counter.
As I mentioned earlier, bananas release a hormone called ethylene. When avocado and banana are placed together in a paper bag, the ethylene gets trapped in the bag and surrounds the avocado, ripening it faster.
If you do not have a banana, you can also use a kiwi or apple. Avocados themselves also emit ethylene, so you can place them alone in the bag, too, but pairing them with another ethylene emitting fruit will soften them quickly.
- The Sun Hack – Heat can ripen avocados faster. This is why it is preferable to put unripe avocados on the countertop in summer.
Place your unripe avocados on a windowsill, near the oven, or a heater in a warm part of your home.
These two hacks can also be combined by placing your avocado-banana pack in a warm location.
How to Save a Half Avocado
Avocados are high in calories so sometimes you don’t want to eat the entire thing at once. So what to do with the remaining half? Here’s how you can store it.
To save a half-cut avocado, you need two things: some oil and aluminum foil. Take some oil and apply a thin layer to the avocado. You can use spray oil or your fingers to apply the oil. Then cover it with the foil and put it in the fridge.
Make sure you cover the whole piece properly with oil because the oil acts as a barrier preventing oxygen from reaching the avocado flesh, which is the reason why avocados turn brown.
Final Thoughts
Avocados are very popular due their vast nutritional benefits.
It can be frustrating to cut into an avocado and find it isn’t yet ripe. But unripe avocados don’t have to be a worry anymore!
You can try these new recipes with them or ripen them at home more quickly with our hacks. If you do not plan on using them right away, you can also store them.