Yes, You Can Freeze Avocados But Here's What You Should Know First

So, avocados were on sale at the supermarket and you got over excited and bought too many to use before they'll go bad. No problem — it turns out that you can freeze avocados, but you'll want to approach it correctly so that you don't end up with a pile of brown mush.

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that you should only freeze ripe avocados. Frozen avocados will not ripen any further, even after they're thawed, so if you've got too many in your pantry, ripen them up enough to use before putting them in the freezer.

Once your avocados are ripe enough to freeze, there are another couple of important steps to consider. Some cooks recommend slicing or mashing avocados before freezing them. A big issue with frozen avocados is that they can turn brown due to oxidation, so you'll want to put them in a sealable freezer bag and squeeze as much air out as possible to protect against this. Adding some lemon juice is also wise to protect against that browning: If you're mashing them, you can mix the juice in as you mash; for sliced or chopped avocado, just splash it over the pieces. This frozen sliced or mashed avo will last up to a month in the freezer.

You can freeze whole avocados, although some people warn against it as the texture can get mushy. If you're doing this, wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag for protection. They can last this way for as long as three months.

The other big thing to know about frozen avocados is that you won't be able to use them for everything once they're thawed. Even if frozen correctly, they'll generally end up a bit soft and mushy. For this reason, some cooks warn against freezing them, arguing that they can even end up slimy.

When you want to use frozen avocados, you'll want to thaw them pretty soon before cooking with them — take them out of the freezer one hour before you need them (to let them thaw). At the longest, take them out on the same day you need them. Then there's the question of what kinds of recipes to use them for: Unfortunately, because of that textural change, they'll generally work better when they're blended or pureed. That means using thawed sliced avocado in a sandwich or cubed in a salad might not be the best idea. The taste also changes, becoming a bit unpleasantly sour, so a dish like avocado toast where the avocado shines may not be ideal. Instead, use them in smoothies, dips, or a tangy sauce with cilantro and peppers. A salad dressing like green goddess, where herbs will add a fresh hit, is also a good bet. In these settings, there will ideally be enough other ingredients in the mix to balance out the changed taste, and textural changes aren't an issue since the avocado will be blended smooth.