How to Ripen Avocados Fast and Tell When They're Ready
In Short
To ripen avocados fast, put them in a closed paper bag with an apple or kiwi on the counter. The bag traps the ethylene gas the fruit gives off, and Serious Eats' test found bagged avocados ripen in about 2 to 3 days. It's ready when it gives to a gentle squeeze in your palm. Oven and microwave tricks soften it without ripening it.
How to Ripen Avocados Fast: The Paper Bag Method
Avocados don't ripen on the tree.
They soften after they're picked, which is why most of the ones at the store are rock hard.
That's not a bad sign.
It just means you need a plan.
A ripening avocado gives off ethylene, a natural gas that tells fruit to ripen.
More ethylene around the fruit means faster ripening, and warmth helps too.
The paper bag uses both.
- Put the avocados in a brown paper bag. Paper holds in the gas but still lets moisture out.
- Add an apple or a kiwi. Apples and kiwis give off ethylene too, so the bag fills faster. The California Avocado Commission suggests red or golden delicious apples, kiwifruit, or both. A ripe banana works as well.
- Fold the top closed. Leave the bag on the counter, out of direct sun.
- Check every day. Give each avocado a gentle squeeze.
Skip the Oven and Microwave
You'll see videos that wrap an avocado in foil and bake it, or microwave it for 30 seconds.
The California Avocado Commission says plainly not to microwave avocados or put them in the oven to ripen them.
Heat can soften the flesh so it seems ripe, but it isn't, and it won't taste right.
Rock hard and you need it tonight? Pick up a ripe one, or save that recipe for later in the week.
How Long Avocados Take to Ripen
It depends on how firm the avocado is when you start.
Sources give different numbers here.
The California Avocado Commission says only "a few days" on the counter.
Serious Eats' test found about 2 to 3 days in a paper bag with ethylene fruit.
I'd plan on the bag when you need it soon, and the counter when you don't.
| How it feels | Hass skin color | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Hard, no give at all | Bright green | Paper bag with an apple or kiwi, check daily |
| A little give | Green turning darker | Counter, check daily |
| Gives to a gentle squeeze | Dark green to purplish black | Ripe: eat it, or refrigerate it whole |
| Very soft, dents stay in | Very dark | Overripe: use it in guacamole today if the flesh looks good |
Shop for the week: grab one avocado that gives a little for tomorrow and a couple of hard ones for later.
How to Tell If an Avocado Is Ripe
The Palm Squeeze
This is the test that matters.
Hold the avocado in your palm and squeeze gently with your whole hand.
A ripe one feels firm but gives to gentle pressure.
Use your palm, not your fingertips (fingertips press bruises into the flesh).
The California Avocado Commission also says to pass on avocados with soft pockets or bruises.
Skin Color on Hass Avocados
Hass avocados, the bumpy kind most stores carry, darken from bright green toward purplish black as they ripen.
Color is a hint, not a sure thing.
Confirm with the squeeze, since some varieties stay green when ripe.
The Stem Cap Check
Many cooks flick off the little stem cap at the top.
Green underneath usually means ripe.
Brown can mean it's past its best inside.
If the cap won't budge, give it more time.
How to Store Whole Avocados
Where an avocado goes depends on how ripe it is.
- Hard: On the counter or in a paper bag. Don't refrigerate a hard avocado, since cold slows ripening.
- Ripe, eating it soon: Leave it on the counter.
- Ripe, eating it later: Into the fridge right away. The California Avocado Commission says this slows ripening for the next few days.
Skip the jar of water. The FDA has said it doesn't recommend storing whole avocados submerged in water.
In FDA sampling of whole avocados, Listeria turned up on nearly 18% of skin samples.
Store them dry, and scrub the skin under running water before you cut.
Once you cut into one, it's a different job.
My guide on how to keep avocados from browning covers halves, slices, and guacamole.
Stacie's Tricks & Tips
- Bag Them Together: One apple can ripen several avocados in the same bag.
- Check Daily: A bagged avocado can go from hard to ripe faster than you'd think.
- Palm, Not Fingers: Squeeze with your whole hand so you don't bruise the fruit.
- Fridge = Pause Button: Chill avocados only after they're ripe.
- Buy Staggered: Mix one nearly ripe avocado with a few hard ones.
Key Takeaway
Hard avocados go in a paper bag with an apple, ripe ones go in the fridge, and the oven stays off.
Check daily with a palm squeeze.
When yours is ready, slice it into a ground beef burrito or fan it over a taco ground beef rice bowl. It's also great mashed onto cottage cheese toast or layered into a southwest chicken wrap. It's also great mashed onto cottage cheese toast or layered into a southwest chicken wrap.
The burrito is the one you'll make again and again!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to ripen an avocado?
A closed brown paper bag on the counter with an apple or kiwi is the fastest way. The bag traps the ethylene gas that tells avocados to ripen, and Serious Eats found bagged avocados ripen in about 2 to 3 days. A ripe banana works as well. Check every day with a gentle squeeze in your palm.
Can I ripen an avocado in 10 minutes?
No. Microwave and oven tricks only soften the flesh with heat, so it seems ripe but isn't. The California Avocado Commission says plainly not to microwave avocados or put them in the oven to ripen them. If you need one tonight, pick up a ripe one at the store.
Should I refrigerate avocados to ripen them?
No. Refrigerate avocados only after they're ripe, because cold slows ripening. Keep hard avocados on the counter or in a paper bag until they give to a gentle squeeze. Then the fridge works like a pause button, slowing ripening for the next few days.
How do I know when my avocado is ripe?
A ripe avocado gives to a gentle squeeze in your palm. Use your whole hand, not your fingertips, which press bruises into the flesh. Hass avocados also darken toward purplish black, but confirm with the squeeze. Under the stem cap, green usually means ripe and brown can mean it's past its best.
Why are my avocados not ripening?
Cold is the usual reason. Avocados soften after they're picked, and a fridge or chilly spot slows that down. Move them into a paper bag on the counter with an apple, out of direct sun, and check daily. Hard ones can take a few days, so give them time before you worry.
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