Can You Microwave Avocado? – Will It Ripen Faster?

Avocados are most popularly eaten raw. A perfectly ripe avocado is creamy and buttery and doesn’t need any cooking. If you want to cook avocados, your best bet would be grilling or baking them. What about microwaving avocados?

Can you microwave avocados? Yes, you can microwave avocados. Microwaving avocados does not ripen them. Though microwaving unripe avocados won’t help you achieve a rich buttery flavor, it will soften the avocados. 

Read on to learn how to microwave avocados, how microwaving affects the flavor and texture of avocados, if you can microwave ripe avocados, etc. 

Can You Microwave An Avocado?

Avocados are one of the healthiest foods you can include in your diet. This fruit is an exceptional source of unsaturated fats, fiber, as well as vitamins, and minerals. 

Avocados are not always fully ripe when you get them unless you are a pro at getting perfectly ripe avocados. 

An unripe avocado lacks the creaminess and rich nutty flavor that we all know and love. Unripe avocados are hard and may even taste bitter. 

Luckily, avocados are one of those fruits that continue to ripen even after you have picked them. They will continue to ripen as they sit on the counter or in the fridge. 

Allowing an avocado to ripen naturally may take several days. So people have come up with multiple methods of ripening avocados faster. 

Many people believe microwaving avocados is a way to ripen them. Others, however, are convinced that doing this simply warms them up. In any case, you can microwave avocados. 

Can You Microwave An Avocado To Ripen It?

Once picked, avocados continue to ripen thanks to the ethylene gas they continue to produce. The higher the concentration of ethylene around the fruit the quicker it will ripen. 

There is no evidence that heating avocados increase ethylene production. So, microwaving an avocado doesn’t really ripen it.

What Happens When You Microwave An Avocado?

Some sources state that microwaving an avocado is a quick way to ripen it. This is not exactly true as when you microwave an avocado it becomes softer but doesn’t ripen. 

Microwaving softens the avocado and makes it creamier. If your avocado is unripe and extremely firm, microwaving it will help you scoop it out more easily and mash it. 

An important thing you should know about microwaving avocados is that it doesn’t make avocados taste ripe. A ripe avocado tastes buttery with distinct creaminess. Some avocado varieties also taste nutty when they are ripe. 

A microwaved avocado tastes like an unripe avocado but with a softer texture. 

If you are after the rich creamy flavor of avocados, we recommend you allow them to ripen naturally within a few days. 

We recommend you never microwave avocados that are too unripe as they will simply taste very bitter. 

What Avocado Variety Is Best For Microwaving?

If you are not a picky avocado eater, you may not have even noticed that there are different varieties of this fruit.

There are hundreds of avocado varieties in nature but only some of them are available in stores. 

The Hass avocado is the most popular and widely available avocado variety. Luckily, this is also the avocado variety that works best for microwaving due to its fairly thick skin. 

If you microwave an unripe avocado and it becomes bitter, don’t microwave that avocado variety again. 

How Long Should You Microwave An Avocado?

How long you should microwave an avocado depends on two things – how firm the avocado is and how soft you want to get it. 

Your best bet is to microwave the avocado at 30-second intervals to ensure it doesn’t get too soft on the outside. Check the softness of the avocado after each heating session by pressing on it with your finger. 

Before You Microwave An Avocado

Before you microwave an avocado to ripen it, make sure that it is unripe. Otherwise, you will warm up and soften an already creamy and perfectly delicious avocado. 

There are a few simple ways to figure out if an avocado is ripe or not:

• Inspect the color. Unripe avocados tend to have a bright green color. As avocado ripens, its skin gets darker. 
• Try to peel back the stem. The stem cap of unripe avocado doesn’t come off easily. 
• Feel the skin. Unlike the textured skin of ripe avocado, the skin of unripe avocado is smooth and very tough. 
• Press on the avocado. The press test is one of the best ways to tell if an avocado is ripe or not. Gently press on the avocado with your finger. If it feels soft and yields, then it’s ripe. Unripe avocado feels hard and doesn’t yield. 

How To Microwave An Avocado 

Before you microwave an avocado with hopes to make it taste good, we want to remind you once again that microwaving makes avocados soft. It doesn’t make them taste like a naturally ripe avocado. 

With this said, if you need a soft avocado right then and there but all you have are unripe avocados, microwaving an avocado is a good solution. 

Here is how to microwave an avocado step-by-step:

1. Pick an avocado that is not overly unripe as it will turn out bitter. 
2. Wash the avocado. 
3. Pierce the avocado using a knife, fork, or toothpick. Poke holes all over the avocado to help release the pressure from the fruit as it microwaves. 
4. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. 
5. Wrap the avocado halves in food-grade microwave-safe plastic. Don’t wrap the avocado too tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from exploding. 
6. Adjust the microwave power. If your microwave oven is powerful, reduce the power to low. If your microwave is not as powerful, like 700 to 800 watts, set the power to medium. 
7. Microwave the avocado for 30 seconds. 
8. Remove it from the microwave and check the texture. If it is not soft enough yet, microwave for another 30 seconds or until the avocado softens. 
9. Once it’s soft, you will be able to easily scoop out the avocado from the peel using a spoon. 

Can You Microwave A Whole Avocado?

Yes, you can microwave a whole avocado. When microwaving avocados whole, make sure to pierce them multiple times with a knife, fork, or toothpick. 

Can You Microwave A Ripe Avocado?

Microwaving a ripe avocado makes sense if you want to make a warm avocado dip or want to warm up avocado slices for soup or a sandwich. 

If your ripe avocado is already soft, microwaving will make it too mushy. 

Whenever you are microwaving ripe avocados, reduce the power level and microwave in short increments. Keep checking the texture of the avocados. 

Can You Microwave Frozen Avocado?

Frozen avocado is great for smoothies, sauces, and dips. If you are using store-bought frozen avocado, check the packaging for microwave instructions. 

We recommend you never defrost frozen avocado in the microwave. Doing this can easily make the avocado mushy. 

It is best to defrost frozen avocado in the fridge to preserve the flavor and texture of the avocado chunks. 

Why Does Avocado Taste Bitter After Microwaving?

There are two reasons why an avocado may taste bitter after you have microwaved it. 

It is common for unripe avocado to taste bitter especially if it is too unripe. Even when you microwave unripe avocado, it will continue to taste bitter because as we have already told you, microwaving doesn’t ripen avocados. It makes them softer. 

So, if your microwaved avocado tastes bitter and nearly inedible, you may have to discard it and accept the fact microwaving works only for avocados that are slightly unripe. 

The second reason why avocados taste bitter after microwaving is that you have cooked them in the microwave for too long. 

You may want to microwave avocados for another 30 seconds just to make them soft enough for your guacamole. But doing this can easily overcook avocados and make them bitter. 

How To Prevent Avocados From Exploding In The Microwave?

If you are going to microwave avocados to soften them, there are two important things you should know in order to prevent the fruit from exploding in the microwave. 

First, pierce the avocado with a fork or a toothpick before putting it in the microwave. This step is crucial if you are microwaving whole avocados. Poking the avocado improves ventilation and prevents the fruit from exploding. 

Second, never microwave avocado wrapped in aluminum foil.

Wrapping avocado in aluminum foil is something you can do if you are going to bake it in the oven. But putting aluminum foil in the microwave can cause not only the avocado but also the entire microwave oven to explode. 

Other Ways To Ripen Avocados 

Microwaving avocados is not the only way to ripen them. There are a few other methods you can use to soften unripe avocados and even ripen them. 

1. Allow Avocados To Ripen Naturally

Whatever you do to ripen avocados quickly, you can never beat Mother Nature. Allowing avocados to ripen naturally is the best way to get creamy and buttery avocados. It usually takes 4 to 5 days for unripe avocados to ripen. 

If you use avocados often, either buy unripe ones 5 to 6 days before you need them or learn how to pick ripe avocados so that you can bring them home and use them right away. 

2. Ripen In Paper Bags

Another great way to ripen an avocado naturally but quickly is to put it in a paper bag. 

The ethylene produced by the avocado will be trapped in the bag and make it ripen faster. The concentration of ethylene in the bag will be even higher if you put a banana, apple, or kiwi into it. As a result, the avocado will ripen more quickly. 

Unlike the microwaving method which doesn’t improve the flavor of avocados, the paper bag method makes the avocados taste ripe, i.e. creamy, buttery, and nutty. 

Depending on how firm and unripe your avocado is, it may take 2 to 4 days to ripen it in a paper bag. 

3. Ripen Avocados In The Oven

Ripening avocados in the oven is similar to ripening them in the microwave. 

Baking avocados does not actually ripen them. It makes them softer and more enjoyable but the flavor remains the same. 

To soften the avocado in the oven, wrap it in aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the avocado for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take the avocado out of the oven and check the texture. 

If it is not soft enough yet, bake it for another 10 minutes or until you reach your desired level of softness. 

How To Save A Cut Unripe Avocado?

If you have cut an avocado open and found out that is still unripe, microwaving is not the only thing you can do to save it. Moreover, there is an even better way to save an unripe avocado that has been cut. 

Put the avocado back together. It is best to put the pit back into the avocado too. Wrap the avocado tightly with food wrap and allow it to ripen at room temperature. 

The Best Ways To Use An Unripe Avocado

Microwaved avocados may not taste good on toast or when used for guacamole. But they do have a soft texture and can be enjoyable if you take the time to make them taste good. 

So what should you do with unripe avocados if you don’t have multiple days to let them ripen naturally? Or if you have cut one open to only find out that is still rather firm and unripe. 

Here are a few ways to use unripe avocados. You may or may not microwave unripe avocados to soften them before you start cooking with them. 

1. Make avocado fries. Slice the avocados. First, dip them in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in breadcrumbs mixed with your favorite seasoning. Bake or fry the avocado slices and serve with mayonnaise or sour cream dip. 
2. Wrap the avocado slices with bacon and bake. Avocado wrapped in bacon is an amazing keto-friendly snack. It is an easy but delicious appetizer.
3. Make avocado tempura. Slice the unripe avocado, dip it in tempura batter, and fry until the batter is crispy. 
4. Bake an egg in it. Cut the unripe avocado in half, crack an egg into it, and bake. You don’t need to microwave the avocado in advance for this recipe. The avocado will soften up to the right degree while the egg cooks. 
5. Use it in stir-dry. Avocado is a great addition to stir-fries. Its creamy texture and mild flavor will contrast nicely with stir-fried vegetables. Avocado also pairs well with chicken. 

Related Questions 

Is It Safe To Eat An Unripe Avocado?

Unripe avocados are obviously not as good as ripe ones. They are not creamy and buttery and you have to make some effort to make them taste good. 

Despite their unappealing flavor and texture, unripe avocados are completely safe to eat. 

Where Do You Store Ripe Avocados?

If your avocados are ripe enough and you don’t want them to get any softer, store them in the fridge. The cold air of the fridge slows down the ripening process of the fruit by reducing the effects of ethylene. 

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