Buying an avocado is almost like gambling. You see it at the store, buy it thinking you will want to eat it in a few days, then find it rotting in your kitchen a week later. If only there was a way to ripen your avocado so you could eat it whenever you actually wanted to…
Put it in a paper bag.
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The first method to ripen an avocado is putting it in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The ethylene in the banana will trigger ripening in the avocado, and the paper bag will trap the hormone to speed up the process. However, this method can still take up to three days to completely ripen your avocado.
Put it in a bowl of rice.
Getty Images / Moment / Flavia Morlachetti
Placing your avocado in a bowl full of uncooked rice is also a great way to ripen it. This method works the same way as putting it in a paper bag – that is, trapping ethylene gas to speed up the ripening process. Make sure your avocado is completely submerged and covered on all sides so the hormone doesn’t escape.
Put it in the microwave.
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If waiting two to three days isn’t an option for you, there’s something you can do to ripen an avocado in a few minutes. Although this method does compromise the fruit’s naturally buttery taste and silky texture, it is the quickest option to ripen it. All you have to do is cut the avocado in half and remove the pit, then wrap each half with microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook in 30-second intervals until it achieves the desired softness. After that, unwrap each half and place them in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes.
