Avocados can be eaten in so many different ways. Whether you want to enjoy them on toast, or as part of a salad, they have seen an increase in popularity in the last few years.
The biggest issue when it comes to avocados is that they only stay ripe for three days, so you have to use them up quickly or they will spoil.
Some stores also sell avocados before they are ripe, which means you will need to find a way to speed up the ripening process if you don’t want them to go bad. There are a couple of ways you can do this, but the way we are going to discuss here is how to do it in the microwave.
If you have never ripened avocados in the microwave before then read on to find out everything you need to know! We have provided a detailed guide below that will help you ripen your avocados properly, so you can enjoy them faster without worrying about them spoiling.
Is It Possible To Ripen Avocados In The Microwave?
So before we go any further, the answer to this question is yes, it is possible to ripen avocados in the microwave. It’s actually quite easy to ripen avocados in the microwave and doesn’t involve too many steps in order to achieve it.
Using the microwave to ripen avocados is one of the best ways to do it, and it is a trusted method by both chefs and only food bloggers all over the world.
What makes this method even better is that it only takes two minutes in total, so it’s a quick and simple method that is trusted by many food enthusiasts of all kinds.
So if you would like to learn about ripening your avocados in the microwave for yourself, read on and follow the steps in our guide!
Prepping The Avocados
There is a little bit of prep work involved when it comes to ripening your avocados in the microwave, but it isn’t complicated or difficult, so before you rush to put your avocados in the microwave, make sure you prep them first.
To prep the avocados, simply take the fruit and use a fork to pierce some holes into it. Once you have done this, cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Once you have done this, get some plastic wrap that is microwave safe and wrap the avocado up in it.
Make sure you don’t wrap it too tightly because if you do, this can cause the avocados to explode as they heat up. And that is all the prep that you need to do! Once you have finished wrapping the avocados, you can then move on to microwaving them.
How To Ripen Avocados In The Microwave?
Now that you have your avocados prepared, you can follow the steps below to microwave them. It’s a really simple process, so it won’t be too hard for you to follow along. Just make sure you follow the steps exactly so your avocados ripen properly.
Step 1: Putting The Avocados In The Microwave
As soon as you have finished prepping the avocados, and this includes piercing the holes, cutting the avocados in half, and wrapping them in plastic wrap, you can then place them in the microwave.
You don’t have to place them in a specific or fancy way- as long as you have prepped them correctly, all you have to do is place your avocado in.
Step 2: Adjust Microwave Settings
Before you turn your microwave on, it is important that you adjust your microwave settings. It does depend on what wattage your microwave uses as well, but it only takes a few seconds to adjust it.
If you are using a 1000-watt microwave, make sure the power is set to low, not high. On the other hand, if you are using a 700-watt microwave, change the power to the medium setting.
Regardless of which wattage your microwave uses, set the timer to 2 minutes maximum and then press the start button.
Step 3: Checking In Between
Once you have pressed the start button, it is important that you take the avocado out and check it every 20 seconds. Some avocados will ripen before the 2-minute timer is up, but it really varies depending on each avocado.
If you don’t check the avocado every 20 seconds, you run the risk of the fruit getting mushy and it won’t holding the same amount of flavor. Checking it every 20 seconds allows you to control how ripe it gets and stops it from spoiling.
Step 4: Repeating The Process
In some cases, after the 2 minutes are up, the avocado may not be to your preferred ripened level. If this happens and you think the avocado needs a bit more heat, just put it back in the microwave.
This time, heat it for about 15 to 20 seconds and keep checking it. Do this as many times as it takes before the avocado is soft and ripened.
Tips For Microwaving Avocados
Getting avocados to a ripened state in the microwave isn’t a difficult process, but it does require you to be vigilant and you can’t leave the avocados unattended. If you are still a bit unsure about ripening them in the microwave, here are a few tips that will help you.
The plastic wrap that you use for wrapping the avocado has to be microwave safe. If it’s not, there is a chance that it can melt and it will make the avocado unsafe to eat. It can also cause the microwave to catch fire in some cases, so it’s best to avoid any plastic wrap that isn’t microwave safe (Want to know if number 5 plastic is microwave safe? See our guide here).
If you are ripening multiple avocados, it is important that you wrap them and microwave them individually. This can be a bit long, especially if you are planning to ripen a lot of avocados, but it is safer and more reliable to do it this way.
If you don’t have any microwave-safe plastic wrap or you want to use something else instead, you can use a paper towel or even parchment paper.
To make sure your avocados ripen more efficiently, make sure that you place them with the flesh facing up and the skin on the dish when you put it in the microwave.
It is always important to pierce your avocados with a fork before you microwave them, so don’t skip this step. The reason it is important is that the holes will stop the heat from collecting and greatly reduces the risk of your avocados exploding.
Removing the pit in the prep process helps to evenly distribute the heat from the microwave, so always make sure to remove the pit before you put it in the microwave.
These tips will really make the whole process a lot easier when you are trying to ripen your avocados in the microwave, so it’s in your best interest to use these tips the next time you plan on ripening your avocados.
Alternative Ways To Ripen Your Avocados
If you do not want to ripen your avocados in the microwave, there are a couple of alternative ways you can do so. Let’s take a brief look at some of them now, so you can use them in the future if you would like to.
Conclusion
Ripening avocados in the microwave is a straightforward and easy process, but it is important that you don’t leave them unattended while you do so. Use the tips we have provided to ensure that your avocados ripen easier and more efficiently.
If for any reason you would rather ripen them in a different way, try the baking method instead. You should have no problems ripening your avocados in the microwave though. Just follow the steps we have provided!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Tell If An Avocado Is Ripe?
If you do not know how to tell if your avocado is ripe, then there are a few things you can look out for to know. First, scrape off the stem of the avocado and take a look.
If the texture is green and creamy, this means that the avocado is ripe. If you have any trouble peeling or mashing it though, this means that it isn’t actually ripe yet. If your avocado is too ripe, then it will be bitter in taste and it is advised that you don’t consume over ripened avocados.
How To Store Ripe Avocados?
If you have got your avocados ripe but you don’t want to eat them straight away, then you can store them, but bear in mind they will only store for 1 to 3 days.
The best way to store ripe avocados is by putting them in your fridge immediately. Keeping them refrigerated slows the ripening process right down, and for the next 1 to 3 days, you can be sure that they will not get soft or mushy, and they will be safe to consume.
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
