Guacamole is an avocado based dip of Aztec origins made basically from mashed avocados. Avocados are what give guacamole its characteristic green hue and texture, but this avocado paste that we call guacamole often contains other ingredients like tomatoes, red onions or garlic, etc.
Today guacamole has become an international commodity which enjoys a wide variety of kitchen use extending beyond the traditional boundaries of Mexican cuisine.
It is sold and bought all over the world, but the portions available for sale are mostly intended for more than a single day’s use, and that’s when the question of storing guacamole appropriately arises.
Can you store guacamole in the freezer? What kind of an effect will freezing have on the taste and texture of guacamole? Is it a safe method? Keep reading to find out.
Can You Freeze Ricotta Cheese?
In short, yes, you can freeze guacamole. The culinary world is pretty divided on whether you shouldn’t freeze it.
A Lot of chefs claim that you shouldn’t freeze guacamole because it will lose its unique texture and taste, and many more still assure you that it is absolutely okay to freeze guacamole and that it remains perfectly fine.
I personally believe that appropriately frozen guacamole will give no hint of loss of texture with an emphasis on “appropriately frozen.”
I do have some advice if you are to consume the guacamole that you have in the next few days, then it is better to refrigerate than freeze your guacamole.
How To Freeze Guacamole?
If you have an unopened container, then you freeze it by simply putting it in your freezer, however, it is a different matter if you’ve opened and used some of it and are trying to freeze leftover guacamole. In such a case, you should start by putting your guacamole in a plastic bag that you can seal later.
Remove as many chunks of onion or tomatoes as you can from the guacamole because watery things like onions and tomatoes are notoriously hard to freeze.
If you don’t remove them, they’ll leak water into your guacamole when you are trying to defrost it. Add some lemon juice as an antioxidant to keep it from turning brown, seal the plastic bag airtight and put it in your freezer. Your work is done.
Does Guacamole Freeze Well?
Different types of guacamole freeze differently. As an example, take two types of guacamole, one of which is simple, and the other is chunky with things like tomatoes and onions.
Freeze them both for a week as an experiment, and after a week has passed, defrost the two types and put them to a taste test.
Both of them will be green in color, but the chunkier guacamole will have a slightly watery texture and will be off-flavor as well. You will also notice a lot of water in it because of its watery ingredients like tomatoes and onions.
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How Long Does Frozen Guacamole Last?
A general estimation for guacamole life inside the freezer is normally 2 to 3 months, but it depends on the type of guacamole and what ingredients it possesses.
Beyond this certain limit, you’ll start to notice changes in the guacamole. At first, its color will start to fade into a light yellow and then turn brown.
By this time, the guacamole has expired, but the loss of texture and taste makes itself apparent long before the color change.
Even when tasting guacamole that’s been frozen only for a week, you’ll notice that you don’t taste the freshness of avocado anymore.
How To Thaw Guacamole?
Take out the frozen guacamole and separate from it only the needed amount of guacamole because defrosting and freezing again is not recommended.
To defrost your guacamole, you can either leave it in the refrigerator overnight so that it thaws out of the ice, or you could place it in a bowl of water for half an hour to forty minutes. Don’t let it defrost for too long because it adversely affects its taste too.
Final Verdict:
Guacamole is a snack dip that only a few people can resist, and though many people are against the freezing of guacamole, citing the loss of its luscious flavor as the reason behind their opposition.
I believe freezing is necessary because without it, a lot of guacamole would be needlessly wasted and thrown away, and when done properly, there may not even be such a noticeable drop of quality in taste.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How Long Does Guacamole Last in the Fridge?
The maximum freezer life of guacamole is around 2 months or less than that. After that, it’ll oxidize to a brown color and become inedible.
You can increase this life by adding some antioxidants like lemon juice, and though that may prevent the loss of its vivid green color, I can’t guarantee the same thing about the taste.
Does Freezing Avocados Change Taste?
If we are talking about whole uncut avocados, then freezing them won’t alter their taste. Instead, freezing whole avocados will actually keep them safe from the heat, oxidation, and bacterial or fungal action.
It’ll even preserve their freshness, but during prolonged storage beyond a certain time limit, the avocado will change their taste even if they are frozen or refrigerated.
Is It Okay To Freeze Pureed Avocados?
Pureed avocado is perhaps the best avocado version to freeze because subthreshold temperature affects it the least out of all the different commodities made from avocados.
Pureed avocado is a popular thing to freeze, and you can freeze it in cube trays to make cubes of it for smoothies or drinks, etc
How Do You Use Frozen Guacamole?
There are many uses for it. You can defrost it and use it as a regular dip, eat it with fries, or give your burrito some extra flavor.
Mix it with cheese, garlic, and onions, and add as many things as you can to mask that frozen taste. Serve it up with toast and add salt and pepper. The list goes on.
