If you can't wait, ripen your avocado in the oven. This method softens avocados by heating. It won't yield the best-tasting, silky-smooth avocado, but it'll do in a pinch.
Wrap the avocado in foil and lay it on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. If your avocado is hard, it may take 10 minutes or longer to soften. Place the avocado in the fridge to chill completely before using.
Can you microwave-ripen avocados? Some say a microwave ripens avocados faster than the oven, but we don't recommend it. The avocado will smell awful and turn mushy rapidly, and destroying a good avocado (even unripe) seems wrong.
How to keep avocados? You can preserve a perfectly ripe avocado in the fridge until you're ready to utilize it. Chilling in the fridge will keep avocados fresh for several days.
If you've chopped the avocado, leave the pit, squeeze it with lemon juice, and cover it with plastic wrap to avoid browning. Or get a silicone food saver. Don't waste that luscious avocado!
What can I do with ripe avocados? Ripe avocados offer unlimited possibilities. They offer protein and keep you full, making them great in salads (including lettuce-free ones).
Their rich creaminess makes them ideal for party dips like guacamole and salsa. Consider adding them to burgers or chili to provide texture and temper the spice.
Avocado may replace mayo, butter, and full-fat dairy in ice creams and desserts in current vegan or plant-based recipes if you get creative. It seems weird, but it's creamy, thick, and heavy in fat, yet neutral in flavor.