From avocado toast to chips and guacamole, there are so many things you can do with just a few ripe avocados. Guacamole combines fresh avocados, lime juice or lemon juice, onions, tomatoes, and other ingredients to create a delicious dip that’s perfect for tortilla chips.
However, guacamole is notoriously sensitive to air exposure and can quickly turn brown even in the refrigerator. If you’re not planning to eat it right away or you went overboard with a huge batch on taco Tuesday, you might find yourself asking, “Can you freeze guacamole?”
Frozen guac might sound a bit odd since it’s not usually sold in that format, but don’t let that stop you from freezing guacamole at home. Although thawed guac can lose a bit of its original flavor and consistency, you can still have guacamole straight out of the freezer as long as you’re careful to prepare it properly.
Plus, it’ll save you the added expense of having to buy fresh avocados, which can be quite expensive in the off season. Frozen guacamole can last for up to three months, so you can work your way through even large batches over time.
How To Freeze Guacamole
If you know ahead of time that you want to freeze guacamole from your latest batch, then always start with fresh ingredients. Choose ripe avocados that are in the prime part of the ripening process. Add in cilantro, kosher salt, red onion, or any other vegetables you might want. Starting with fresh ingredients can prevent guacamole from getting stale or losing freshness in the freezer. Olive oil can also help keep the avocados from turning brown.
Since ingredients with a high water content can sometimes change the entire texture of guacamole, some recipes recommend that you freeze guacamole with as few vegetables in the mix as possible. This will prevent water from getting into the guacamole during freezing. If your favorite recipe calls for more vegetables, you can always add tomatoes, lime juice, and onions back in after you thaw the guacamole.
To freeze guacamole, simply put it into an airtight container or freezer bag. Remove as much air as you can. However, bear in mind that you shouldn’t freeze guacamole in a zip lock bag since those aren’t designed to remove as much air as possible. Using the right container will ensure you have delicious guacamole for later.
For safety reasons, you shouldn’t store guacamole in a glass container in the freezer. Freezing guacamole in glass is risky because the guacamole will expand as it freezes. If there isn’t much space left, the jar can crack or break. Therefore, if you absolutely need to freeze guacamole in a glass container, always leave a top layer of air at the top to allow for it to expand.
If you’re pretty sure that you won’t need an enormous serving all at once, you can also break the guacamole into smaller portions for freezing. This will allow you to only defrost the amount you want without having to open an entire bag or container. Every time you expose frozen food to the air, you run the risk of it developing freezer burn.
How To Thaw Frozen Guacamole
When you’re ready to thaw guacamole, simply move it from the freezer to the refrigerator. Leave it there overnight to allow it to gradually warm up. This will help maintain the texture and keep the guacamole from heating too quickly. There’s no need to open the package or expose the food to air until you’re ready to actually eat it.
If that method takes too long, you can also put the entire container into cold water and allow it to sit. Replace the room temperature water whenever it gets cold until the guacamole is thawed. This could take a few minutes or several hours depending on the amount of guacamole. Check the water and the guacamole frequently to make sure you aren’t accidentally leaving your food in an unsafe temperature range.
Before you enjoy your guacamole, you should also check to make sure that it looks safe. This recommendation applies to any food you freeze for an extended period, even if you wrote down the date when you first froze it. After all, a power outage or accidentally leaving the freezer door open can rapidly cause your food to go bad. Guacamole turns brown when it’s spoiling, so it’s easy to tell if your guac isn’t as fresh as it should be.
Best Uses For Thawed Guacamole
Since previously frozen guacamole can lose some of its initial texture and flavor, it can be best to eat it with tacos or as part of a larger dish instead of eating a bowl of pure guacamole as a dip. However, there’s nothing wrong with eating it by itself as long as you realize that the thawed version won’t always taste the same as fresh guacamole.
If you only have a little bit of thawed guacamole, you can mix it with store-bought guacamole or a new batch of fresh guacamole to add more flavor back into it. You can also consult your favorite recipes to see what’s missing from the taste. Add lime juice, onions, or even a bit of dip mix to restore some of the original punch to your thawed guacamole. That might take a little extra work, but it still won’t be as much prep time as making fresh guacamole from scratch.
You can also turn your guacamole into something else entirely if you’re struggling to get the taste just right. Turning guacamole into tartar sauce only takes a few additional ingredients such as mayonnaise and dill. The strength of the extra ingredients will make up for anything that’s lacking from your previously frozen guacamole.
Ingredients In Guacamole
The exact recipe you should use is up to your personal preferences. No matter what you choose, it’s easy to make guacamole a healthy dish since it pairs so well with many vegetables. Although tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers are common, you can also add jalapenos and spicier ingredients if you enjoy the taste
If you want your guacamole to seem more like other types of dip, or if you’re simply unable to get fresh avocados easily, you can add traditional ingredients from other dips to create a hybrid recipe. For example, you could add some sour cream to give your guac a tangy flavor and make it seem more like other types of chip dip. Olive oil can make the previously frozen guac a bit smoother and help enhance the natural flavor. Just be careful about adding too much since guacamole already has plenty of healthy fats even without adding oil.
There are store-bought guacamole mixes that come with a variety of spices already blended together. You can also choose to use fresh spices like cilantro instead of dried versions. Fresh spices are generally more expensive but have a stronger flavor and aroma to enhance the taste of your guacamole.
Final Thoughts
Guacamole can pair wonderfully with many dishes and flavors. Like many dips, it can be easier to prepare a huge batch at once to reduce prep time and make sure you won’t run out during a party or event. When you have leftovers, you can freeze guacamole by placing it into an airtight container or bag and storing it in the freezer.
The quality of guacamole after freezing will suffer slightly in terms of flavor and texture no matter what you do. However, with proper planning and preparation, you can preserve most of it to ensure that you still have delicious guacamole on demand.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Can You Freeze Guacamole Dip?
You can freeze guacamole dip the same way as any other kind of guacamole. In fact, avocado dip, which is like guacamole without other ingredients, may even freeze better since it has less water from vegetables like onions and tomatoes.
Can You Freeze Guacamole From The Store?
So, can you freeze guacamole even if you didn’t make it yourself? Sure! You can freeze guacamole from the store without any extra hassle. However, don’t forget that it’s best to freeze guacamole as soon as possible once you open it. When you freeze guacamole quickly, you can protect how fresh it will stay while in the freezer.
Can You Freeze Guacamole Twice?
You shouldn’t freeze guacamole twice. Even if you use strong flavors like lemon juice and prepare a delicious guacamole, the taste simply won’t hold up to refreezing. Plus, by thawing and refreezing, you run the risk of bacteria forming that could get you sick even if the guac seems fine while you eat it.
Can You Freeze Guacamole From Restaurants?
You can freeze guacamole from a restaurant, but you should be sure that the guacamole is fresh. If it’s previously been frozen, or if it’s starting to turn brown after you bring it home, then it’s safer to just eat it while it’s still good or throw the rest away.
