The Biggest Mistake To Avoid If You're Trying To Freeze Guacamole
We've all been there, finding ourselves in front of a display of avocados on sale and debating if they're worth buying in bulk. Most of the time, unless avocados are about to expire, they can be relatively expensive, so it can be tempting to stock up. If you're planning to make a big batch of guacamole thinking that you can freeze some, however, think again. In fact, the biggest mistake you can make when freezing guacamole is the decision to freeze it at all.
While avocados by themselves are okay to freeze since they have a low moisture level and thick, resilient texture, guacamole has multiple ingredients that don't stand up to freezing and thawing. For example, when the onions and tomatoes in guac are frozen and thawed, they lose their texture and release a lot of water, which really mucks up a good batch of the dip.
So if you have a bag of cheap avocados in your grocery cart, plan to either eat them right away, or slice and freeze them without any other ingredients mixed in yet.
Ice crystals are a big part of the problem
Freezers are indispensable tools in any kitchen, and if you're trying to save money on groceries, the deep freeze is your best friend. You can save a lot by buying bulk packages of meat at a lower unit price and freezing it in smaller portions. You can also cut down on expensive food waste by using more frozen produce, which lasts a lot longer than fresh fruit and vegetables — or by freezing things that are about to go bad like a ripe avocado or two.
While there are lots of vegetables that can stand up to freezing and thawing, it's best to sidestep anything with a high water content, like onions and fresh herbs. This is because, when water freezes inside a piece of moisture-packed produce, it creates ice crystals. Those pointy crystals pierce the cell walls of the fruit or vegetable, so when you thaw them, all the water leaks out as it melts. And, without the cell walls to maintain the structure, the fruit or veggie gets all mushy.
While guacamole is a deceptively soft, mushy dip, it's important to remember that the diced vegetables mixed in should still be crunchy and flavorful. That doesn't mean that you can't freeze a few extra avocados when they're on sale, though, in preparation for a future batch of guac. Just freeze the avocados on their own, or make a very simple guacamole without onions, tomatoes, and herbs, and freeze that. Then, when it's time to enjoy the dip, you can mix in the other fresh ingredients.
Frozen avocado will lose some of its flavor
With all that being said, not everyone is on board with the idea of frozen avocados, including the biggest brand sold in the United States: Avocados From Mexico. According to the brand's website, the company don't recommend freezing any avocados because, "When frozen and thawed, avocados lose most of that buttery, fresh taste that make them so delicious." While they don't break down as much as onions or cilantro, frozen avocados still lose some of their structural integrity when they're thawed.
If you must freeze extra avocados next time you see a great deal, all is not lost, however. Frozen avocados are amazing when you toss them into chilled ceviche. They're also great in the blender for smoothies — even sweet-tasting recipes — so it's better to freeze them than let them go bad on the countertop. For smoothie making, you don't actually even need to thaw your avocados because the frozen chunks will help to thicken things up in lieu of a few ice cubes. When it comes to making guacamole, however, stick to all fresh ingredients so that you always get that classic fresh taste and just keep a healthy supply of corn chips on hand in case there's never any left over.