With its rich taste, buttery texture, and superfood status, avocados are popular for good reason: Mash them to make guacamole, slice them to stuff wraps and sandwiches, or dice them to garnish soups, stews, and chilis. Avocados are, however, only ripe for so long, so purchasing them can be a gamble. Whenever you grab an avocado or two from the grocery store, there’s a good chance it could be rock hard for weeks or brown and mushy right upon cutting into it. Since avocados are relatively expensive, blindly buying a bunch and hoping for the best can lead to wasted time, money, and food all in one fell swoop. And if it’s a key ingredient in your cooking with avocados, choosing one that’s overripe or underripe means you’ll have to start from square one or scratch the dish altogether.
Luckily, there’s a really easy way to tell whether or not your avocado is ripe. With this quick and simple trick, you’ll know exactly when to grab a knife and cut it open for your morning avocado toast, burrito bowls, or pasta salads. Whether you’re scanning the options in the produce section or waiting for yours to ripen at home, this avocado test is a fool-proof method—and it takes just seconds. To keep it fresher for longer, we’ve also included must-know storage tips. Here’s how to tell if an avocado is ripe—without smushing or crushing it.
How to Tell If an Avocado Is Ripe
Whether you’re shopping the supermarket’s selection or inspecting your kitchen fruit basket, following these three simple steps in succession will let you know whether or not an avocado is ready to use.
Note the Color
In most cases, you can tell whether or not an avocado is ripe based on the color of its skin. For Hass avocados, a bright green, dark green, or purplish-black color generally signifies ripeness, as does a bumpy texture. Assessing the color alone, however, isn’t always the most reliable technique (especially if you’re buying varieties other than Hass), so you’ll want to follow the below steps in addition to confirm.
Apply Gentle Pressure
While squeezing an avocado is a common way to gauge ripeness, using your fingertips can leave marks or bruises. A safer, equally effective alternative is holding the avocado in the palm of your hand and applying gentle, even pressure. If the avocado is ripe, it’ll feel firm but give slightly. You’ll know the item is overripe if it has a rock-hard or overly firm consistency, and you’ll be able to tell if it’s underripe based on a soft, mushy feel.
That said, the ideal firmness depends on when you’ll be using the avocado. If you’re slicing, dicing, or mashing it that day, the riper, the better. But if you won’t be cutting open the avocado for a few days, opting for a firmer feel is your best bet.
Check the Stem
Finally, to verify ripeness, the avocado will need to pass one final test: the stem test. Gently remove the nub of the stem. If it comes off easily and shows a bright green hue underneath, the avocado is ripe. If the color inside is brown, it’s overripe. And if the nub is difficult to remove, it’s underripe.
How to Store and Ripen an Avocado
Follow these easy storage tips for the freshest flavor and best results.
If It’s Underripe
If the avocado you’ve picked is too hard but you’re hoping to use it in the next couple days, you can speed up the ripening process by placing it in a brown paper bag, which traps ethylene gas. You can also store it next to a banana or an apple, both of which emit high levels of ethylene gas. Otherwise, let the avocado naturally ripen on your kitchen counter, stored at room temperature and away from direct sunlight and heat.
If It’s Too Ripe, Too Fast
To keep an avocado ripe for a few extra days, store yours in the fridge. This storage method is best for anyone who’s left the store with a perfectly ripe avocado that they won’t be slicing open until much later.
