15+ Creative Ways to Enjoy Ripe Avocados Before They Spoil

Avocados are delicious and nutritious fruits that are enjoyed around the world. However, one downside to avocados is that they tend to become overripe very quickly. You’ve likely experienced buying perfectly firm avocados from the store, only to have them become mushy and brown just a day or two later.

While overripe avocados may not be ideal for eating raw, there are still plenty of ways you can use them up before they go bad. In this article, we’ll share recipes and ideas for enjoying avocados at every stage of ripeness, from perfectly ripe to extremely overripe.

Creamy Salad Dressing Using Avocado

Slightly overripe avocados are perfect for making creamy salad dressings. The avocado can replace mayonnaise or oil, creating a velvety emulsion while adding nutrition. This dressing works particularly well on sturdier vegetables like green beans, broccoli, or potatoes that can stand up to thick dressing without becoming soggy.

To make, simply scoop the flesh from a ripe avocado into a blender. Add some lemon juice, your choice of herbs and spices, salt, and a bit of water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste. Drizzle over your favorite salad combination.

Moist Avocado Brownies

Believe it or not, overripe avocados can make delicious moist brownies. With a consistency similar to butter, the avocado adds richness and moisture to baked goods without weighing them down. Best of all, the avocado flavor is completely undetectable in the final brownies.

To make avocado brownies, blend together the avocado flesh, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Fold in flour last, then bake. Top with nuts or chocolate chips for extra decadence. The result is fudgy, nutritious brownies no one will guess are made with avocado!

Avocado in Scrambled Eggs

Adding avocado to scrambled eggs adds creaminess and gives this breakfast staple a fun twist. The avocado also provides additional healthy fats, fiber, and nutrients to make your morning meal more balanced.

Simply dice up a ripe avocado and stir it into scrambled eggs right at the end of cooking. The heat from the eggs will warm the avocado just enough. Season with salt, pepper, hot sauce or your other favorite scrambled egg add-ins. This simple upgrade makes breakfast extra satisfying.

Fluffy Pancakes Using Avocado

Ripe avocados can add creaminess and nutrition to everyone’s favorite breakfast food – pancakes! The avocado puree gives the pancakes a delightfully fluffy texture while providing healthy fats and minerals.

To make these delicious pancakes, blend avocado flesh with the wet ingredients before mixing in the dry ingredients. Cook on a hot griddle and top with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, or anything else you love! Avocado is a tasty way to sneak extra nutrition into a sweet breakfast treat.

Sprucing Up Smoothies With Avocado

Adding avocado to your smoothies is an easy way to make them rich and creamy. The avocado gives smoothies a smooth, milkshake-like consistency while boosting fiber, protein, and antioxidants.

Some delicious avocado smoothie combinations include avocado cocoa, avocado banana, and avocado berry. Or get creative with avocado citrus, like pineapple or orange! With so many possible flavor combos, you’ll never get bored sipping nutritious avocado smoothies.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse is a decadent dessert, but it doesn’t have to be unhealthy! Blending ripe avocado with cocoa powder and sweetener creates a dairy-free mousse that’s just as smooth and creamy as the traditional kind.

Simply blend avocado flesh with cocoa powder, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla until smooth. Chill before serving in dishes or parfait glasses topped with fruit or shaved chocolate. This quick and easy mousse will satisfy any chocolate craving without the added sugar.

Velvety Avocado Ice Cream

Creamy ripe avocados blended up make for a superb healthy ice cream base. Avocado gives ice cream a smooth, rich texture without having to use heavy cream. It’s also lower in calories and higher in nutrition than traditional ice cream.

After blending together avocado, banana, milk or cream, and sweeteners, simply churn in an ice cream maker. Flavor with lime, lemon, cocoa, vanilla, or anything you desire. Cool off on hot days with this refreshing frozen treat that happens to be good for you!

Avocado as Burger Buns

Using thick slices of avocado in place of burger buns is a fun, low-carb alternative for burger lovers. The creamy avocado complements the juicy burger perfectly and adds nutrients like fiber and potassium.

Simply slice ripe avocados in half and remove the pit. Stuff each half with your favorite burger, then dig right in and enjoy! To take this dish to the next level, brush the insides of the avocado with olive oil before adding your burger to get a nice toasted effect.

Guacamole Using Ripe Avocados

What better way to use up ripe avocados than by making guacamole? This Mexican staple is the perfect way to highlight the velvety richness of avocados. Guacamole can be served as a dip, spread, or side – it’s versatile enough for any meal or occasion.

To make it, simply mash ripe avocados with lime juice, diced onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Customize to your taste by adding roasted veggies, pineapple, mango, or anything else you love. Enjoy with tortilla chips or raw veggies for dipping.

Avocado as Sour Cream Substitute

With their creamy texture, ripe avocados can make an excellent dairy-free substitute for sour cream. Blend up avocado with lime juice, vinegar, garlic, and seasonings for a tangy, velvety cream with no dairy required.

Use this avocado “sour cream” anywhere you’d normally use the dairy version – tacos, baked potatoes, chili, etc. It provides a cool, tangy contrast to spicy dishes. Going dairy-free has never been easier or more delicious.

Crispy Avocado Fritter

For a fun twist on eating avocado raw, turn ripe avocado into crispy fritters! The creamy avocado is coated in a light crispy breading and fried until golden. It makes a unique and unexpected party snack or appetizer.

Simply coat avocado slices in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. Pan fry in oil until crispy on both sides. These fritters pair perfectly with a cilantro lime mayo or ranch dressing for dipping.

Avocado Bread

The natural creaminess of avocado can replace some or all of the butter, oil, or eggs often used in bread recipes. Using avocado results in fluffy, moist bread with just a hint of rich sweetness.

Mash up ripe avocados, then substitute for about 1/4 of the fat in your favorite bread recipe. Whole wheat avocado bread makes delicious toast or sandwiches. Banana avocado bread with walnuts is also a wonderful combination! Baking with avocado adds nutrition while keeping bread nice and moist.

Smooth Avocado Cheesecake

Avocados make an excellent base for no-bake cheesecakes with a silky texture. Blended with cream cheese, honey or maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon, they create a lighter cheesecake that’s lower in fat than traditional cheesecake.

Simply blend the ingredients together until smooth, then pour into a prepared crust. Chill for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh berries for added color. Enjoy this gorgeous green cheesecake without an ounce of guilt!

Avocado as Face Mask

Not only are avocados great for eating, they can also make your skin gorgeous! Applied topically, avocado offers nourishing vitamins and oils that hydrate, soothe irritation, and give skin a radiant glow.

Mash up the flesh of ripe avocados with a bit of honey or plain yogurt to create a soothing, antioxidant-rich mask. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. Make masks for normal, dry, or oily skin by tweaking ingredients like milk, lemon juice, or essential oils.

Pickling Ripe Avocados

Pickling avocados is an unusual but delicious way to preserve ripe avocados and enjoy their unique flavor. Choose avocados that are barely ripe; overly soft ones will turn to mush when pickled.

Slice avocados into wedges and pack into jars. Cover with a hot brine of vinegar, water, salt, and spices. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 1 week before eating. Enjoy pickled avocados on salads, sandwiches, tacos, and more for a tangy twist.

Preserving Ripe Avocado in the Refrigerator

To slow down the ripening process of avocados that are perfectly ripe and ready to eat, you can store them in the refrigerator. The cold temperature will preserve the avocados for 2-3 more days.

Leave the pit in the avocado and place it in an airtight container or plastic bag. Squeeze some lemon or lime juice over the exposed flesh to help prevent oxidation. Store in the fridge and enjoy sliced on salads or toast.

Freezing Ripe Avocados

Another great way to preserve ripe avocados is by freezing them. This lets you save leftover avocado to use later in recipes.

To freeze, remove pit and scoop out the flesh. Mash the avocado flesh into a smooth puree, then store in zip-top freezer bags. Leave a bit of air in bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost before using in smoothies, ice cream, soups, etc.

Conclusion

Don’t let your ripe avocados go to waste! With this wide range of usage ideas and recipes, you can turn those mushy avocados into something delicious. From sweet breakfasts to savory dinners and luscious desserts, the possibilities are endless. Avocados add nutrition and richness to so many dishes.

Try some new avocado recipes to use them up quickly once they’re ripe. Or preserve avocados by refrigerating, freezing, or pickling so you can enjoy them for even longer. However you choose to eat them, avocados are an amazing superfood with so much versatility.