How to Freeze Guacamole (+ Best Loaded Guac Recipe)

I have an avocado tree. Yes, I know. I’m living the avocado dream. But this means I often have a fruit bowl overflowing with perfectly ripe avocados.

There is only so much fresh guacamole and avocado toast you can eat in a day. Luckily, you can freeze fresh avocados mashed with lime juice for the base of your next loaded guacamole.

Keep reading to learn more about the best way to freeze, defrost and revive shop-bought or homemade guacamole.

Why should you freeze guacamole?

There are many online claims that freezing guacamole does not impact the taste. But, unfortunately, fresh homemade guacamole loses some of the buttery ripe avocado taste that makes a simple guac so delicious.

And guac with tomatoes and onions becomes watery and lacklustre.

But there is good news. Frozen mashed avocado retains its creamy texture and beautiful green hue with the help of some citrus juice. And it’s still the best way to preserve fresh avocados at home while they’re available in abundance.

So, maybe don’t freeze avocados if you want to get ahead on party prep – simple guacamole is always best fresh.

But do freeze avocados if you need to extend their shelf-life. Or freeze leftover guac immediately when you know you won’t finish it soon.

You can only store homemade guacamole in the fridge for three days. But you can freeze it for up to three months.

Related post: How long does guacamole last in the fridge?

Guacamole is very easy to freeze, but there are some tips and tricks that will add the wow factor to your freezer-friendly guac.

The best way to freeze guacamole

The best way to freeze guac is to exclude aromatics and watery ingredients. Instead, add them to the defrosted avo mash for a fresh flavour boost.

Freezing only the avocado base delivers the best results, but you can freeze shop-bought or homemade guacamole the same way.

This easy guacamole without onions or tomatoes is delicious and freezes well too.

Follow these easy steps to freeze your avocado base or shop-bought guacamole:

1. Prep your whole avocados
2. Mash the avocados
3. Add fresh lime juice
4. Store in an airtight container
5. Freeze for up to three months

Step 1: Prep your whole avocados

Rinse your whole ripe avocados to remove any possible contaminants on the skin.

Slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. Discard any brown bits of avocado flesh.

Scoop the green flesh from the avocado halves into a large bowl.

Step 2: Mash the avocados

Pureed avocados may freeze better than chunky mashed avocados. But avocado puree and guacamole are two different things to me.

Grab a potato masher, fork, or sturdy wire whisk and mash the avocado until it is smooth with a few small chunky bits.

You can freeze avocado puree for avo-based sauces, like this avocado green goddess dressing. Use a food processor or stick blender to create a silky smooth puree instead of mashing.

Step 3: Add fresh lime juice

Use roughly one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice for every two medium-sized Hass avocados. That’s about 225 grams (1/2 pound) of avocado flesh for each tablespoon of lime juice.

Fresh lemon juice also works well. It just doesn’t have that Mexican tang.

Use a spoon to stir the citrus juice through the avocado mash.

Tip: Use the cut side of the spent lime and rub it inside your freezer-proof container or freezer bag to limit browning.

Step 4: Store in an airtight container

Use freezer bags, freezer-proof containers or ice cube trays to freeze guacamole.

Use freezer bags to freeze guacamole: I love reusable silicone freezer bags for freezing the avocado mixture – I use stasher bags. The thick silicone limits oxygen exposure, it doesn’t tear easily (so far), and the bags are reusable. But you can also use freezer-safe bags, like Ziploc bags.

Transfer your guac to the bag a spoonful at a time. Tap it on your counter as you go to get rid of air bubbles. And squeeze as much air out as possible.

Use freezer-proof containers to freeze guacamole: Or use a mason jar or another freezer-proof airtight storage container. Yes, mason jars are freezer-friendly! Spoon the guac into your container and give it a few gentle taps on the counter to remove air bubbles.

Flatten the surface of the mashed avocado with the back of a clean spoon. Add a layer of plastic wrap right against the flat surface of the guac to limit the oxygen exposure within the jar. It helps to keep your guacamole fresh and green and combats freezer burn.

Use ice cube trays to freeze guacamole: You can also use an ice cube tray to freeze small amounts. Once frozen solid, transfer the cubes to resealable plastic bags to avoid freezer burn.

Step 5: Freeze

Label your containers and freeze the avocado-lime mix for up to three months.

How to thaw frozen avocado

Defrost your mashed avocado in the refrigerator overnight.

If you want to speed up defrosting, place the freezer bag in a bowl of cold water for up to 45 minutes. Use immediately.

The best guacamole recipe for freezing

Guacamole freezes best without large chunks of watery ingredients like onions and tomatoes. So always freeze your guacamole base – avocado and lime juice – on its own if you can.

But you can still freeze your shop-bought guacamole following the same steps. And it will also benefit from the added fresh ingredients after defrosting.

You can freeze this easy guacamole without onions or tomatoes. It works even better if you take the optional step to bash or blitz the coriander leaves and chillies into a paste before mixing it into the guac.

All of the fresh aromatics, added after defrosting, are optional. But it makes a massive difference and transforms your frozen avo into fresh-tasting, delicious guacamole.

It is also a great way to introduce freshness to any lacklustre shop-bought guacamole.

Loaded guacamole flavour-boosters

• Tomato: I use one medium-sized Roma tomato, but you can use any beautifully red and ripe tomato you have.
• Cilantro: Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) are a great way to increase fresh flavours in your guacamole. But feel free to omit it if you are a cilantro hater. Or substitute with fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves.
• Green onions: I love green onions (or scallions) in my loaded guacamole, but you can also use finely diced red onion or regular onion.
• Chilli: Use any mild, deseeded and deveined chilli. Try a jalapeño or mild red chilli for a pop of colour. Or omit the chilli for non-spicy guacamole.
• Onion powder: This is a great way to boost the savoury flavour of previously frozen guacamole.
• Tajín seasoning: A sprinkle of Tajín is an easy way to add tons of authentic Mexican flavour. Or try smoked chipotle flakes.
• Oil: If your defrosted guac has a watery texture, add some fat to revive that creamy texture. Try avocado oil or olive oil.

Tajín seasoning is a sour, smoky, slightly spicy seasoning from Mexico. You can make your own Tajín seasoning substitute at home.

How to use frozen guacamole

Once your frozen guac is fully defrosted, add the flavour boosters for fresh-tasting delicious guacamole.

• Serve it alongside fresh salsa with Mexican food like tacos, enchiladas or quesadillas. Try this fresh and fiery mango habanero salsa.
• Or serve your loaded guacamole dip with crunchy tortilla chips.
• You can blitz defrosted or leftover guacamole into creamy salad dressings. Try this avocado green goddess dressing recipe.
• Generously spoon it over toasted sourdough for a Mexican take on avocado toast.

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze guacamole?

Yes, you can freeze guacamole in an airtight container or freezer bag. Give the guacamole surface an extra squeeze of citrus juice, and cover it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap to limit oxygen exposure.

What happens when you freeze guacamole?

Guacamole retains its green colour when frozen correctly but loses some of the fresh ripe avocado flavour. And guacamole with chunks of onions and tomato will be watery once defrosted with a broken texture.

Add a tablespoon of avocado or olive oil to reduce the broken texture, and boost the guac with flavourful aromatics like cilantro, green onions, tomato and Tajín seasoning.

Related Post: The Best Tajin Seasoning Substitute (+ alternatives)

How long can you freeze guacamole?

You can freeze fresh homemade or shop-bought guacamole for up to three months. Thaw the guacamole in the fridge and boost the guac flavour with added aromatics. See the recipe card for more.

Frozen mashed avocados were a lifesaver to preserve the abundance of avocados from our little tree this year!

Best Guacamole Recipe for Freezing

5 from 5 votes

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A plain guacamole base works best for freezing. It retains a fresh green colour and creamy texture without any defrosted watery onions or tomatoes. But you can also freeze your shop-bought guacamole.

Give any defrosted guac a flavour boost with this loaded guacamole recipe.

Recipe byRecipe By: Adri

ServingsServings: 8

0.5x1x2x

Prep TimePrep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total TimeTotal Time: 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

US CupsMetric

Guacamole base

• 4 medium-sized ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from one juicy lime

Flavour-boosting ingredients (for defrosted guacamole)

• 1 ripe Roma tomato
• ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions
• 1 chilli, deseeded and deveined
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon tajin seasoning

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the guacamole base

• Slice your avocados in half and remove the pit. Discard any brown bits of avocado flesh – hopefully, there are none.
• Scoop the green avocado flesh into a large mixing bowl and mash it with a fork, sturdy wire whisk or potato masher. A smoother texture works best for freezing. Add lime juice and mix well.

Freeze the guacamole base

• Place the mashed avocado in freezer bags – squeezing out as much air as possible. Freeze your mashed avocados for up to three months.
• To defrost, place the mashed avocados in the fridge and leave them to thaw overnight. Or, to speed up defrosting, put the freezer bags in a bowl of cold water for up to 45 minutes. Defrost it thoroughly to preserve a creamy texture.

Prepare the aromatics for your defrosted guacamole

• Dice your tomato and drain the juice (you can leave it in a sieve over the sink for a few minutes). Finely chop your cilantro, green onion and chilli.
• An optional flavour-boosting step is to bash the cilantro, onion and chilli into a rough paste with a mortar and pestle.
• Add the drained tomatoes, chopped (or bashed) cilantro and chilli to the defrosted, mashed avocado with lime. Add half a teaspoon of onion powder.
• For a salt-free guacamole base, I add about one teaspoon of salt. But if your frozen guacamole has salt, it is best to adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Spoon the guac into a bowl, top with the reserved coriander leaves and sprinkle with tajin seasoning. Serve and enjoy your delicious guacamole.

Notes

• The avocado flesh for this recipe weighs roughly 450 grams (1 pound). Scale your flavour-boosting ingredients to fit the weight of the defrosted mashed avocado.
• You can use your favourite chilli. Try a jalapeño for subtle heat or a bird’s eye chilli for intense heat.
• If you defrost store-bought guacamole (instead of the guac base in this recipe), adjust the flavour boosters to the ingredients already in your defrosted guacamole.

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