Once cut, avocado is exposed to oxygen which makes it turn brown. Here are 11 ways to stop the browning from even starting.
Let’s say I don’t have to use an entire avocado. I actually chuckled as I typed that because this is never a problem, but play along. Anyway, the only problem with avocado is when you try to save it and the outside turns brown. Not very appetizing.
But keep reading because I’ve got some tips that will help keep your avocado from turning brown.
Why Do Avocados Turn Brown?
So why does this happen? It’s just like apples and bananas. Avocado contains an enzyme that turns flesh of the fruits brown when cut. It’s the oxygen exposure that causes this reaction to start.
This doesn’t impact taste, just appearance. But it’s not very pretty which makes it less appetizing.
Luckily, you can prevent this from happening a few different ways.
How To Prevent Avocados From Browning
Your main goal is simple. Prevent oxygen from touching the cut avocado. No oxidization equals no browning. Got that? Let’s get started.
1. Plastic Wrap
My grandma uses the old Saran Wrap trick. You simply put plastic wrap over the cut side of the avocado and press it into place. She swears by this method of covering the exposed surface of the avocado.ws
But I’ve run into two major issues. First, plastic wrap is not easy to put on, at least for me. It gets stuck together. Second, if you don’t have it on tight enough, air gets in and here comes brown avocado.
2. Citrus Juice
I opt for spritzing my avocado with lemon or lime juice. In a pinch I’ll use orange juice. This creates a barrier that keeps your avocado green.
Note some people say that this can leave the avocado flesh slimy. I’ve never had this happen, but again, avocados don’t last long in my house and there’s usually lemon juice in the fridge.
3. Leave The Pit
Some people say that simply keeping the pit in the halved avocado works. I disagree. It does not. BUT, it does mean that there is less surface area exposed to air. So leave it in there and then combine ideas (1) and (2) from above: Spritz with citrus juice and cover with plastic wrap. Keep it in the refrigerator for best results.
4. Get A Brown-Fighting Friend
One friend of mine swears by keeping her avocado in a small airtight container with a couple of slices of onion. Onions release sulfur compounds that counteract the enzyme that causes browning. You also want to make sure the onion slices are only touching the outer skin of the avocado, not the flesh that you want to eat later or it’ll taste like onion.
5. Add Oil
You can also spray the halved avocado with cooking spray or rub it with cooking oil such as olive oil. It works like the citrus juice to keep a barrier between the avocado and the air.
6. Use A Cold Water Bath
Some cooks use cold water baths to prevent browning. This keeps air from reaching the flesh. Use this technique if you’re prepping several avocados for use later in the day. Fill a bowl with cold water and add your halved avocados. Refrigerate. Use within four hours.
Keep Guacamole From Browning
If you have guacamole or mashed avocado, there are a few other things you can do.
- Press plastic wrap over the mound of guacamole.
- Scoop the guac into a tall thin container (a cylinder). Then only the tiny bit at the top opening is exposed to air. Top that with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
- Or, instead of plastic wrap on the top of the cylinder, pour cooking oil onto the top, about ⅛ of an inch. That acts as a barrier to the air. Pour off the oil and discard before serving (or stir it in).
- Spritz the top of the guacamole with citrus juice before topping it with plastic wrap.
My favorite method for preventing brown avocados and brown guacamole though? Eat it. Seriously, invite some friends over. Have a guacamole party. I’ll bring the margaritas. Problem solved!
If you need recipe inspiration for the avocados you’ve now saved from going brown, browse all my avocado recipes and tips.
This post originally appeared in June 2017 and was revised and republished in July 2023.
We have a Reed Avocado tree & the other day my wife said we had some ripe ones & brought my half to me sans pit. She did say that she sprinkled Himalayan salt on my half. It sat (by mistake) for two days, open in the fridge & had only the tiniest amount of brown. Maybe it’s the Reed & maybe it’s the salt, but I felt compelled to share.
Thanks for sharing, Joseph!
Vacuum seal it?
That could probably work too, Ed, as it’s keeping it from being exposed to air! Not many people I know have a vacuum sealer though.
You cannot just put an avocado in cold water and expect it not to go bad pretty quickly. There’s oxygen in water. In fact, it makes up ⅓ of all water. Oxidation is what causes the browning. If you want to use this method, the water should be acidulated (with citrus juice, vinegar, wine, etc.), or at least water that is liberally salted (as with cut potatoes and cut apples). Keeping a halved avocado in an airtight container doesn’t work. Spritzing with citrus and/or oil and then putting the other half into a Ziplock baggie (making sure to remove all excess air) would work, but only because the coating postpones/halts the oxidation. The onion thing doesn’t work (in fact, the sulfates causes the avocado to brown faster if anything).
The only thing, in my 30+ years experience as a Chef, that works reliably is soaking in acidulated or heavily salted water. Just make sure not to leave them soaking for more than 4 hours, to rinse and pat them dry before use (to get the salt and or acidic flavor off). But you shouldn’t rinse and pat them dry until you’re actually ready to use them. But, after taking them out of the bowl, and before rinsing them, they should last 45-60 minutes before starting to turn brown.
Also, just for general knowledge purposes….
1. Every Hass Avocado in the world had identical DNA. That’s because Rudolph Hass (not to be confused with Rudolph Hess, the Nazi Vice Chacellor) patented the Hass Avocado in 1935. Every Hass Avocado tree in the world is actually a different kind of tree with a Hass Avocado Tree cutting spliced/grafted onto its trunk when it’s still a sapling.
2. When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in Tenochtitlan (the Aztec capital city), they were told by the natives that the delicious fruit was called “āhuacatl” (pronounced kinda like like “aqua-haddle”), they didn’t understand they word, so they used the closest sounding word in the Spanish language, which was “advocado” (the Spanish word for lawyer). They just dropped the “d”. But the Perugia Aztec word, “āhuacatl” meant “testicle”, because they grow in pairs and it kinda does look like what one would think a set of Swamp Thing balls would look like!
3. An avocado will never reach full ripeness unless it’s picked off of the tree. Unless there happens to be a very early, very sudden, very hard freeze, then unripe avocado can remain on the tree for years without ever fully ripening.
4. If you buy an avocado that you thought was fresh, but then get it home and realize that it isn’t ripe at all, you can put them in a brown paper bag in a window still that gets plenty of light and it should be ripe in no more than 48 hours. Don’t have that kind of time? Throw up to 6 unripened avocados in a paper bag with a banana (unpeeled) and it will be perfectly ripe in 18-24 hours. I’ve seen it work in 8 hours with only 2 avocados and half a banana in the bag.
Tip to stop opened fresh Avocado from browning.
I’ve just recently discovered that when I use avocado, usually 1/2 for breakfast on toast. The other half I put back in fridge with its pit in place, then I place the left over skin from the used half as firmly on top of the unused half and guess what it doesn’t go brown. Natures way, amazing!!
Very cool, Jill! Thanks for sharing.
LOVE everything about this salad! Not only is it delicious, but it is a beautiful presentation. I have made this salad twice for a luncheon and get nothing but raves about it. The combination of ingredients is wonderful together. I prep all the ingredients the night before (grill peaches & chicken), and the next day I plate each individual serving with all the yummy vegetables and cheeses. This recipe is a keeper that’s for sure!!!
I thought I knew how to prevent avocados from browning–I use the acidic barrier (lemon, lime, vinegar) myself–but you’ve opened my eyes! I LOVE the idea of being able to prep avocados and keeping them in water. I’m going to try it, Amy. Thanks!