Guacamole is a sauce of Mexican origin that has become extremely popular worldwide. It is prepared with avocado, chili or pepper, onion, cilantro, and tomatoes, but how is guacamole preserved?
You can store guacamole in the fridge for 3 or 4 days and freeze it, although I recommend you do it only with avocado puree for 3 or 4 months without the rest of the ingredients.
If you’re interested in how to preserve guacamole the right way, keep reading.
How to Store Guacamole in the Fridge
Well, as guacamole is composed mainly of avocado, the ideal would be to eat all the sauce on the same day since the pulp of this fruit oxidizes very quickly (turns brown). However, this does not necessarily indicate that it has spoiled; it makes the sauce not pleasant to the eye.
This oxidation occurs when the pulp of the avocado encounters oxygen. Therefore, to preserve guacamole, it is necessary to maintain it isolated, and avoid being exposed to the air for a long time, something challenging to achieve but possible.
You need to follow these instructions to preserve the guacamole in the refrigerator successfully:
- Step 1: Transfer the guacamole to an airtight container.
Flatten the avocado well inside the container to have a smooth surface. You could also place guacamole in a bag, but only if you can vacuum seal it; otherwise, it is best to use an airtight container.
- Step 2: Pour water over the guacamole.
That’s right; pouring water over the guacamole will create a protective layer to prevent air from contacting the sauce. To do this, you must pour the water carefully; you can use a spoon upside down, so the jet will not fall directly into the guacamole.
You could also apply a layer of vinegar, lemon juice, and oil (preferably olive oil), but these liquids will alter the flavor of guacamole, so keep that in mind.
I do not recommend covering guacamole with sour cream or plastic film since it has been proven that avocado still oxidizes, and that is what you want to avoid.
- Step 3: Store the guacamole in the fridge.
Before closing the container with the guacamole, put a layer of plastic wrap on top; you could also wrap the container with this transparent film once it is covered to reduce the chances of air entering.
Then, place the container in the coldest part of the refrigerator. This way, the guacamole can be refrigerated for 3 or 4 days. [1]
Before using guacamole again, you just have to drain the water, do not worry if it is no longer clear since it is expected in this case.
How to freeze guacamole
Can guacamole be frozen? Yes, you can do it. However, I advise you to only freeze the avocado puree since the rest of the ingredients could suffer alterations in the freezer, making them unpleasant to the palate.
To preserve the guacamole in the freezer, you will have to do what I tell you below:
- Step 1: Transfer the guacamole to an airtight bag.
You can use a glass to help you fill the bag. The idea is that later, you flatten the avocado or guacamole puree.
A handy tip, separate it into smaller portions in case you have prepared a lot of avocado or guacamole puree, so you will only thaw the parts that you will need later since guacamole cannot be re-frozen.
Remember to remove all the air from the bag before sealing the bag. You could also use a container that can withstand the freezer, but first, cover the inner walls with oil so that the guacamole does not stick to the container and does not have glass jars, or they could burst in the freezer.
- Step 2: Perform the first freezing of guacamole.
Arrange the portions on a tray and put them in the freezer for 4 or 6 hours.
- Step 3: Bag the portions of guacamole.
When the portions of avocado puree or guacamole are entirely frozen, put them in another larger bag, thus avoiding frost burns.
- Step 4: Write the guacamole preparation date.
Place the date you prepared the guacamole on the bag where you kept it or stick a label with the date to the container.
- Step 5: Store the guacamole in the freezer.
If you freeze the guacamole despite the warnings, it will last 1 or 2 months. On the other hand, avocado puree may be frozen for 3 or 4 months. [2]
To thaw the guacamole running, I recommend doing it slowly, so pass the portion you need to the fridge a day before. The thawed guacamole will be in the refrigerator for another day or two.
If you are in a hurry or forgot to pass the guacamole to the fridge, leave it submerged for 30 or 45 minutes in cold water or defrost it in the microwave for 30 seconds at medium power for 2 minutes.
Thawed guacamole in these two ways should be consumed within hours.
How do you know if guacamole got bad?
Guacamole starts to smell bad because it is spoiled, and you should throw it away. Also, if guacamole has a strange taste, don’t eat it and discard it.
If your guacamole got some lint or black or white spots, it developed mold, meaning it has been wholly contaminated, and you should get rid of all the sauce, even if it has only come out in a small area.
If guacamole has a strange appearance, whether very brown or watery, check its smell and taste before throwing it away.
How long does guacamole last?
| Product | Duration |
| Guacamole in the fridge | 3 – 4 days |
| Guacamole in the freezer | 1 – 2 months |
| Frozen avocado puree | 3 – 4 months |
| Thawed guacamole in the fridge | 1 – 2 days |
What is the best way to preserve guacamole?
Since guacamole can change texture and/or flavor depending on how you store it, the best way to preserve it is to keep it in the refrigerator inside an airtight container with a layer of water on its top.
If you store guacamole with a layer of lemon juice, oil, or vinegar, its flavor will be altered. However, if you refrigerate guacamole that was vacuum sealed, it will hold just as well as if it had a layer of water.
Although it is not advisable to freeze guacamole because the rest of the ingredients change their texture considerably when thawed, it can last a couple of months.
But it is better to freeze the avocado puree in the freezer and complete the sauce after you thaw, so you will have practically fresh guacamole whenever you want.
To know how to preserve any other sauce or dish, you can check if I have that topic published here since I have a wide variety of topics on the preservation of products.
[1] https://lee.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TheFoodKeeper.pdf?fwd=no