Do Avocados Ripen After You Cut Them? Quick Facts & Tips
Ever found yourself stuck with a rock-hard avocado right when you crave that creamy, green goodness? We’ve all been there, and it can be truly exasperating!
Fear not. This guide unravels the mystery: ‘Do avocados ripen after you cut them?’ Stick with us and discover the fascinating world of avocado ripening. Your guacamole will thank you for it!

In this article, we’ll explore the factors that influence an avocado’s ripening process and provide insights into whether or not avocados can continue to ripen after being cut. Understanding the science behind this beloved fruit is essential to enjoy its peak flavor and texture.
Our discussion will cover the following:
- The role of ethylene gas in an avocado’s ripening process,
- How storage conditions affect this progress, and
- Tips on how to ripen an avocado after it’s already been cut.
Let’s dive in and unlock the mysteries of avocado ripening!
Do Avocados Ripen After Being Cut
We’ve all experienced the disappointment when you cut into an unripe Avocado, only to discover it’s harder than a rock!
But does it mean you’ve wasted a delicious avo? Can it still ripen properly?

Let’s explore the possibilities.
When an avocado is cut, it exposes the flesh to air, and oxidation occurs. This process can lead to browning and spoilage. However, it’s still possible for avocados to ripen after they’ve been cut, but the process is a bit different.
Steps to Ripen Your Avocado AFTER Being Cut
To preserve the freshness of a cut avocado and help it continue to ripen, we recommend taking the following steps:
- Brush the exposed flesh with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.
- Place the two halves back together, keeping the pit in place.
- Wrap the avocado tightly in cling film to limit exposure to air.
- Store it in a cool, dark place for a day (avoid refrigeration if possible, as it slows down the ripening process).
While the cut avocado may not ripen as evenly as an uncut one, these steps will help prevent spoilage and ensure the avocado continues to ripen somewhat. Remember that once you cut an avocado, it’s essential to closely monitor its ripening progress to avoid any spoilage and wastage.
Factors Affecting Ripening
In this section, we will discuss the factors that can impact the ripening process of avocados after they have been cut. These factors include temperature, ethylene gas, oxygen exposure, and the surface area of the cut.
Temperature
Temperature plays a significant role in how quickly avocados ripen after being cut.
Ripening a cut avocado is like baking cookies. If you bake your cookies in a hot oven, they’ll cook faster, but if you use a cooler oven, they’ll take longer. Avocados work the same way!

When it’s hot around an avocado, like during summer, it stimulates the fruit and starts to ripen or soften faster.
But when it’s cold around, the avocado slows down and takes its sweet time getting ripe.
So next time you’re waiting for your avocado to be just right for your sandwich or guacamole, remember this cookie-baking trick with temperatures!
Ethylene Gas
Alright, let’s consider the exciting role of ethylene. It is a natural signaling hormone in fruits like avocados, triggering the ripening process. When fruit is exposed to additional ethylene, this ripening process accelerates.
Consider what happens when you place an avocado next to a maturing banana. Have you observed how the avocado seems to ripen more quickly? That’s because the banana emits ethylene, and the avocado responds.
Ethylene is a sort of communication between fruits – an invisible cue that says, “It’s time to ripen.”
Oxygen Exposure
You know when you cut open an avocado and leave it out, and it turns brown?
Well, that’s because of something called oxidation. It’s like the avocado’s way of reacting to air exposure. What’s happening is that oxygen from the air is rushing into those newly exposed parts of the avocado, which starts a process that makes it ripen or mature quickly.
Like us, avocados don’t enjoy too much exposure without protection; they need their ‘me’ time too!

So, if we want to slow down this fast-forward ripening thing after we’ve cut one open, we must find ways to protect it from too much air.
Similar to how we wrap up leftovers in plastic wrap or put them in a nifty little container so it doesn’t get stale – we can do the same with our green friend here!
Wrapping our cut avocado snugly in some cling film or popping it into an airtight box is useful to prevent too much air from reaching it.
And voila! Your avocado stays fresh for longer.
Cut Surface Area
Alright, imagine you’ve just sliced an avocado. The part of the avocado that’s now exposed to the air is the cut surface area. This part has a significant role in how quickly your avocado will ripen.
Think of it like this – the larger the cut surface area, the more of our yummy avocado flesh is exposed to the air around it.
This could make our avocado ripen quicker!
On the flip side, if we make a smaller slice into our avocado, less of its delicious inside gets to see daylight and be in contact with air.
Our little green friend might take time to mature because less of it is getting acquainted with its surroundings.
Methods to Slow Down Your Avocado Browning
In this section, we will discuss a few methods to slow down the browning of avocados after they have been cut.
IMPORTANT! Remember that these methods will not stop the browning entirely but will help delay the process and keep your avocado looking fresh for longer.
Lemon Juice
Slow down the browning of a cut avocado with lemon juice. The citric acid in lemon juice acts as an antioxidant, which can help to prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown. To use this method, follow the steps below:
- Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a small bowl.
- Brush a thin layer of lemon juice onto the exposed flesh of the avocado.
- While not essential, you may also cover the avocado with plastic wrap to limit air exposure.
Plastic Wrap
Another effective way to slow browning is using plastic wrap (you can also try wrapping your avocado in foil).
By creating a tight seal around the cut avocado, we can limit the avocado’s exposure to oxygen, which is a significant factor in the oxidation process. Here’s how to do it:
- Place the cut avocado on a plate or in a container.
- Press a piece of cling film firmly against the avocado’s exposed flesh, ensuring no air bubbles between the wrap and the avocado.
- Wrap the plastic wrap around the entire avocado, ensuring a snug fit.
Cold Storage

Storing ripe avocados in the refrigerator can also help slow the browning process.
Cold temperatures reduce the rate of oxidation, which means the avocado will stay fresher for a more extended period. To store your avocado in the refrigerator, follow the steps below:
- If possible, first use one of the previously mentioned methods, like applying lemon juice or plastic wrap to the exposed flesh of the avocado.
- Place the avocado in a resealable plastic bag or container.
- Store it in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer, where the temperature and humidity are more stable.
Stopping the Ripening Process
What if you find yourself in the opposite situation?
What if you have cut into your ripe avocado but realize you are still waiting to eat it?
Is it possible to stop the avocado’s ripening process?
You bet!
And we will use a similar technique discussed in the above section about preventing your avocado from turning brown.
Just pop that perfect avocado in the refrigerator!
The cool temperature slows ripening, buying us extra time before it over-ripens. It’s like hitting the pause button.
Remember, this won’t work forever – after a couple of days, your avocado may start to turn anyway.
So enjoy the creamy texture of this fruit while you can with some avocado toast!!
References Used
- Oxidation state. (2023, June 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidation_state