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So, which onesactuallywork and which ones are nothing more than a big ol pile of mush?

Ahead cooking experts share some of their best-kept industry secrets for how to ripen avocados quickly.

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founder ofLove and Lemonsand aNew York Timesbestselling author ofLove and Lemons Simple Feel Good Food

How do you ripen avocados in 10 minutes?

But lets delve right in.

First up on the list: Baking an avocado.

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Yep, you heard that right… baking.

So, what gives?

Is there a way to ripen a hard avocado… that actually works?

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According to Donofrio, it all boils down to patience.

I hate to say it, but I think that patience is the best way to ripen an avocado.

you could speed along the process slightly by storing the avocado somewhere fairly warm, like a sunny countertop.

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founder ofLove and Lemonsand aNew York Timesbestselling author ofLove and Lemons Simple Feel Good Food

Of course, thisisntwhat the many of us impatient folks want to hear.

That said, theres one method that may be slightly more promising than the others.

And she reiterates that the worst methods were by far the microwaving and baking techniques.

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These hacks made the avocado mushy and brown.

I wouldnt recommend trying them, Donofrio says.

Next, set your avocado on top.

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Roll the top of the bag a few times to completely seal it.

(Doing so traps in theethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process.)

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The result?

Your hard-as-a-rock avocadoshould(emphasis on the should) start to soften in just about 36 hours.

Although, if your avocado is especially rock-solid, just wait it out for another 12 hours.

That said, the culinary instructor also agrees that patience will likely yield the most effective results.

If youarentin a rush, skip the extra bruised fruit and just use the paper bag method.

Just double-check to check daily because some avocados ripen quicker than others.

And if it’s possible for you to spare 36 to 48 hours, purchase the rock-hard green avocados.

This ensures that no one has been pressing on it which can ultimately lead to brown spots.

The mini-sized avocados are a bit more tricky, so I recommend purchasing the regular-sized variety, Roszkowski says.

How long does it take for an avocado to ripen on the counter?

So, Donofrio recommends taking this all into account when cooking.

What can I do with rock hard avocados?

But what does this mean for your avocado-forward recipe that you were halfway through making?

Donofrio says ingredients swaps will be your new BFFs.

Replace avocado with a dollop ofcilantro lime cremain tacos and burrito bowls.

Skip it in favor ofvegan sour creamon your next bowl of chili.

Or, instead of starting your day with avocado toast, slather your toast withhummus.

This is especially good to know if eatingavocado causes you stomach pain.

How do you speed up or slow down avocado ripening?

The good news is there are tons of ways forhow to keep avocado freshfor longer.

Pop them in the fridge.

The cold slows the ripening process, Donofrio says.

Easy enough, right?

Fun fact: Roszkowski notes that the quicker you ripen your avocados, the longer they will ultimately last.

This is because as they sit and ripen, they are also losing moisture content which affects oxidation.

Ive had avocados last up to a month using this method.

Of course, if all else fails, here are sevenavocado substituteoptions that can help do the trick.

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