Avocado Guide: Types, Ripening, and How to Use Them

No other fruit is quite like the avocado. Its smooth, silky flesh has an almost nutty, buttery richness that makes everything from toast to tacos taste better. Here’s my guide to the types of avocados, how to pick a ripe one, how to ripen and store them, and the science behind keeping avocados green.

What Is an Avocado?

Avocado, or Persea americana, is a pear-shaped fruit with a rough, pebbly skin and tender, silky flesh. It grows on evergreen trees in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It was once nicknamed the “alligator pear,” which fits its shape and shiny, deep green skin.

Most varieties share a smooth, creamy texture and a mild, vegetal flavor. That richness makes avocados a natural fit for dips, sauces, and smoothies, and it even works as a substitute for butter in some spreads and baked goods.

When Are Avocados in Season?

Most grocery stores carry avocados year-round. The California season starts in the fall and lasts until spring. The trees grow best in warm climates, but you can also sprout an avocado pit and grow a small tree as a houseplant.

Types of Avocados

Hass is the avocado you’ll see in most stores, but several other varieties are worth trying if you spot them at a farmers’ market.

• Hass: The major player in the world of avocados. Hass accounts for about 95% of the avocados grown in California. It has a creamy, velvety texture and pebbly skin that’s easy to peel. The skin turns from green to purple-black as it ripens.
• Bacon: A medium-sized fruit with smooth, light green skin that’s easy to peel.
• Fuerte: Pear-shaped and medium to large, with smooth green skin.
• Gwen: Similar in taste and texture to Hass, but slightly larger.
• Lamb Hass: A large avocado with a smooth, nutty flavor. It ripens in the summer.
• Pinkerton: A high-yielding variety that’s long and pear-shaped, with a small seed.
• Reed: A large, round avocado with a round seed.
• Zutano: One of the earliest avocados of the season. It has light green skin, pale flesh, and a very mild taste.

Avocados at a Glance

Avocado	Shape and Size	Skin	Flavor
Hass	Oval, medium	Pebbly, turns purple-black	Rich and creamy
Gwen	Oval, slightly larger than Hass	Pebbly, green	Similar to Hass
Lamb Hass	Oval, large	Pebbly, green	Smooth and nutty
Reed	Round, large	Green	Creamy
Fuerte	Pear-shaped, medium to large	Smooth, green	Mild
Bacon	Oval, medium	Smooth, light green	Mild
Pinkerton	Long and pear-shaped	Green	Creamy, small seed
Zutano	Pear-shaped	Smooth, light green	Very mild, pale flesh

How to Choose a Ripe Avocado

To tell if an avocado is ripe, gently squeeze it in the palm of your hand. Avoid pressing with your fingertips, which can bruise the flesh. A ripe avocado feels firm but yields to gentle pressure. You can also check under the stem. If the little cap flicks off easily and it’s green underneath, it’s ripe. If it won’t come off, it needs more time. If it comes off too easily and it’s brown underneath, it’s overripe.

Look for fruit without dark spots or dents, and skip any that feel mushy. If you won’t use them for a few days, buy firm, unripe avocados and let them ripen at home.

How to Ripen Avocados

Avocados soften as they ripen, and some varieties, like Hass, also turn dark purple or almost black. Not all avocados change color, so go by feel. Firm avocados will ripen on the counter at room temperature in a few days.

The science: Avocados ripen after they’re picked, and they release ethylene, a natural plant hormone that triggers softening. To speed things up, place them in a paper bag with an apple, banana, or kiwi. These fruits also give off ethylene, and the bag traps the gas around the avocados so they ripen faster.

How to Store Avocados

• Unripe: Keep at room temperature, out of direct sun, until they yield to gentle pressure.
• Ripe: A ripe avocado will last about two days at room temperature, or up to five days in the refrigerator. Chilling slows down ripening, so it’s a great way to hold them at their peak.
• Cut: Brush the exposed flesh with lemon or lime juice, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate.
• Frozen: Mash or purée the flesh with a little lemon or lime juice, then freeze it in an airtight container. Thawed avocado is best for guacamole, smoothies, and spreads.

Why Avocados Turn Brown

When you cut an avocado, you break open its cells. An enzyme called polyphenol oxidase reacts with oxygen in the air and turns the green flesh brown. It’s the same reaction that happens to cut apples. I tested several methods in my guide on how to keep apples from turning brown, and the same science applies here.

• Add acid: Lemon juice, lime juice, or a little white vinegar lowers the pH, which slows the browning enzyme. The vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in citrus also reacts with oxygen first. That’s why my guacamole always gets a squeeze of lime.
• Block the air: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of cut avocado or guacamole so there are no air pockets. A thin coating of oil also creates a barrier.
• Keep it cold: Refrigerating slows the enzyme down, but it won’t stop it completely. A thin brown layer is harmless and can be scraped off.

How to Cut an Avocado

Avocados are easiest to cut when they’re ripe but not too soft. Slice around the pit lengthwise, twist the halves apart, and remove the pit. From there, you can slice or dice the flesh right in the skin and scoop it out with a spoon. My step-by-step guide on how to cut an avocado has photos for each step. For the best color, cut avocados right before serving.

Ways to Use Avocados

• Mash it: Make a bowl of the best guacamole, or spread it on bread for avocado toast with your favorite toppings.
• Slice it: Layer it into sandwiches, add it to a Cobb salad, or fan it over a salmon poke bowl.
• Dice it: Toss it into a fresh avocado salad, corn salsa, mango salsa, or shrimp ceviche.
• Top with it: Avocado is a cool, creamy finish for shrimp tacos, huevos rancheros, and chicken tortilla soup.
• Blend it: It makes a thick, creamy avocado smoothie without any dairy.
• Fill it: Mash the yolks with avocado for avocado deviled eggs.

What Is Avocado Oil?

Most edible oils are pressed from seeds, but avocado oil is pressed from the flesh around the pit. It has a mild, neutral flavor. Refined avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points of cooking oils, so it works well for searing, roasting, and grilling. Look for cold-pressed avocado oil when you want a fresher, more buttery flavor for drizzling. See how it compares in my guide to types of cooking oils.

• Drizzle as a finishing oil over hot or cold soups
• Use as the base for homemade mayonnaise
• Add to a marinade for roasted vegetables or grilled meats
• Whisk into a salad dressing

Avocado Nutrition

According to the USDA, here’s the nutrition breakdown for a California (Hass) avocado. The standard serving size is one-third of a medium avocado, about 50 grams.

Nutrient	Per Serving (50 g)	Per Avocado (136 g)
Calories	84	227
Total Fat	7.7 g	20.9 g
Saturated Fat	1.1 g	2.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat	4.9 g	13.3 g
Carbohydrates	4.3 g	11.8 g
Fiber	3.4 g	9.2 g
Protein	1.0 g	2.7 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, Avocados, raw, California.

Frequently Asked Questions