Guacamole is a traditional Mexican dish made from avocados, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It’s used as a dip for tortilla chips or as a spread on sandwiches and burgers.
How Long Can Guacamole Sit Out?
Guacamole can be kept out for up to two hours. However, it’s best to eat guacamole as soon after preparing it as possible. While stored at room temperature, keep it covered to prevent flies and other insects from getting to your guacamole. If it’s going to be longer than 2 hours, guacamole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Why Does Guacamole Go Bad So Quickly?
Guacamole is made from mashed avocados, so it contains fats that can go rancid if they’re exposed to oxygen or light for too long. This is why guacamole turns brown when exposed to air, even if you haven’t added any spices or other ingredients yet.
The best way to store guacamole is to put it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.
How Can You Tell If Guacamole Is Spoiled?
You can tell if guacamole is spoiled by its smell, color, and texture.
If the guacamole smells bad, it has gone bad. If it smells sour or rotten, then you should toss it in the trash.
If the color has changed from green to brownish-green or blackish-green, then it’s time to throw out your homemade guacamole as well as store-bought guacamole. The color change is caused by oxidation which happens when avocados are exposed to air for long periods of time.
The texture of spoiled guacamole will be mushy and may have some liquid in it which indicates that there may be bacteria growing on top of or inside of your guacamole making it unsafe to eat. If this happens, discard your entire bowl of guacamole immediately.
Storing Guacamole At Room Temperature
Once you’ve made your guacamole and don’t plan on eating it right away, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator. Unlike most other dips, which are usually good enough just sitting out on the counter for a few hours, guacamole can go bad if left at room temperature for too long.
if you need to keep your guacamole at room temperature, always keep them stored in a container with a lid covered. This will help prevent them from going bad quickly.
Is It Safe To Eat Guacamole That Was Left Out Overnight?
If you have any guacamole that was left out of the fridge overnight, you should discard it since it’s unsafe to eat.
The problem with leaving leftover guacamole out is that the avocado oxidizes when exposed to air or sunlight. The oxidation process changes the chemical structure of the avocado, which makes it unsafe for human consumption.
This is why you should discard any guacamole that has been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours.
How Long Can You Store Guacamole In The Fridge?
Guacamole lasts for about four days in the refrigerator if you store it properly. You can expect it to start going bad after that time period, but if you’re going to use it all up within that time frame, there’s no need to throw any away.
If you want to keep your guacamole longer than four days, put it in an airtight container and place it in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh for up to two months.
Conclusion
Guacamole is best eaten when it’s fresh. If you need to keep them outside of the fridge, just be sure not to keep them for longer than 2 hours. After that time, you should discard any you have left to avoid food poisoning.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
