The Only Guacamole Recipe You Need
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I have a giant love affair with avocados so it’s only natural that I have an easy, go-to recipe for guacamole. Having lived in Arizona and Southern California for 20 years, I’ve had my fair share of really great guacamole, and it’s surprisingly so simple to make if you have fresh ingredients.
Guacamole Secret
The secret to great guacamole is in the avocados and it all starts at your grocery store. There are lots of theories about how to pick out a great avocado but it depends on when you are going to use them. Need them for dinner tonight? Pick one that is dark and consistently soft all around. Avoid avocados that have large spots of softness. Have time to let them ripen? Then get avocados that are greener and firm without any noticeable bruising. If your avocados start to ripen faster than you can use them, store them in the refrigerator. It slows down the ripening process and they last a little longer. Those suckers can be expensive, you don’t want to waste any of your investment.
When a recipe calls for avocado’s, I always get at least two more than I really need. As careful as I am when choosing my avocado’s, sometimes you just get a few duds.
Guac Mash
Everyone has an opinion on whether they like a chucky guacamole or a more pureed kind. I prefer mine somewhere in the middle. It achieve this magical consistency, I dice up the avocado using this tool then I use a potato masher to partially break it up.
Storing Guacamole
Avocado will turn brown if it’s left out in the air for too long. It doesn’t affect the taste but let’s face it, no one wants to dig into a bowl of brown guac. There are two ways that I store it to make sure that it’s nice and green when it’s time to dig in. First is simple, get some cling wrap and cut a piece larger than the top of your bowl. Starting in the middle, place it on the top of the guacamole and cover to the edges. Make sure that there are no air pockets and that the cling wrap covers every bit to the edges. The second way is also simple but a little strange. Put a layer of water on the top of your guacamole. It also acts as a barrier to the oxygenation but since avocados are oily, it doesn’t affect the taste.
Guacamole is so versatile. You can keep it as is in the recipe or add in some red onion or hot pepper of your choice. I developed this recipe while I was breastfeeding Big Nugget so I omitted the onion and just never put it back in. It’s a great condiment or appetizer for a party, potluck or simple BBQ.
I may or may not have eaten just chips and guacamole for lunch the day I photographed this…
These are my absolute favorite chips….trust me, you’ll want that many.
Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3 Large Avocados
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp red onion finely diced, optional
- 1 pepper (jalapeno or serrano) finely diced, optional
- pinch ground pepper
Instructions
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Peal and dice avocados combine with cilantro, minced garlic, juice of one lime and salt. If using, add onion and pepper.
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Using a potato masher, smush avocado mixed to desired consistency.
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Mix in tomatoes and adjust salt, lime and pepper to taste. Store with a layer of cling wrap or water on top. Serve with your favorite chips or veggies.
