The Best Guacamole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes guacamole taste better? ›

If you taste your guac and it is bland, start with more salt. Next, add lime juice. Often an additional pop of citrus is all guac needs to come alive and taste better. If you still aren't happy with the taste, you can rely on mix-ins to jazz it up.

Here's all you need for traditional guacamole: ripe avocados, coriander/cilantro, red onions, jalapeño or Serrano chilli, lime and salt. Avoid unnecessary fillers such as sour cream and cream cheese. They only dilute flavour. Popular optional extras include: garlic, tomato, cumin powder.

With ripe tomatoes so rare in the U.S., I generally leave them out.) I know what you're about to ask. "But what about oxidation?” While lime is touted as a way prevent avocados from browning, it takes a lot of lime for that to work—and it's generally a bad idea to transform a dish's taste for aesthetic reasons.

Olive oil is rich in healthy fats and imparts a subtle richness to guacamole that makes it even more satisfying. In addition, it can help to prevent the avocado from turning brown too quickly by forming a barrier between the surface of the guacamole and the air.

To keep the leftover guacamole from browning, the employee rips off a sheet of plastic wrap, then presses it all the way down to the surface of the guacamole, knocking out the air that would be in the container if it was just sealed with a lid.

Tomatoes — not all guac recipes have tomatoes in them but I sure love tomatoes in mine. I remove the seeds of the tomatoes so the guacamole doesn't become soggy. Chili — the most common chilis added are either jalapeño or serrano chili depending on how spicy you want it.

Most people prefer to use sweet white onion in their guacamole recipe. Red or yellow onion tends to give the guacamole too strong of a garlic flavor.

I like the flavor better with lemon juice, but lime works too. If you're out of fresh lemons or limes, try using bottled lime or lemon juice. Although, freshly squeezed juice is definitely the best! Salt: Salt enhances the flavors and brings it all together.

Add milk or cream to make your guacamole denser. Place slices or cubes of fresh cheese on top of your guac. Add chopped mint to make your guacamole even fresher. Mango cubes add an unexpected touch and also keep your guac from turning brown.

Generally speaking, the guacamole in Mexico is going to taste a bit fresher. The avocados, cilantro, and even the chiles used in the Mexican version are likely to be significantly fresher than those in the U.S. version.

How far in advance should I make guacamole? ›

Guacamole needs to be made fresh or just a few hours ahead of time. If you're not planning to serve it immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the dip and refrigerate for up to two hours; after that, it will start to deteriorate. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.

Fine sea salt: A critical ingredient to bring out all of those good flavors! Ground cumin: I've always added a dash to my homemade guacamole, and I'm convinced it's the secret ingredient that rounds out all of those flavors and makes people love it so much.

Fun ways to customize your guacamole recipe

Your favorite regular salsa or fruit salsa. A little crunch from pepitas or even sunflower seeds. Extra heat with your favorite hot sauce. Savory goodness from crumbled cotija cheese and/or minced garlic.

Keep your guacamole recipe the same, but when preparing the ingredients, mash your avocados with ¼ cup of sour cream before adding in extras like chopped onion and cilantro. The tanginess of sour cream will add depth of flavor — and work to keep your guacamole fresh until chow time.

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.

How to take the Bitterness out of Guacamole. Sometimes ingredients can be bland or produce a bitter taste. An avocado that is not ripe will be bitter. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar per cup of guacamole to reduce bitter taste.