Guacamole

This classic guacamole is loaded with fresh avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro and lime!  It makes the best party appetizer, healthy snack, and perfect addition to taco or chili night!

Why We Love It!

• It’s Simply Delicious! – Isn’t guacamole just so ridiculously good? Like, there’s no such thing as leftover guacamole, eat it till it’s gone, kind of good! It’s everybody’s favorite, perfect as a game day appetizer and the best healthy addition to any taco night! Even my kids love it, good healthy fats in those avocados too!

• It’s Fast and Easy! – Guacamole is so good because it’s full of fresh ingredients. I see those packets of “Guacamole seasoning starter” and I just don’t understand. It’s only 6 ingredients, avocado, onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro and lime, simply seasoned with salt, so you don’t need a packet! And this delicious healthy guacamole recipe is ready in just 15 minutes!

• If you love Guacamole, try it as a topping on Veggie Beef Chili, Southwest Chicken Chili, or Loaded Baked Potatoes!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Avocado – I use 3 avocados for this recipe, but you could easily use 2 to 4 without adjusting the other ingredients much to feed more or less people. The avocados do need to be ripe! This is very important, you can tell an avocado is ripe when their skin is black and they are soft when pressed. An unripe hard avocado is practically impossible to make into guacamole. If your avocados aren’t ripe, let them sit on the counter a day or two, instead of in the fridge.

• Onion – A small amount of onion gives you a sharp bite of flavor. You can use any type, yellow, white, red, even a shallot.

• Tomato – Tomato adds a nice little pop of red color, but it is really optional. You can make guacamole with or without tomato.

• Garlic – I highly recommend fresh garlic over the pre-chopped jar or garlic powder. Guacamole is loved for its freshness! Garlic is fairly inexpensive and lasts for weeks on the counter, so go for fresh if you can!

• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is what makes guacamole taste like guacamole! It’s an inexpensive ingredient that packs so much flavor, so don’t leave it out. Unless you are one of those people who have the cilantro-tastes-like-soap thing! In that case, guacamole without cilantro is totally ok! Store your extra cilantro with the stems in a jar of water, like a bouquet of flowers, in your fridge. Tear off a handful to use in the guacamole, but no need to pluck off each leaf, cilantro stems are tender and edible, just chop off the bottom couple inches.

• Fresh Lime Juice – Go for a fresh lime! Again, not that expensive, will keep for weeks in the fridge, and just tastes that much better.

• Salt – Salt is probably the most important guacamole ingredient after the avocados. Without salt, avocado has very little taste. Salt is a flavor enhancer, it makes avocado taste more like avocado. Salt is what brings everything together. In a pinch you can make a pretty tasty extremely basic guacamole with just avocado and salt!

• Optional – If you like your guacamole spicy, you can add any amount of hot sauce, minced jalapeno pepper, or crushed red pepper.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Cut your avocados in half lengthwise around the pit and twist open. Hit the pit gently with your knife (be careful), when the knife is stuck in the pit, twist to remove it and discard.  Make a grid of cuts in the avocado flesh with a knife and scoop out with a spoon into a bowl.

Step 2 – Add all other ingredients to the avocado. Make sure to squeeze the lime juice over the avocado right away to keep it from browning.

Step 3 – Mix well, smashing the avocado while mixing with a fork. The avocado will mash as you combine the ingredients, leave it as chunky or as smooth as you like it.

Step 4 – Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos, burritos, nachos, rice bowls, loaded baked potato, or chili.

Tips

• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions – Guacamole can be made ahead anytime the day you plan to serve it.  Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole so it isn’t exposed to the air.  Wrap the bowl tightly and store in the fridge for up to 8 hours. Do not make guacamole a day in advance, it will likely brown and lose its freshness.

• What to eat with Guacamole – I like to make it a whole guacamole menu! Try Guacamole with tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or as a healthy avocado dip for nachos. Add a scoop to a southwest salad, quick quesadillas for lunch, or use it to top loaded baked potatoes. Guacamole is a perfect party appetizer, great for game day with a pot of chili!

Recipe FAQ’s

Is Guacamole Vegan?

YES! Guacamole is naturally vegan, no need to change a thing! It is made completely of fresh fruits and vegetables, super healthy and completely delicious!

Is Guacamole Gluten Free?

YES! This gluten free guacamole is made of all fresh fruits and veggies and can be served with gluten free corn tortilla chips for the perfect appetizer.

How Long do Avocados Last?

How long avocados last depends on how ripe they were when you bought them. A green unripe avocado can last for weeks in the fridge. It’s best to buy black soft ripe avocados if you plan to use them within a day or two, and green harder ones to store for awhile in the fridge. To speed up an avocado ripening, simply remove it from the fridge and leave it on the counter a day or two. Always give it a gentle squeeze to test how ripe it is before cutting into it. An unripe hard avocado is nearly impossible to remove from its peel and eat.

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