Authentic Guacamole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good guacamole? ›

The perfect guacamole should be a cross between creamy and chunky. You'll want a mix of avocado chunks and creamy mashed avocado. My tip is to use a fork to mash the avocado but avoid over-mixing the first time around, this will create too much creaminess and be more like avocado puree rather than guacamole.

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.

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. Try adding cilantro, salsa, a diced jalapeno or serrano pepper, feta cheese, or a few dashes of hot sauce.

The basic basic of Guacamole is Avocado, Tomatoes, Onion with salt to taste. General rule leave the guac under salted as Chips served with it are salted which you do not want an overly salty guac. Juice of a lemon or lime can be used to slow down the browning process.

Diana Kennedy all but forbids it in The Art Of Mexican Cooking, saying it “spoils the balance of flavors.” In Hugo Ortega's Street Foods Of Mexico, Ortega writes, “the secret to a good guacamole is to respect the avocado flavor and not drown it in lime juice” (he adds a scant 1/4 teaspoon for two large avocados).

Pour a thin but visible layer of water or lemon/lime juice over the guacamole to form a barrier with the air. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap, so it is flush with the guacamole to prevent air pockets, or put the guacamole in a sealed tub.

This is when Mark educated me on what goes into a proper guacamole (you should memorize this): avocados, lemon juice, red onion, a tomato, salt, pepper and two ingredients The Barefoot Contessa doesn't have in her recipe but which Mark considers essential....

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.

"The lime juice in this recipe will keep the guacamole from turning brown and brings it a much more interesting flavor than lemon juice. The sour cream turns it to satin."

Peppers – use serrano peppers for a spicier guacamole or jalapeno peppers for a milder version and add them to taste. Be sure to seed the peppers before adding. Garlic – adds an extra layer of spice and flavor. Lime juice – freshly squeezed is best from 1 1/2 to 2 limes.

What kind of onion for guacamole? ›

What kind of onion should you use? Guacamole is the only instance where I use white onion, as I mostly cook with red onion and yellow onion. But the clean flavor of a white onion is really optimal and important for the best guacamole. Red onion is a close second choice, if that's what you have on hand.

This treat is usually served with chips at local Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants, such as Moe's or Chipotle, but is also a popular ingredient on tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and more.

Traditional guacamole is made without tomatoes but it is often added as a filler ingredient. Does guacamole have to have tomatoes? Tomatoes don't add anything in terms of flavor. Tomatoes release a lot of water which is something you want to avoid when it comes to guacamole.

DOES LEMON JUICE KEEP GUACAMOLE FROM TURNING BROWN? Yes! The lemon forms a barrier between the outside air and the guacamole to make sure the dip stays its greenest.

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.