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Nothing beats fresh guacamole and homemade guacamole is so easy to make! This guacamole recipe is perfect on its own or with your favorite Mexican dish.
I am a guacamole convert. If you know me well, you have probably already guessed but it is definitely a texture issue for me. But I as I have gotten older and wiser, I have discovered that guacamole is quite delicious. And it is also easy to make. The hardest part seems to be finding the avocados that are just right. Not too hard, but not too soft. I’ve got some tips for you below to help you pick the perfect avocado.
How to make guacamole
Because there are so few ingredients, fresh ingredients are very important. You want to make sure your avocado, tomato, and lime juice are all as fresh as possible.
I like my guacamole a little chunky so I just smash up the ripe avocados with a fork and then add in everything else. Also, I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour so it is cold.
The other great thing about guacamole is that it’s good for you – avocados are good for your heart, they help fight cancer, and prevent strokes. I love foods that make me feel healthy while I’m eating it!
I love eating a bowl of guacamole with chips for lunch!
Time saving tip: If I am in a hurry, I will buy the fresh pico you can find in the produce section of the grocery store instead of dicing my own tomatoes and onion.
How to Cut an Avocado
- With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the avocado in half
- Remove the pit
Take your knife and whack the pit with it with enough force that the knife sticks in the pit. Twist the knife to pull out the pit. - If dicing, cut through the flesh of the avocado without piercing the skin, dicing it into squares and then scoop it out with a spoon.
- If slicing, scoop out and slice
For neat slices, use your spoon to loosen skin all the way around, and scoop out the flesh whole. Place flat side down on cutting board and slice using the tip of your knife.
How do you tell if an avocado is ripe
Check the skin color. The fresher avocados will have a lighter skin. The riper ones will be darker. Check for any indentations which could indicate bruising.
Gently squeeze the avocado with the palm of the hand, not the fingers which can bruise the avocado. It should give a little, but not too much which can indicate over ripeness.
A friend of mine taught me to flick the little stem off the end of the avocado. If you see green, it is a good avocado, if it is brown you don’t want it. Since I have used her trick I’m pretty much 100% in my avocado selection.
If you are not going to use the avocado within 2-3 days be sure and buy ones that are firmer to the touch.
How to Ripen Avocados
Avocados actually don’t ripen on the tree, they ripen after being picked. To speed up the avocado ripening process , place them in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana for two to three days until they are ripe.
Other favorite appetizers:
Guacamole Recipe
Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3-4 avocados diced
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 c diced onion
- 3 Tbsp cilantro chopped
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In bowl, use a fork to mash together the avocados
- Add in the lime juice, and salt
- Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic
- Stir in cayenne pepper
- Refrigerate 1 hour or serve immediately
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
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First posted Feb 18, 2011
Susan says
I had to make a recipe for my daughter to take to Spanish class today for their Cinco de Mayo celebration. I found this recipe on your blog and the class loved it. I gave you a shout out. Please see http://www.ugogrrl.com/2011/05/guacamole.html
Great Blog! Susan
Karen Emerson says
I am a recent convert too after having freshly made guac at a restaurant! We’ve been using a Concord Foods mix, so I can’t wait to try this recipe. I even have a ripe avocado on the counter! YUM!
Catherine says
I can’t imagine life without guacamole! Ate it my whole life, but down here Tex-Mex is a way of life. My kids and husband are not into guac right now, but both my children ate it when they were very little. . . so I’m thinking they’ll come back to it some day. They are going through a picky phase right now . . .
The other day, my oldest complained that my pancakes were too SOFT!! Can you imagine!! I’ll have to work on those hard, hockey puck-type pancakes! Tweens!!