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.

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.

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).

An avocado that is not ripe will be bitter. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar per cup of guacamole to reduce bitter taste. Adjust sugar as needed.

Tomatoes are great — but not in guac.

They don't add anything other than filler. When you eat guac, what you want is creamy avocado, fresh lime, savory onion, salt, and maybe a little cilantro, if that's your thing. I'm never putting tomatoes in my guacamole and neither should you.

According to the Subway website, their guacamole contains Hass avocados, jalapeno puree (white vinegar, jalapeno peppers, salt), onion, garlic, and sea salt.

If you're making guacamole the same day you're shopping, a dark green avocado is what you need. However if you're using the avocados days after you purchase them, it's best to buy them green so they can ripen perfectly at home and will be ready by the day you need them.

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.

"The flesh of the avocado oxidizes quickly — much like a cut apple — which changes the color. The addition of citric acid, like from lime juice in your guac can help delay this process but will not completely prevent it," she says.

Not only did the lemon juice work well to prevent browning on the surface of the guacamole, but it also did a noticeably better job than the lime juice.

Why put olive oil in guacamole? ›

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.

5- Adding too much of lemon juice

Preparing guacamole without mistakes also lies in the amount of lemon that is added. The lemon juice is used to give it a sour touch, and prevent it from oxidizing. However, adding too much will bitter the flavor of your guacamole.

Store-bought guacamole often contains sour cream, added sugar, artificial flavors, preservatives, and a lot of sodium.

Sometimes, purchasing store-bought guacamole is more practical than making it yourself. Simple additions can make store-bought guacamole taste better and slightly more homemade. Adding lime juice, more chopped vegetables, or an extra avocado can make a big difference.

Occasionally they're a little too firm and I add sour cream because it improves texture if 1-2 avocados out of the bunch was a little under ripe. You gotta work with what you got. I also think it makes it a little easier to scoop if I am eating it on tortilla chips.

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.

All you really need to make guacamole is ripe avocados and salt. After that, a little lime or lemon juice—a splash of acidity—will help balance the richness of the avocado. If you want, add chopped cilantro, chilis, onion, and/or tomato.