The Key to the Best Guacamole Is to Keep It Simple
Avocados don’t need fancy ingredients
I’m all about simplicity in my cooking. The sooner I can get out of the kitchen and start eating, the better. Fresh ingredients are perfect for uncomplicated recipes where their natural flavors shine.
And nothing is more simple than guacamole. It’s best made with very few ingredients, all of them fresh. Don’t even think about using garlic powder or store-bought lime juice on your avocados.
The best guacamole I ever had was at a tiny Mexican restaurant where the waitress wheeled out a cart full of ingredients and mashed the guacamole right at the table in front of us. The ingredients she used has become my go-to guacamole recipe. And there’s never any leftovers.
How to Choose Ripe Avocados
You can’t tell if an avocado is ripe by its color. You will have to feel it. You can check avocados for ripeness by gently pressing on them. If they have no give, they are underripe and need to sit out on the counter a few more days. If they give a little, they’re ripe. If they give a lot, they’re overripe, and cutting into them will most likely uncover a brown, stringy fruit.
How to Cut an Avocado
Avocados are easy to prep, once you know how.
- Slice it in half longways going around the seed.
- Rotate the halves until the avocado is open, revealing the pit.
- Take a spoon and scoop out the pit.
- You can then make cuts in the avocado, being careful not to go all the way through the skin.
- Scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
Health Benefits of Avocados
You may have heard avocados are full of fat, and they are, but it’s the good kind of fat. The omega-3 fatty acids found in avocados have many benefits including heart health, reduced inflammation, and improved mood.
Avocados are also high in fiber and full of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6 as well as magnesium, potassium, niacin, and folate.
The Best Guacamole Recipe
Makes: 2–4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 diced jalapeno or serrano pepper (optional)
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Mash the avocados with a fork. Add all other ingredients and mix until combined. Taste and adjust the salt until you have the perfect flavor. If you like your guacamole on the tangy side, add more lime or orange juice.
Notes on adding or eliminating the heat
If you’re making this for children, or anyone who doesn’t like spicy foods, feel free to leave out the pepper. For a mild flavor with a hint of heat, deseed the jalapeno before dicing. For extra spice, add 2 jalapenos, or 1 serrano pepper.
