There are about as many recipes for guacamole as there are people making it. And with Summer around the corner, what better reason to stir up a batch, open a few beers (Mexican beers of course) and invite some friends over.
Guacamole, at its base it basically 4 ingredients. Avocados, lime juice, cilantro, and onion. Some restaurants serve it just like that, straight up, with some salt obviously, or you can have some fun with it… You can swap the onion for red onion, which is how they serve it at Chipotle’s, or use milder green onions. Those happen to be my personal favorite as they have less bite, personally I don’t like my food to fight back.
Common additions to guacamole that I’ve seen are salsa verde or pico de gallo, actually in the Yucatan region of Mexico, its not uncommon to add cream cheese. I personally like to add red bell pepper to mine, I know, far from traditional, but if they can get away with cream cheese, I can get away with some bell pepper. It adds a little extra crunch and sweetness to the recipe which contrasts nicely with the lime juice and cilantro. Plus bell peppers are little nutrient bombs, in fact, they have more than double the amount of Vitamin C that oranges contain.
As far as prep work goes, this recipe is pretty effortless, minus the chopping. In fact, its a great recipe to get kids involved with. You don’t really need to measure any of the ingredients, I like to take an intuitive approach when it comes to making guacamole, and of course taste as I go. A little more or a little less of any of the ingredients will still turn out a great bowl of Guac. A quick note about the cilantro, please don’t omit it. For most people, when it comes to cilantro, they either love it or hate it, but honestly this isn’t the place for substitutions. So if you’re thinking you could add parsley instead, let me tell you, it won’t taste the same. My mother hates cilantro, but believe when I tell you she would eat this Guacamole by the spoonful (and has), and its loaded with cilantro. The irony is that she omits the cilantro when she makes it herself and then complains that it doesn’t taste the same *eye roll*.
So whether you’re having a Mexican fiesta, prepping for taco Tuesday, contemplating toppings for burrito bowls (guacamole should never be extra), or just looking for something to serve with chips and an ice cold beer, stir up a batch. You’ll be happy you did.
- 4 Hass avocados *See notes
- Juice of 3-4 limes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 plum tomatoes, cored and seeded, about 1 cup chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, about 1 cup chopped
- ½ cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 Jalapeno (optional) **See Notes
- Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Add to a large bowl and top with the juice of 3 limes and the kosher salt.
- Using a potato masher or fork, mash the avocado and lime juice mixture until smooth, a few chunks are fine.
- Finely chop the bell pepper and green onions, and add to the avocado mixture.
- Core and seed the plum tomatoes, and finely dice. Add to the mixture, discarding the core and seeds.
- Add the chopped cilantro and jalapeno (if using) and stir to combine.
- Add salt and additional lime juice to taste, if desired.
- Serve with gluten-free tortilla chips.
- Guacamole is best served the day its made. If making it ahead, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it on to the surface of the guacamole and store in the fridge.
**If you want to keep your guacamole mild or kid friendly feel free to skip the jalapeno. You can also reduce the heat by removing the ribs and seeds prior to chopping. Make sure its finely chopped to avoid biting into a chunk of jalapeno, and always wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
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