I had mentioned in my previous post, that I’d be sharing some more Mexican sides. So, Mexican guacamole it is, for today! Let’s learn how to make this easy guacamole dip that requires a few ingredients and minutes to whip up. A few years ago, avocados were not really a thing in India. I hadn’t even tasted an avocado until I relocated to the US. Besides being popularly used in guacamole, it is used in so many other things in the US. Now that we moved back to India, I’m so glad to know that things have changed here. We get most of these exotic fruits and vegetables made possible through e-commerce. In fact, they are even available in the local vegetable and fruit markets. This means we can continue to incorporate this exotic fruit (yes! avocado is a fruit) and continue to make guacamole 😀 That is undoubtedly the one thing that I make the most with avocados besides using them in smoothies!
Ingredients you will need
You will need the following ingredients to make this easy Mexican guacamole dip;
Avocados Red onion Firm, ripe tomato Serrano or Jalapeño pepper Lime juice Cilantro leaves and tender stems Kosher salt Ground cumin, which is totally optional
What does guacamole taste like?
Ripe avocados have a very mild sweet taste and a creamy, buttery texture. It’s the other ingredients that you add along with the avocados that contribute to the flavor profile of the guacamole. This one here is full of robust flavors and textures. It is refreshing with an added zing from the lime zest. My homemade version reminds me of the guacamole I had in the restaurant at one of the Mercados (markets) in Mexico City, it was so basic but oh so good!
Tips to make the best guacamole
1. Ripe avocados
Avocados are the primary ingredient for guacamole, so how to select avocados for guacamole? You have to make sure you start off with good quality, ripe avocados. There are so many varieties of avocado, but Hass avocados are the best for guacamole and that’s what I’ve used.
Ripe Hass avocados will yield to gentle pressure when squeezed lightly with your palms. They should have a slight give and leave no indentations. Their skin color is a purplish-black and the texture of the skin is a little bumpy. Unripe Hass avocados are quite firm and will not yield to any pressure. Also, the skin color is green. These will take about 1-2 days to ripen. Overripe Hass avocados as quite soft and mushy and will leave indentations when pressed with your fingers. The skin color is almost black and the flesh might be brown in some spots.
This method of determining the ripeness of avocado, based on the color of its skin is not applicable to other varieties of avocado as they remain green even if they are under-ripe or overripe. Another method of checking if the avocado is ripe is by removing the stem and examining the color of the flesh underneath.
If it’s green, it is ripe and ready to be used. Brown? Then it is overripe. Difficult to pluck the stem? Then it is unripe.
2. Texture
3. De-seed the tomatoes
4. Fresh lime juice
Seriously, those have no place in this guacamole recipe. The ingredients are so simple, you might as well give those packets a miss! If they are ripe, and you won’t be using them right away, refrigerate them as that will slow down any further ripening. You can make it chunky or smooth, however, you like it. A regular fork or potato masher is more than enough to help you achieve that. Traditionally, guacamole is made in a molcajete. The onions, cilantro, peppers, and salt are pounded with a pestle to make a coarse paste. Then the avocado is added and mashed along with the paste to the desired consistency. Guac made this way is really the most flavorful. The entire chemistry changes when ingredients are crushed in a mortar and pestle as opposed to a blender or food processor. You can replicate that to an extent by using the food processor or blender to finely chop the onions, cilantro, serrano pepper. But it’s still not going to be the same. I personally prefer to use a bowl, a cutting board, and a knife because I do not have a molcajete or a large mortar and pestle.
5. Avoid those guacamole seasoning mix packets
6. The right ratios
The perfect guacamole should have the right ratios of ingredients. Too much of onions and it will overpower the entire thing, too much of lime juice and it’s going to be extra tangy, an excess of cilantro will add too much of a herby note overpowering the delicate flavor of the avocado.
Substitutions in this recipe
Variations
I like to keep this dip really basic and simple because I think it’s the best that way! Lime juice: Although the traditional recipe uses lime juice, you can swap it with lemon juice if you don’t have any limes.
However, I know sometimes we love to experiment, and that’s not a bad thing. Which is why I have some suggestions for you. Try either of them if you are in the mood to experiment 😀 Cheese: You can garnish the guac with some queso fresco or cotija cheese. Creamy: Add about 1/4 cup each of either softened cream cheese or sour cream. You can also add both these creamy components for an extra creamy guac. Or keep it healthy by adding 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese or sour cream. Salsa guacamole: Mash the avocados with a pinch of salt, lime juice. Then add about 1/2 cup of mild, medium or hot salsa. Mix it up and serve guacamole salsa! If you are wondering which salsa to use, then opt for Pico de Gallo which is fresh chopped tomato salsa. Drain the extra liquid and add it to the mashed avocados to avoid watery guacamole. The restaurant type salsa that I shared last week is not suitable here. Southwestern: Fold in some steamed or roasted corn and black beans along with the other ingredients. Indian style guacamole: Add a pinch of spices like black salt + chaat masala or coriander + garam masala or curry powder, to taste. You can also throw in some freshly minced ginger root. Mediterranean inspired: In addition to the onion and tomatoes, add a few tablespoons of diced bell pepper, cucumber, Kalamata olives, dried oregano instead of cumin, red wine vinegar instead of lime juice and crumbled feta cheese! Tropical fruits: Add finely diced tropical fruits like mango or pineapple to the guacamole. It would add a nice sweet and tangy touch. Garlic: You can add one or as much as you like of finely minced garlic clove. Despise raw garlic flavor? Then consider adding roasted mashed garlic cloves or 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Ways to use this Mexican dip
Give me a bowl of guac along with some baked tortilla chips and I’m a happy girl! I enjoy it sans the chips too, devouring every spoonful 😀 If I’m in the mood for healthy snacking, I serve guacamole with crudités instead. Some of the other ways I love to use guacamole are;
With nachos On tostadas In a 7 layer dip As a topping for tacos or burritos Serve along with fajitas, flautas or quesadillas As a spread for toast or sandwich (I swap the mayo for guac in the vegetable mayonnaise sandwiches and the cream cheese for guacamole in these cream cheese sandwich bites) Grilled chicken or grilled salmon Bruschetta Egg salad or deviled eggs Tuna salad
What are some of your favorite ways of using guacamole? Do share in the comments below!
You may also enjoy these easy dips
Greek tzatziki Baba ganoush Salsa verde Restaurant-style salsa
How to make guacamole – Step by step instructions
Step 1: Mash the avocados
Cut 3 avocados lengthwise, around the pit. Remove the pit, and scoop the avocado into a mixing bowl. Mash with the back of a fork, until is smooth or chunky, depending on the desired consistency.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients and mix
Add 1/4 cup finely chopped red onions, 1 Roma tomato, deseeded, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional), 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice. Mix it well. Taste-test and adjust with more salt, lime juice or cilantro.
Step 3: Dig in
Notes
Add salt and lime juice, to taste. Start with half of the amount and increase gradually, tasting as you go! You may need more or less lime juice depending on the size of the avocados. You can chop the onion, cilantro, and garlic (if using) along with a pinch of salt in the food processor. Then add it to the mashed avocado along with lime juice, diced tomatoes, and more salt, as needed. Mix and serve! For a chunkier guacamole, mash half of the avocados to a smooth consistency and dice the remaining into small chunks. Add that along with the rest of the ingredients and mix.
Why does guacamole turn brown? And how to avoid it? You can try either of these methods, the guac will stay well for at least 2-3 days. There are a couple of steps you can take to prolong the process, but it is still inevitable to prevent the browning completely. However, you may still find brown spots, mostly in places where there was a little air gap. That does not mean the guac has gone bad, simply scoop it out or mix it in and serve! Can guacamole be made ahead? Can guacamole be frozen? I do not recommend freezing guacamole as the texture of the onions and tomatoes would change on thawing. However, you can prepare this partially by mashing the avocados with lime juice. Transfer the mashed avocados in required serving size portions in freezer-safe bags, flatten the bag, removing as much of the air out, and stack them flat. When you are ready to make some guacamole, remove the frozen bag and place it in a bowl of water to thaw quickly. While that is thawing, prep the rest of your ingredients. Transfer the thawed, mashed avocado into a mixing bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, mix and serve! If you plan ahead, you can also thaw it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Is guacamole healthy? Avocado is the main ingredient in guac and as we know, it is a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Even though they are high in fat, most of them is healthy fats that help lower bad cholesterol. The other ingredients that go into guac have their own health benefits, so when everything is combined, you literally have a bowl of nutritious goodness, that also happens to be vegan and gluten-free. Having said that, it does not mean that you have to overindulge in something just because it is deemed to be healthy. Moderation is the key, always! You also need to be mindful of what you eat along with guac. If you pile up on fried chips, that pretty much nullifies the health benefits altogether.
Guacamole is believed to have been invented by the Aztecs. When the Spaniards arrived in the New World, they discovered an Aztec sauce called ahuaca-molli; molli was the Nahautl word for “something mashed or pureed,” while ahuactl referred to testicles or the stone fruit that reminded them of testicles. {Source- Mentalfloss.com, visit the site for more interesting facts} ★ If you try this easy guacamole dip, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂 You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
