Easy Guacamole Recipe (Homemade in 5 Minutes) (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to great guacamole? ›

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.

I like the flavor better with lemon juice, but lime works too. If you're out of fresh lemons or limes, try using bottled lime or lemon juice. Although, freshly squeezed juice is definitely the best! Salt: Salt enhances the flavors and brings it all together.

Lime is an integral part of great guacamole—or so we thought. Turns out, you get to taste and enjoy the pure flavor of avocado better in guacamole without the lime.

1- Using overripe or too green avocados

Luckily there are tips that you can use to pick the right ones. Sometimes we will find guacamole made with overripe or too green avocados, which makes guacamole taste bad either way.

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.

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.

Add milk or cream to make your guacamole denser. Place slices or cubes of fresh cheese on top of your guac. Add chopped mint to make your guacamole even fresher. Mango cubes add an unexpected touch and also keep your guac from turning brown.

I checked for browning after one hour, one-and-a-half hours, and two hours. Results: I couldn't believe how well this worked! 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.

Although brown guacamole isn't the most appealing, it's completely safe to eat (as long as you've stored the guacamole in the refrigerator, and it isn't more than three days old). "While a bit off-putting to look at, brown guacamole is totally safe," confirms Food Network's nutritionist, Dana Angelo White, MS RD ATC.

Why does guacamole go bad so fast? ›

Like apples, avocados have an enzyme that reacts with oxygen in a process called oxidation.

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.

For Mexicans, the lime has always been an easily accessible citrus and is one of the reasons why we put it on practically everything. Its acidity combines perfectly with our spicy cuisine. Limes are the perfect companion to tacos, soups and many delicacies that we eat in our day to day life.

Lime is used frequently in Mexican cuisine, most notably in guacamole. Lime juice and zest add a tart, acidic flavor that pairs well with the creamy avocado and spices like cilantro. Lime can also be used to brighten up other dishes like tacos or quesadillas.

Sour cream is a simple addition to your favorite guacamole recipe. Just a few tablespoons to a small batch recipe will do it. The sour cream adds a nice tang without being too overbearing and it also creates a creamy, silky mouthfeel. A fabulous contrast to the crunch of tortilla chips.

Adding too much lemon or lime juice can cause a very watery guacamole. That's because salt and citrus juice work in conjunction -- they draw out extra moisture from the avocado.

Other seasonings and spices like paprika or cayenne can add a kick to standard guacamole. Crushed red pepper, cayenne, paprika, or even garlic powder can up the flavor in a store-bought guacamole and allow you to cater it to your own tastes.