The trick to making crazy good homemade guacamole starts with finding quality, ripe avocados, and then its a simple five minutes from there. Making guacamole at home is not complicated and needs a few simple ingredients. Plus its really healthy, vegan, gluten free, whole 30 and seriously makes the best snack in the world!
When we were in Mexico last year we had guacamole at least five times a day. And while its not much different from guac served everywhere else, it was so fresh and so perfect when you were lounging around on the sun kissed beach. Sometimes food just tastes better when you have the environment to go with it. Guacamole and Mexican Bloody Marys (yes they are different and ultra delicious!)!
There are a few different ways people like to make their guacamole, but what I'm doing here is showing you the simplest way to get this healthy crazy good snack ready. Because simple is best and homemade guacamole doesn't have to be complicated or needs more than five minutes of your time.
It all starts with choosing the right avocados. How many times have you bought avocados home, cut them open, only to realize that they are completely brown from inside or unripe? Too many if I'm being honest!
How to pick ripe avocados for homemade guacamole
Choosing a ripe avocado is simple but comes with a little practice. Look for avocados which are dark, almost black in color with specks of green. Next check to see if the stem is still intact. The stem is usually small and is like a cap at the top. If the stem has already been removed, chances are that your avocado will likely have brown spots inside. You can peel back the stem to check for ripeness and if the inside is still green - your avocado is ripe whereas if its brown, chances are that your avocado is overripe. The last thing you can check is how soft or hard the avocado is. Press gently on the sides - the avocado should still be firm, but should give slightly. If it's too hard, the avocado is still unripe and if its too soft, it's probably mushy. So the three things to look for are: color, stem and feel.
Once you have your ripe avocados, the next steps are easy. You just need a few more ingredients and you are your way to the best homemade guacamole - red onion, lime juice, coriander (cilantro), tomato, jalapeno, a pinch of cumin and cayenne (optional) and jalapeno. And chips to serve with of course!
Once you've got your homemade guacamole ready, and if you've made a big batch, it's unlikely but possible that you may not be able to finish it in one sitting. Now storing a cut avocado or guacamole is everyone's nightmare. Because avocados oxidize really quickly and can turn brown in a jiffy. Lime juice can help stop oxidation for some time, but if you want to store leftover guac for the next day, you'll need something else.
Storing Leftover Homemade Guacamole
The only things you need to keep your guacamole fresh for longer are an airtight container, water and/or some plastic wrap. Yes it's simpler than you think! To store leftover guacamole, place it in an airtight container, smooth out the top with a spoon and then cover it with cold water. Place the lid and place the container in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, just drain the water from the top, run a spoon through the guac and it'll be as good as new again! Alternatively, you can also cover the guacamole with plastic wrap by pressing it across the entire surface of the guac in such a way that air can't get inside, and then cover it with a lid and refrigerate. Both these ways will keep your guacamole fresh for at least two days. I wouldn't recommend storing it for longer because of the cilantro and tomato in it.
Before we get to the recipe, I really have to tell you that while its super tempting to finish that batch of guac in one sitting, it also makes a great addition to so many things. Here are some fun ways to use homemade guacamole:
- Add it to burrito bowls as a topping
- Dip your quesadillas in it
- Serve it on the side with some mexican rice
- Spread it on toast with a poached egg on top
- Top your nachos with it
- Dip some sweet potato wedges in it
- Add it as a filling to tacos
Crazy good homemade guacamole here I come!
More Snacky Dips:
Crazy Good Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
- 2 Hass Avocados ripe
- ½ cup Red Onions finely chopped
- 1 Jalapeno chopped finely (deseed if you like)
- 1 Lime Juice
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 Tomato (medium) deseeded and finely chopped
- 3-4 tablespoons Cilantro chopped (coriander)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- A pinch of cumin powder and cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half and take out the pit. Spoon the flesh out into a bowl and smash it well with the back of a fork. You can smash it till its smooth or leave it chunky based on your preference.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Choosing ripe avocados is key to making good guacamole. Look for avocados which are dark in colour with their stem intact and upon pressing the sides, are firm and have a little give. Detailed instructions to choose a ripe avocado are in the post above.
- Storing guacamole for later is easy, and it can be stored for up to two hours in the refrigerator. You can transfer it into an airtight container, and top it up with cold water, place the lid and refrigerate. When ready to use, drain out the water, mix it with a spoon and serve. More tips to store leftover homemade guacamole and keep it green in the post above.
- Use fresh lime juice only. Bottle lime juice just doesn't cut it and will leave a weird taste in your guac.
- Deseeding tomatoes before adding to guacamole ensures that it doesn't become watery.
Sharath says
i love nachos and the guacamole recipe what you mentioned is so easy to make i always thought it is a difficult recipe to make but thanks to you now i know its easy.
Richa says
Yay! I'm glad you liked this guacamole recipe Sharath
Chrissy says
Great tips
Richa says
Thanks Chrissy!