How to Make the Best Guacamole Ever

If you’re buying guacamole in those little tubs in your grocery store’s fridge case, stop. Seriously, just knock that off right now, because I’m going to tell you how to make the best guacamole ever using real, fresh ingredients. Once you realize how simple it is, you’ll never want that processed packaged stuff again, I promise! Read on for the benefits of avocados, how to choose the best one for your guac, other ingredients to add for a unique spin on the classic, and more. Then, I’ll give you my own personal guacamole recipe so you can print it out and save it for your next party (or make it tonight for a snack if you can’t wait!).

What makes guacamole such a fantastic snack?

Guacamole is one of those rare wonderful party foods that’s tasty, easy to make, and actually good for you. There aren’t many other dips we can say the same about, are there?

I talked a lot about the benefits when I shared my favorite avocado breakfast recipes, but here’s a quick recap.

• Avocados are considered a “superfood” because each one packs a ton of nutrition into a small package. We’re talking over a dozen vitamins and minerals!
• Research shows that the beta-sitosterol in avocados can help lower your bad cholesterol and keep your heart healthier.
• They’re a good source of potassium, a mineral that plays a major role in keeping all of your cells healthy.
• Avocados have up to twice as much protein than other fruits, making them a great choice for vegetarians or vegans.
• The nutrients found in this yummy fruit help keep your eyes, skin and hair healthy, which is why you’ll find avocado (and avo oil) as an ingredient in so many skin care products.
• Avocados are loaded with antioxidants that help fight off free-radicals and may even help prevent certain types of cancer.

Of course, one of the best benefits of all is the fact that they’re delicious! After all, it doesn’t really matter how good something is for you if it’s so gross that you’ll never want to eat it. Fortunately, avocados are so versatile and yummy that just about everyone can find at least one way to enjoy them. For most of us, that one way is in guacamole!

Now that we know why guacamole belongs on your party menu, let’s find out how to make it!

How to make the best guacamole

I’m going to share my favorite guacamole recipe in a few minutes, but for now, let’s talk about how to choose the best ingredients, starting with, of course, the avocado.

Start with only the best brand of avocado

In my opinion, Hass avocados make the best guacamole. Sure, there are other brands, but Hass really knows how to grow them right. What’s the biggest difference between Florida avocados and the fruit grown by Hass? Calories and fat content, for one. See, although they’re often larger, the Florida avocado technically has fewer calories and fat than the Hass variety, and in this case, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Hass fruits have more of the good fat that makes avocados so beneficial. Plus, those fats help give avocados the rich, creamy flavor that we all know and love, so you’ll need less of the fruit to make a really good bowl of guacamole. In other words, even though Florida avocados have fewer calories and less fat, you’ll probably end up needing (and eating) more of them to get the same tasty quality as Hass avocados. Florida avocados also tend to have more water content, which can make for very runny guacamole.

Know how to find guacamole-ready ripe avocados

So, we know that we need to look for the Hass label, but what else goes into picking out the perfect avocado? While color can help you determine which fruits to test (darker is better when it comes to Hass avocados), the only way to really be sure is to give them a gentle squeeze. Emphasis on gentle, we’re not out to squish all the avocados here! If the fruit yields a bit under pressure, it’s good to go. If it’s rock-solid, you’ll have to wait for it to ripen (or try this trick to ripen it fast). On the other hand, if it turns to mush in your hands, it’s no good and nothing will bring it back from the brink of rottenness.

Don’t skimp on the “extra” ingredients

Theoretically, you could simple mash up an avocado, toss in a little lime juice and salt, then call it a day (or a dip!). While it would be a bit on the boring side, it would still be yummy. You really can’t mess up guacamole! However, as they say, variety is the spice of life…or in this case, spice is the variety of life!

If you want to make the best guacamole, you’ll need to dig a little deeper into the garden (or fresh herbs & spices section of your grocery store). Some examples include:

• Chili peppers, jalapenos, and other peppers- add a little red pepper for flavoring, chili pepper for a bit of a kick, jalapenos to really bring on the heat!
• Sea salt -salt is a must for bringing out the flavor of your avocado, but there’s no rule that says it has to be plain old table salt. Sea salt typically isn’t as processed as table salt, so it holds onto its trace minerals better. Plus, the course crystals have more oomph than the fine grains in table salt.
• Cilantro – it adds an extra layer of freshness to the taste and plays very well with other spices. Just make sure to make a bowl without it, as some people actually have a gene that makes them hate cilantro. I’m not kidding.
• Onions- onion brings out the flavor in just about any dish, and guacamole is no different. Again, a little goes a long way, and even onion-haters can typically tolerate a little if it’s finely minced.
• Salsa- for a whole new twist on the traditional guacamole dip, mix fresh salsa into it. Try doing half and half, it’s fantastic!

Try mixing things up by adding other fruits and veggies in with your avocado, too. Get creative! Tomatoes are a natural choice, but mangoes and pineapple make for a great tropical guac, while olives along with onion and tomato turn it into a delicious Mediterranean treat.

If you’re worried that your creative creations aren’t going to go over well with your party guests (or family, if you’re making a weekend snack), just make an extra large batch of the recipe below, then divide it up, set some aside from guacamole purists, and go crazy with the rest!

How to Make the Best Guacamole

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• Author: Creative Healthy Family
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

A simple homemade guacamole recipe that tastes absolutely delicious.

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Ingredients

• 3 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Optional:
• 1 jalapeño, cored and finely diced (add more or less to taste if you like it spicy)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

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Instructions

1. In a medium size bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and sea salt (you can use a fork). Then mix in the onion and tomato.
2. Serve immediately, or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.

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Notes

1. For a chunky consistency, slowly turn the bowl as you run a fork through the avocados.
2. You can either add cilantro or use if as a garnish
3. Use more sea salt if needed
4. For best taste do not keep refrigerated for more than a day.

• Category: Dip
• Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: guacamole, hass avocado, homemade guacamole

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