The Only Guacamole Recipe You'll Ever Need (2024)

FAQs

How do Mexican restaurants keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

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.

Why Make it at Home? An 10 oz tub of guacamole at the store cost me $4.49, about 44 cents per ounce. The set of ingredients in this recipe cost me $4.30 in total and yielded 20.8 ounces, or 21 cents per ounce! It is over 50% cheaper to make it from scratch than buying it from the store!

We've heard rumors that keeping the avocado pit in the bowl of guac was one of the best methods. The pit protects part of the guacamole's surface from oxygen exposure, which prevents that enzymatic reaction. But it's also often considered a magic wand that somehow does even more to slow or stop guac from turning brown.

To keep the leftover guacamole from browning, the employee rips off a sheet of plastic wrap, then presses it all the way down to the surface of the guacamole, knocking out the air that would be in the container if it was just sealed with a lid.

Guacamole can be made ahead of time, but I recommend serving it within a few hours, or at least on the same day. Avocados oxidize and brown guacamole is really unappetizing. An hour or two helps the flavors meld together as well.

Technically, you can eat an unripe avocado. However, it will likely not have the soft, buttery flavor avocados are known for. Also, unripe avocados may not mash or slice very well and are not suited for guacamole and other dishes.

While guacamole can be a healthy choice, having too much of it can also lead to unhealthy body weight and can even be bad for your heart. The good news is that guacamole is a lot healthier than some other options, such as salad dressings and sour cream, which are the base of many different types of dips and toppings.

How Many Avocados Do I Need? It depends on your guacamole recipe, but a good rule to follow is roughly half an avocado per person. Count your guests and divide by two to yield the number of avocados you'll need.

Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are the BEST for homemade guacamole. Make sure to remove all the seeds first. You can also chop up cherry/grape tomatoes. Jalapeño – If you don't like spice at all, you can leave it out!

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 you should leave the lime out of guacamole? ›

You see, lime is a very strong acidic flavor and it can easily overpower the delicate flavor of the avocado. Instead, finely dice red onions and pickle them with lime juice for 15-30 minutes.

Some people swear by this one, so we had to put it to the test. The verdict: Contrary to popular belief, adding the avocado pit to guacamole does not prevent oxidation. In fact, if it sticks out above the surface, it creates air pockets that prevent the plastic wrap from adhering tightly enough.

But as every guac fan knows, the stuff has a tendency to look nasty in a hurry, a problem only compounded when the product is made in advance. Fortunately for Wholly, the brand had already pioneered a high-pressure process that removes all the air from the container, so the batch doesn't oxidize and turn brown.

The main goal is to prevent oxygen from touching the avocado's flesh. Plastic wrap is a practical, albeit not foolproof way to slow down the natural course of fruit aging. The trick is to make sure the plastic wrap is sealed flush with the flesh.

Fill a measuring cup with water that's cool or room temperature. Gently pour about a half inch of liquid over the top of the dip. Make sure water covers the surface completely—all the way to the container's edge. Editor's Tip: You may have heard a squirt of lemon or lime juice also keeps guacamole from browning.

Some people swear by this one, so we had to put it to the test. The verdict: Contrary to popular belief, adding the avocado pit to guacamole does not prevent oxidation. In fact, if it sticks out above the surface, it creates air pockets that prevent the plastic wrap from adhering tightly enough.