People are particular about their guacamole, I tell you! They have o-pin-ions. Put yourself out there with a guac recipe and prepare to get into a throwdown. It’s almost as bad as talking about politics. So before I give you my guacamole recipe, can we come together as one and just agree that guacamole is awesome? And that maybe, just maybe, there is no single way to make it? With that said, I stand behind this guac 100%. It’s seriously amazing, refreshingly simple and just what you need for your Taco Tuesday.
I was a little nervous about sharing a guacamole recipe. First off, there are a bazillion out there. And second, as I mentioned, people are particular about what is “supposed to be” in guacamole. Everyone seems to fall squarely in either the lemon or lime camp. But if you know your guacamole history, there are those who actually believe that guacamole should be free of citrus juice altogether. Diana Kennedy, a renowned authority on Mexican cooking, is one of them.
As for me? I like a little citrus and my juice of choice is lemon. It’s a bit softer than lime and I think it is a better complement to the avocado. (But I certainly wouldn’t kick some delicious guac with lime out of my kitchen!)
Onions and peppers bring more debates. When it comes to white or red onions, I fall in the white onion camp. I find red onion to be slightly overpowering. As for peppers, I generally use jalapeños although I love, love, love the flavor of serrano chiles. My reasons for choosing jalapeños are a bit more pragmatic. Some of my kiddos, not to mention my husband, have an unfortunate aversion to the heat.
If you have a molcajete, you should definitely use it to make your guac. (It’s not just a fancy serving dish!) Mashing the ingredients in the molcajete allows the flavors to come out in a way they won’t with a fork and bowl. But if you don’t have a molcajete, no worries. Mashing the ingredients in a bowl with a fork certainly works, too. Either way, your guac is sure to be delicious!
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons jalapeño, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
- lemon juice to taste (I generally use 2 to 3 teaspoons)*
- kosher salt to taste (I generally use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon)**
- 1 pound avocados***
- 1/3 cup of Roma or plum tomatoes, finely chopped
- finely chopped tomatoes
- cilantro
- In your molcajete, mash the onion, jalapeño, cilantro, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together until they form a rough paste. (If you do not have a molcajete, use a sturdy non-reactive mixing bowl and mash the ingredients with a fork.)
- Slice your avocados in half. Remove the pit and squeeze the avocado pulp out of the skin directly into the bowl.
- Mash the avocado pulp so the other ingredients are incorporated. Your avocado should be a rough mash.
- Gently mix in the tomatoes.
- Taste your guacamole and adjust the salt and lemon juice if necessary.
- Add a bit of chopped tomato and cilantro on top of your guacamole. You can also add a few cilantro sprigs on the side if you would like.
- Serve immediately.
- * Start with two teaspoons. Add more in the end if necessary.
- ** Start with 1/2 teaspoon. Add more in the end if necessary.
- *** Some websites state that there are two avocados per pound but that is not always accurate. Sometimes, you may find that it takes three avocados per pound. If you have the option to weigh your avocados at the market, do it! Weight is the most accurate measure.
