4 Secrets to Making Killer Guacamole
Get the Recipe for Roasted Garlic Guacamole from Chef Rick Bayless (pictured here)
By Emily McKenna
I learned to make really good guacamole on a ranch in the middle of Montana where I cooked for a family of die-hard Mexican-food fans. This family frequently requested Mexican dinner buffets, complete with a mix of salsas, guacamole and homemade tortilla chips. Having to make guacamole over and over again meant that during the course of my few months with them, I became a guacamole expert.
Delicious Recipes to Try: Quick Guacamole & More 5-Ingredient Dip Recipes
Here are some of my favorite tips for making killer guacamole at home:
1. Use Ripe Avocados
The foundation of any respectable guacamole is a ripe avocado. A ripe Hass avocado, one of the most common varieties available year-round, will give ever so slightly when you press it gently and its skin will turn deep purple to black as it ripens. You can store ripe fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable) in the refrigerator for a few days.
Unfortunately, the avocados at my market are usually rock hard or verging on rotten. So, I’ve gotten into the habit of buying avocados that are still hard a day or two before I plan to make guacamole. You can speed the ripening process along by putting the avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple.
2. Be Bold with Garlic and Onion
Onions and garlic are essential to any good guacamole. I add finely chopped raw garlic and onion to mine. If I have some time I take a cue from Top Chef winner and Mexican-food expert Rick Bayless (see his awesome recipe for Roasted Garlic Guacamole), and add roasted garlic too. This adds a sweet earthiness that balances the sharp bite of the raw stuff. I use one large finely chopped clove of raw garlic for every two cloves of roasted garlic.
Roasting garlic is easy: simply wrap a whole head in foil and roast it in a 400ºF oven for 40 to 50 minutes. After the garlic cools, you can squeeze the cloves out of their skins.
3. Use Fresh Cilantro and Limes
Fresh cilantro and lime juice are to guacamole what milk is to a chocolate chip cookie. Resist the temptation to used bottled lime juice. A whole lime or two squeezed into your guacamole, along with a handful of chopped cilantro, will provide a welcome burst of brightness and astringency to your dip. A bonus: Fresh lime juice slows down the oxidation process (preventing your guacamole from turning brown).
4. Take Smart Shortcuts
If your guacamole craving cannot wait while you chop garlic and herbs or juice limes, take some help from the supermarket. Add a couple spoonfuls of your favorite jarred salsa, which has all of the traditional guacamole add-ins, to your recipe and shave off a good 5 minutes of prep. If you are really in a rush—say with only 5 minutes left until halftime is over—grab a package of premashed avocado, available in the produce department of some markets.
More from EatingWell.com
EatingWell’s Best Recipes for Your Super Bowl Party
See How to Make Your Own Tortilla Chips
Download a FREE Printable Game-Day Snacks Cookbook
