Grilled Guacamole

Classic guacamole is well and good—great, in fact—but since the grill has been in heavy rotation already this summer, meaning it’s primed and seasoned, throw that guac on the grill, too.

No, you don’t sit your bowl of garlic-y green goo on the grill grates. No, you don’t shape it into discs and grill it like crab cakes. To get that smoky flavor into a dip that will still be both bright and buttery, you char each of the components—avocado, onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper—and then mix them together.

A bonus: You don’t have to worry so much about keeping the cut sides of those avocados green. You’re going to char them anyway!

Grilled Guacamole
by Angela Gaines
Serves 3-4

4 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ yellow onion, sliced ½” thick crosswise
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small jalapeño pepper, sliced in half and seeded
1 lemon, halved
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Brush avocados with 1 Tbsp. oil. Grill, meat side down, on grill or grill pan at high heat for 2-3 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix sliced onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Drizzle with remaining oil and gently toss. Grill the vegetables and lemon until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Remove flesh from the avocado with spoon. In a bowl, mash the avocado meat with a fork, leaving it relatively chunky. Add juice from the grilled lemon and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the rest of the grilled vegetables and fold into the avocado mixture. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Finish with cilantro.