Where Can I Find the Best Guacamole Near Me?
Well, if I’m going to post about Easy Crock Pot Pork Carnitas, I have to tell you about guacamole with cilantro and lime. I love mashed avocados with a bit of salt on a sandwich, or cubed up tossed in a salad, but guacamole is by far my most favorite way to enjoy this gorgeous fruit.
While guacamole may be categorized as a side dish or just a taco topper, guacamole could easily upstage the main course. I love it on tacos, burritos, and best scooped with a zippy lime-flavored corn chip.
There are good store bought guacamole options available. Notice, I said good, not great. If you’re on this page, you’ve already decided you can do better. In my experience, I find the grocery store guac have too much citrus or spice. Keep this one simple, avocados with cilantro, lime, and a few other friends. The best guacamole should be found in your kitchen!
What You Need to Make Guacamole with Cilantro and Lime
- Avocados – These are beautiful little nuggets of green gold. For as long as I’ve been purchasing them, they haven’t exactly been a thrifty buy. Knowing this fatty fruit has health benefits, helps justify the splurge.
- Lime Juice – Essential to keeping the guacamole from turning brown. Lime juice also adds a zesty element to the guac. Use fresh if you can.
- Cilantro – Completely optionally, fresh cilantro will add a unique flavor, but I know it’s not for everyone. I’ve made guacamole and devoured it a thousand times without cilantro. Make this a 4-ingredient guacamole and leave the cilantro at the store!
- Tomatoes – The only justification I can give to add tomatoes is that they add some color. I could easily make guacamole without them. They are traditional and add a little texture.
- Onions – Cannot leave these out. They add crunch and bite. There’s just something about onions that separate mashed avocado from guacamole. I think there are a few options – a sweet onion is nice, a white onion is a little hotter, and a red onion will add beautiful color. Any will do and I would consider to be the best onion for guacamole.
- Salt – I don’t usually call this out, but if you don’t use enough salt, your guacamole will just not be the same.
How To Choose Avocados
Making homemade guacamole with cilantro and lime is easy and takes just minutes. The tricky part is finding perfectly ripe avocados. It takes a little practice to find a good avocado. Here are my tips:
1.) First, look for those that are darker green in color.
2.) Next, I give it a gentle squeeze. Open your hand flat and push on the palm of your hand on the thick part below your thumb. I look for that same give in a good avocado.
3.) Lastly, if the avocado is ripe, the little brown nub (which is the stem) will easily come off. This is a good tip, but I don’t think it’s as accurate as the squeeze test.
You do not want any that feel hollow when you push on the skin… those are too far gone.
How To Make Guacamole with Cilantro and Lime
This easy guacamole recipe is so basic. First, cut the avocados in half by running a knife around the pit. Twist the avocado open. Squeeze out the pit. Then, run a spoon around the skin to scoop out the green flesh.
In a bowl, mash the avocado. Dice tomatoes and onions, slice the cilantro. Add them all to the bowl with the avocado. Season well with salt and squeeze on fresh lime. Mix until well combined. Serve immediately!
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- How to store leftover guacamole and prevent browning?
- If you have leftovers, there seem to be all types of tips and tricks to keep the avocados from turning brown. When an avocado turns brown, it’s simply part of the decay process. I know, sounds bad, but it’s the same process that turns bananas and apples brown.
- Keep. The air. Out.
- In the unlikely chance that I have any leftover guacamole, I place the guacamole in an airtight container that will have the least amount of top surface area (so the container is deeper than wide). Pack it in, remove all the bubbles with a tap. Then, place plastic wrap over the top so that it is touching the guac. Close the lid on top. Airtight.
- By the way, brown guacamole is completely unappetizing, but it tastes fine. If the top layer has turned, consider just mixing it up. Remember, little nuggets of green gold. Don’t waste. Well stored guacamole can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.
- Avocado vs Guacamole?
- The difference is simple.
- The avocado is a fruit and an ingredient to make guacamole.
- Guacamole is a side dish (or entree in my book) made, at a minimum, with mashed avocados, onions, tomatoes, and salt.
- How to ripen hard avocados?
- This really does work. If you have hard as rock avocados, place them in a brown paper bag with a few apples. I use many apples when I’m in a hurry. The avocado should soften up almost overnight… unbelievable right?
- Fast Track? Make Pico de Gallo and keep it on hand. Add a scoop or two to mashed avocado for a quick guacamole.
Guacamole with Cilantro and Lime
Equipment
- bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- fork or potato masher
- lime squeezer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoon
- spoon
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados (see above notes about ripeness)
- 3 Tablespoons white onions
- 1 Tablespoon torn fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Cut the avocado: Use a knife to cut the avocado in half from the top until it stops, meeting up with the pit. Then, rotate the knife around the pit until you come full circle. Twist the two avocado halves apart. This will be easy if the avocado is ripe.2 ripe avocados (see above notes about ripeness)
- Remove the pit: To remove the pit, I think the best way is to cup the avocado with the peel side in your palm and give it a squeeze. We're going to mash up the avocado anyway, so who cares if this doesn't look pretty. If it doesn't release, evaluate whether the fruit is ripe enough to use at all. Then, if you decide to continue, use a spoon to carve it out. There is a method to use a knife on the pit, but I don't think it's the safest method and removing the pit from the knife can be tough on the blade. I'll let you Google that approach.
- Remove the flesh: With the pit removed, take your spoon again and run it along the inside of the peel to remove all the flesh. Place the flesh in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher or simply with a fork to your desired consistency. I prefer a few chunks rather than a completely smooth texture.
- Onion, cilantro, tomato: Chop the onion, cilantro, and tomatoes. Add it to the avocado mash.3 Tablespoons white onions, 1 Tablespoon torn fresh cilantro leaves, 1/3 cup tomatoes
- Lime: Use a lime squeezer or rotate a fork around the inside of the lime to squeeze the juice. Add the juice to the avocado mash.1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- Salt: Add the salt. This is key – honestly, too little can make for a sad guacamole. Remember, you can add more, you can't take it out. So, if you think you need more than I've recommended, just add a bit at a time.1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Combine: Fold in all the ingredients and serve immediately. If you need to prepare this ahead of time, see my notes below on storage to keep it from turning brown. The lime juice will help, but you will also need to keep it well stored.
