My Best Guacamole Recipe (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.

The avoFresh contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate. You add the powder mixture to fresh mashed avocado. The avoFresh keeps the avocado fresh and from turning that off-putting brown that avocado pulp gets when exposed to air.

Olive Oil

Rather than reacting with the browning enzyme, a thin layer of olive oil acts can act as a barrier between the dip and the air. If oxygen never reaches your guacamole, it can't turn brown. Use how ever much you need to coat the surface of the guac.

All you really need to make guacamole is ripe avocados and salt. After that, a little lime or lemon juice—a splash of acidity—will help balance the richness of the avocado. If you want, add chopped cilantro, chilis, onion, and/or tomato.

Adding citric acid powder to your list of ingredients is like having a secret weapon for guacamole. Not only will the natural citric acid powder enhance the tanginess of the lime, but it will also keep your precious guac that beautiful green color, so you don't have to worry that the avocados will turn brown!

Topping off your avocado dip with water keeps air, at least in part, from being able to penetrate the guacamole, which keeps it from browning. By using this simple technique, you can keep the brown at bay for about two days (maybe longer if you're lucky).

I simply squeezed the juice from half a lemon over the surface of the prepared guacamole. I checked for browning after one hour, one-and-a-half hours, and two hours.

The lactic acid in sour cream acts very much like the ascorbic acid in limes in combating the oxidizing enzymes in avocados. The process and result is similar: spread a thin layer of sour cream onto a smooth surface of guacamole and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface.

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.

In order to keep the dip from turning from a vibrant green to a yucky, brown hue by the day's end, it is double sealed. His third TikTok clip showed how each tin of guacamole is sealed to keep it from going bad. “Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said.

Should you put tomatoes in guacamole? ›

Don't worry though, white onion will also work. Add tomatoes to your guac. In my opinion, all guacamole should include tomato for texture and flavor. Regular tomatoes tend to be too watery, so go for grape tomatoes instead!

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).

Crushed red pepper, cayenne, paprika, or even garlic powder can up the flavor in a store-bought guacamole and allow you to cater it to your own tastes.

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.

Onions contain sulfur, which prevents the enzymes in avocados from interacting with the air and turning brown. The easiest way to take advantage of this trick is to cut up some onion, line the bottom of a container, and place the avocado on top with the cut-side up.

Most people prefer to use sweet white onion in their guacamole recipe. Red or yellow onion tends to give the guacamole too strong of a garlic flavor.

Nothing will bring forward the bright, citrusy, natural flavors and acidity like fresh squeezed limes. However, bottled lime juice is certainly a convenient option. If you decide to go this route, make sure to choose a high-quality brand that is 100% lime juice with no added sweeteners or flavors.

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. It's not rocket science, it's guac-it science.

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 pit protects the guac simply because it shields a portion of the dip's surface from exposure to air. You'd be just as well off plopping a few hardboiled eggs or some golf balls or an iPhone into your guacamole.

Why did my guacamole turn black? ›

How you can prevent the guacamole from turning black. On many occasions, the sauce takes on a dark hue, due to the oxidation process, which begins when its interior is left exposed to the air.

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.