You're Two Avocados Away From Making the Best Guacamole (2024)

FAQs

How many avocados should I get for guacamole? ›

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.

Guacamole must be made with perfectly ripe avocados, she insists. But if you find yourself with subpar avocados, add a teaspoon of olive oil into the mix. “The oil helps it be more lush and unctuous,” Cámara explains.

According to the California Avocado Commission, the best way to soften unripe avocados is to place them inside a brown paper bag along with an apple and close the bag tightly.

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.

Look at the color: A ripe avocado is shiny and dark green, not black and matte or pale green. Avoid very dark and soft avocados. Give it the squeeze test: Hold the avocado in your hand and squeeze gently with your palm, not using your fingertips. If the avocado is ripe, it will give a little while remaining firm.

It is generally recommended that you stick to one serving of avocado per day, but depending on the other balance of foods in your daily diet, you may be able to include one whole fruit each day.

Making guacamole is fairly easy and, when homemade, easy to customize, so you can have it exactly the way you like it. But the primary reason that you should make your own if you can is that it's much cheaper — about half the cost, in fact.

If the avocado is not quite ripe and not hard, you can use plastic wrap and your microwave to ripen them up in two minutes flat. Cut the avocado in half vertically and remove the pit. Wrap each half in microwave-safe plastic wrap and microwave on high for two minutes.

Treat your avocado like a bell pepper or tomato: Halve it, stuff it with something tasty (like an egg, spicy black beans, or quinoa and veggies), and bake until your filling is cooked through. A ripe avocado would get sort of mushy and melty in the oven, but an underripe one will get just-right soft.

“Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said. “Then it gets lidded, labeled and stored for later use. This process ensures freshness and prevents browning,” he continued.

Does putting the pit in guacamole keep it fresh? ›

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.

Once opened, store-bought guacamole usually lasts 1-2 days. Homemade guacamole also usually lasts 1-2 days. You'll know it's gone bad when it has a substantial puddle of brown liquid and the layers below the surface have lost their vibrant green hue. That's when it's time to throw it out.

If you're unable to tell from its bright, green look and firm skin that an avocado is unripe, the bitter or bland taste will certainly be an indication. Despite its underwhelming flavor and flesh that's as hard as the outer skin, unripe avocados aren't dangerous, so you can still go ahead and eat them.

As mentioned, adequate seasoning will usually take care of any bitter undertones, so feel free to add additional pinches of salt or another squeeze of lime to get it to your liking. Hello delicious Guacamole!

Put an avocado in a paper bag with a banana, an apple or a kiwi and fold to seal. These fruits produce ethylene gas, a plant hormone that aids ripening. The closed brown paper bag traps the gas inside to speed up the ripening time.

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.

I like the flavor better with lemon juice, but lime works too. If you're out of fresh lemons or limes, try using bottled lime or lemon juice. Although, freshly squeezed juice is definitely the best!

Wrap each avocado half in plastic wrap, and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, taking a peek at each interval to check on the texture. Chill the avocado halves until cool and then mash and season heavily with lime, garlic, and salt.

If your avocados are too firm, they won't mash into a smooth and creamy guac.

Buy small, rough-skinned Hass avocados. Their rich flavor and buttery texture are essential for guacamole. Large, bright-green avocados are fine for salads but aren't rich enough for guacamole.

How many avocados should I buy at once? ›

Deciding how many avocados to throw in the grocery basket? You first have to look at what your goals are for your weight, gut health, overall healthy diet — and your body type, activity level and genes, Cucuzza says. “Usually, I would recommend that ½ to one avocado a day is reasonable,” she says.

One avocado counts as one cup.

Serving Size. Serving size is a standardized amount of food that represents the average amount of a food that was eaten during one meal/snack. Thus, the serving size is not a recommended amount of food to eat. A serving of fresh avocados is 1/3 of an avocado (or 50 grams).

How much guacamole should you eat? The standard serving size for guacamole is about two tablespoons, which contains 45 calories. But even though the serving size is small, guacamole has an advantage over sour cream and mayo-based dips: it's a bit harder to overeat, since it contains more filling fiber.