Guacamole is one of the most popular dishes of Mexican cuisine. This creamy, fresh and vibrant dip commonly accompanies crisp tortilla chips and other Mexican dishes, like pulled-beef tacos and nachos. This simple dip, made with only a handful of ingredients, is the perfect way to contrast bold, spicy and meaty flavours, bringing balance to almost any dish.
With so many variations and methods out there on the worldwide web, we wanted to set the story straight and show you how to make the perfect, most authentic guaca every time.
Ingredients are everything
Guacamole isn’t overly complicated, but the wrong combination of ingredients can let you and your dish down. To make an authentic Mexican guacamole, you need seven ingredients:
- 4 to 6 Haas avocados: They have the creamiest, most full-bodied flavour; ensure you pick ones that yield slightly when prodded gently
- 1 Red onion: no exceptions – red onions aren’t as harsh as their white and yellow cousins, and provide a sweet flavour to the dip
- 1 Tomato: they help to add a slight acidity to the dip, and provide a fresh flavour
- 1 Jalapeño: this adds a crunch and a kick needed to harmonise the dip, but deseed to avoid an overly spicy dip
- 1/2 cup Cilantro: brings a fresh, citrusy flavour to the dip (replace with parsley or omit)
- Juice of 1 lemon: this is the final and most important touch, the juice seasons the dip, bringing all the sweet, spicy, acidic and creamy elements together
- Salt: a no-brainer, although lemon juice brings all the flavours together, salt is the ingredient that enhances the overall result
Method
You’ll need a mortar and pestle, or a big bowl and a sturdy fork:
- Slice the avos in half, remove the pip and scoop out the flesh into the mortar (or bowl)
- Chop the red onion, tomato, cilantro and deseed the Jalapeño before chopping (not large dice, but also not a fine dice either – you want these still a bit chunky before mashing begins)
- Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon
- Start mashing everything together – aim for no big chunks of avo, but don’t make a pureé either
- Fold in salt to taste
- Sprinkle over some extra lemon juice and cilantro leaves as garnish, and dig in
For more enhanced flavours, let the guac sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, to allow all the ingredients to mix together and get to know each other. Remember to squeeze lemon juice over the top to prevent the dip from oxidising and browning. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and consume within 3 days.
