A giant bowl of fabulously made guacamole is the solution to life’s problems….
Ok, yes, that’s an exaggeration but you get the idea. This summer while having a particularly hard day, I decided to drown my sorrows in guacamole; literally and figuratively. Recipe following has never been my thing and I usually just throw things together by taste. After a few years of throwing the same things into my guacamole, I happened up my "recipe".
Guacamole can be a controversial topic. Some like it chunky and some like it extra smooth. Some like it with ALL the things and others keep it simple. I’m rather EXTRA in all areas of my life so I lean towards the side of throwing ALL the things in my recipe! But just know this is a very loose recipe that can be altered to your liking.
The three key components to amazing guacamole are ripe avocados (duh!), simplicity and FLAVOR!!! No matter what ingredients you add or choose to leave out, always remember to bring the flavor!
Ok, here’s my quick and simple recipe:
2-3 Ripe Avocados
1-2 Limes
1 Medium Tomato (be sure it's juicy and ripe)
1/2 Red Onion (diced)
1 Jalapeño (depending on your spice preference)
1-2 tsp. Garlic powder
1 GIANT handful of cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
The Process:
Start out by cutting your avocado in half and remove the pit. Fun fact: I learned the correct way to cut an avocado from my amazing friend and photographer while taking pictures for this post. Turns out, my go to method all these years was mutilating the avocado….LOL. After all the avocado is added to a bowl, MASH IT! Using a potato masher works great! It evenly mashes the avocado while still keeping the texture. This is also the part my kids LOVE helping with.
Next up, dice your tomato, onion and jalapeño. I like to squeeze the lime juice into the avocados BEFORE adding the other ingredients; it seems to make for a smoother mix. Add your diced tomatoes, onions, jalapeño and garlic powder. One quick note about the garlic; I’ve tried using fresh garlic before and it’s good, but sometimes the flavor can be a little overpowering. Garlic powder helps the garlic know its' place; flavorful yet subtle. Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste as you go to make sure there's not too much or too little of anything. Also feel free to add more lime juice if needed.
LAST but certainly NOT least, add the cilantro. Ok, pause! Let's talk about cilantro for a moment. Some people love it, others hate it. Agree or disagree, cilantro is what differentiates a decent guacamole from an EPIC guacamole. If cilantro isn’t your thing, use a small amount. Mixed in with all the other ingredients, the flavor will be present but not overpowering. And if you absolutely HATE cilantro, leave it out. Just know I’ll be judging you….LOL
Whether you’re drowning your sorrows in guacamole or want an epic topping for Taco Tuesday, THIS guacamole IS it! ENJOY!
