Homemade Guacamole

Classic guacamole that’s ready in 10 minutes and has an extra hint of garlic for a bold flavor. Perfect as a party dip or adding to other southwestern favorites. Plus, make it as mild or as spicy as you like!

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About Homemade Guacamole

For those of you who frequent this blog, you know how I feel about appetizers.

As in, I am obsessed with them. I’d joyfully eat them as a whole meal.

If you ever know me well enough to invite me over to a house party, I have one word for you: beware.

Because I am that person who will show up to your house absurdly early, hovering around the snack bar all innocent-like… and the minute your back is turned I will hoover all the hors d’oeuvres you painstakingly put together so that by the time you look back to your precious snack platter there will be nothing left but empty plates and crumbs.

And my absolute favorite snack food at a party, right after shrimp cocktail?

Good old guacamole.

My endearment for appetizers goes all the way back to my first time trying to socialize at a party, because if we ever do meet in person, another thing you will quickly learn about me is that I am totally and completely socially awkward.

I mean, I suppose I can’t be all that bad, seeing as our friends still willingly invite me over to their house…  but I also eat all of their food when I show up.

Maybe they like not having to put away leftovers?

I guess I’ll never really know whether they like my quirky company or plate cleaning skills, but either way, I’ll gladly polish off all of their finger foods if it means no one will notice that I haven’t said a word for the past fifty minutes.

I’m not much of a conversationalist, but I’ll people watch for hours.

Remember that I mentioned that we (an old friend of mine and I) always arrive absurdly early for parties? This means we’re usually getting in the way there while the hosts are still setting everything up, and since guacamole is one of those dishes that are best when freshly made, I’ve watched plenty of our friends quickly whip up a batch.

And I was always so jealous they could do this. As green as the guacamole itself kind of jealous.

To be able to whip up delicious guacamole at the drop of a hat? If only I had that power!

Cause you see, it was only recently that I perfected what I consider to be my “perfect” recipe for guacamole. The ingredients themselves aren’t all that special – there’s avocado, onion, tomato, plus a few other staples – but I do think guacamole tastes best with an extra dose of garlic. Not crazy levels of it, mind you, but enough to let you know that flavor is very much “there” and fighting for your attention.

So here I am, having cracked the secrets to one of my favorite party foods, and I have to wonder… do I even need to leave the house anymore? What would my friends do with all their leftovers? Or if I go to parties and bring guacamole, is it bad form if I don’t share it with anyone?

I guess there’s only one way to find out!

Can you freeze guacamole?

You can freeze guacamole, but there’s one catch:

Fresh and watery veggies like tomato, onion, and jalapeno do not freeze well.

So, if you plan on making a large batch of guacamole to freeze (hello, avocado sale!), then make your guacamole without these ingredients. But this isn’t mean you can’t enjoy fresh veggies in your guac; just add those to the guacamole as you thaw it.

When prepared as recommended above, guacamole can last in the freezer for three to four months.

Can you make guacamole in advance?

Yes, you totally can, but keep in mind that homemade guac has a very short shelf life. Once prepared, guacamole will only stay fresh in the refrigerator for one to two days.

How to keep guacamole from turning brown

There are two key methods for helping guacamole keep it’s pretty green color:

• Limit air access. When not currently being used, guacamole should be wrapped (plastic wrap) or the container should be covered with a secure lid.
• Lime juice. This recipe includes lime juice as the second ingredient, and 50% of the reason is to help the guac keep its color. As soon as you can, get the avocado completely and thoroughly mixed with the lime juice. You can add more if necessary, but taste test as you go. One the lime juice has been added, air access is not a big deal anymore.

When serving as a dip, how long can you leave it out?

Whenever you serve a dip for your guests to enjoy, you should always keep track of how long it sits at room temperature.

For most foods, the general rule of thumb is that a perishable item should not be in the “danger zone” for more than two hours. And by “danger zone”, this is usually at or just above room temperature. I recommend preparing this dip with chilled ingredients or serving it chilled, as this should give you more time (about one hour) before the dip reaches room temperature.

So, in total, this dip can be left out for “about” three hours, depending on the start temperature and the temperature of the room. However, be sure to still check the dip every now and then and make your best judgment call.

Once you pass the recommended time, you can cover the dip and place it back in the refrigerator. If your guests still want more dip, let it chill for at least 30 minutes before bringing it back out again.

Notes & tips for easy guacamole

• Need to ripen an avocado fast? Check out this article: Can You Really Ripen an Avocado in Just 10 Minutes?

Other tasty savory dips

This recipe was originally published on June 13th, 2016. It received an update on March 2, 2018.