Best Ever Classic Guac

You Only Need 5 Ingredients for the Best Guacamole

Choosing your guacamole mix-ins, which can range from more common (onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and chile peppers) to more unusual (mango, pomegranate, green peas, kale, or even bacon bits), which is entirely up to you. But keep in mind that while an unexpected ingredient can be fun at times, a classic guacamole is more likely to please the entire crowd of chip-dippers. You only need five ingredients for the best, all time classic guac: Avocados, garlic, lime, red onion, and jalapeño pepper. Because cilantro is so controversial, it might be best to skip it altogether when preparing for a party.

To make the guacamole, you’ll peel and pit the ripe avocados, then scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl with garlic paste, my secret ingredient that makes this guacamole so much better than your average dip (more on how to make it below). You’ll then stir in the finely diced red onion and half an unseeded jalapeño pepper. The amount of red onion might not seem like much, but since it’s raw, the flavor will intensify as it sits. A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens the dip. You’ll mash the dip with a fork or a potato masher, and you can make it as creamy or chunky as you like. I like to leave it relatively chunky if I’m serving it straight up with tortilla chips.

3 Key Steps for Homemade Guacamole

1. Ripen avocados at home. I buy my avocados rock hard several days before I need them, ensuring I won’t be forced to buy avocados that are too hard or too mushy day-of, or that I’m not left with bumps, bruises, and brown spots from squeeze-happy shoppers in the produce department. Left on the counter, the avocados will ripen in a few days (quicker if bananas and tomatoes are nearby). Everyone has their own foolproof way to determine an avocado’s ripeness, but I look for a darkened peel and fruit that gives slightly when gently pressed at the top and bottom (not around the equator). Once they reach peak ripeness (and they might not all ripen on the same day), transfer them to the refrigerator to suspend the ripening process.

2. Make garlic paste. Garlic paste has a gentler, less biting flavor than chopped garlic, which is desirable when serving it raw. Bonus points for the paste’s ability to incorporate easily into the guac, eliminating the risk of biting into a chunk of raw garlic. To make it, you’ll mince the garlic, sprinkle with kosher salt, crush the mixture with the side of a chef’s knife, then run the knife over the garlic and salt several times until smooth.

3. Cover completely to avoid browning. Unless preparing guacamole tableside is part of your plan, you’ll want to have a plan for storing the guacamole before you break out the chips — and in the unlikely event of leftovers. Air exposure turns green guacamole brown, so cover it with a thin layer of wateror transfer to an airtight container and press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the dip before snapping on the lid. Or, invest in this handy guac saver.

Adapted from the Kitchn.com