Homemade Guacamole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do restaurants put in guacamole to keep it from turning brown? ›

DOES LEMON JUICE KEEP GUACAMOLE FROM TURNING BROWN? Yes! The lemon forms a barrier between the outside air and the guacamole to make sure the dip stays its greenest.

If you taste your guac and it is bland, start with more salt. Next, add lime juice. Often an additional pop of citrus is all guac needs to come alive and taste better. If you still aren't happy with the taste, you can rely on mix-ins to jazz it up.

Editor's Tip: You may have heard a squirt of lemon or lime juice also keeps guacamole from browning. It's true—as long as you cover the entire surface of the dip with citrus juice.

With ripe tomatoes so rare in the U.S., I generally leave them out.) I know what you're about to ask. "But what about oxidation?” While lime is touted as a way prevent avocados from browning, it takes a lot of lime for that to work—and it's generally a bad idea to transform a dish's taste for aesthetic reasons.

Tomatoes — not all guac recipes have tomatoes in them but I sure love tomatoes in mine. I remove the seeds of the tomatoes so the guacamole doesn't become soggy. Chili — the most common chilis added are either jalapeño or serrano chili depending on how spicy you want it.

Results: I couldn't believe how well this worked! Not only did the lemon juice work well to prevent browning on the surface of the guacamole, but it also did a noticeably better job than the lime juice.

Topping off your avocado dip with water keeps air, at least in part, from being able to penetrate the guacamole, which keeps it from browning. By using this simple technique, you can keep the brown at bay for about two days (maybe longer if you're lucky).

Is Brown Guac Bad for You? Although brown guacamole isn't the most appealing, it's completely safe to eat (as long as you've stored the guacamole in the refrigerator, and it isn't more than three days old).

Most people prefer to use sweet white onion in their guacamole recipe. Red or yellow onion tends to give the guacamole too strong of a garlic flavor.

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! Salt: Salt enhances the flavors and brings it all together.

Why does my guacamole taste weird? ›

1- Using overripe or too green avocados

However, the color of the skin is not the only indicator of a good avocado. Luckily there are tips that you can use to pick the right ones. Sometimes we will find guacamole made with overripe or too green avocados, which makes guacamole taste bad either way.

Typically the recipe is 3 to 4 avocados, 1 to 2 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 1 to 2 hot peppers, 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, 1 garlic clove (optional), and salt and pepper to taste. Adding too much lemon or lime juice can cause a very watery guacamole.

If you use too much lemon and lime, making it sourer than desired, add more mashed avocado. Still too sour? Add a dash — only a little! — of sugar.

The key is simple: you need to press the plastic wrap directly and completely against the surface of the guacamole. When stored this way, guacamole can be made ahead and stored in the fridge up to overnight with nary a brown spot in sight. Preparing for a party just got a whole lot easier.

There are two reasons for avocados to taste bitter: underripeness, or because they have been cooked. If the avocado is fairly firm, then it's probably just underripe and you can wait.

5- Adding too much of lemon juice

Preparing guacamole without mistakes also lies in the amount of lemon that is added. The lemon juice is used to give it a sour touch, and prevent it from oxidizing. However, adding too much will bitter the flavor of your guacamole.