Cinco de Mayo is coming up, and one of my favorite Mexican side dishes/appetizers is GUACAMOLE! :) I've experimented quite a bit to come up with my own really yummy guacamole recipe, trying to get the perfect flavor balance >>> creamy, with a little bit of onion, a tinge of garlic, the nice zip of cilantro, acidic balance of citrus, plus a little bit of heat. I think that finally hit the mark with my Fiesta Guacamole!
Fresh cilantro really adds to the depth of flavor, but if you don't have fresh cilantro, you can substitute with dried cilantro. A good rule-of-thumb is 3 portions of fresh herbs equals 1 portion of dried herbs. Also, Roma tomatoes are perfect for guacamole (or pico de gallo) because they have fewer seeds, are very "meaty," and less watery. If you want to use regular tomatoes, the taste will still be great, but you need to cut out the seedy membrane in the middle of the tomato and remove the seeds, which will diminish the extra wateriness you’d have otherwise. I'm a firm believer in using red onion in guacamole, but if you need to substitute with white onion, that will work...but the taste won't be quite as authentic.
Fresh guacamole is amazingly delish, so why buy it when you can make your own? No additives or preservatives...just natural, creamy, homemade avocado goodness to add some “Ole!” to your dipping tortilla chips or your Mexican-themed meal! Enjoy!
Fresh cilantro really adds to the depth of flavor, but if you don't have fresh cilantro, you can substitute with dried cilantro. A good rule-of-thumb is 3 portions of fresh herbs equals 1 portion of dried herbs. Also, Roma tomatoes are perfect for guacamole (or pico de gallo) because they have fewer seeds, are very "meaty," and less watery. If you want to use regular tomatoes, the taste will still be great, but you need to cut out the seedy membrane in the middle of the tomato and remove the seeds, which will diminish the extra wateriness you’d have otherwise. I'm a firm believer in using red onion in guacamole, but if you need to substitute with white onion, that will work...but the taste won't be quite as authentic.
Fresh guacamole is amazingly delish, so why buy it when you can make your own? No additives or preservatives...just natural, creamy, homemade avocado goodness to add some “Ole!” to your dipping tortilla chips or your Mexican-themed meal! Enjoy!
Fiesta Guacamole
1 cup Roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup red onion (finely diced)
1 to 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (minced)
3 avocados (peeled, seeded, and coarsely mashed)
1 jalapeño, optional (seeded and minced)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I prefer Chalula or Chipotle Tabasco)
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Cover surface of guacamole with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (to allow flavors to meld).
This easily holds up in the refrigerator for about 2 days…but the color of the guacamole may change somewhat. Don’t worry, just give it a good stir…it’s still very tasty and safe to eat.
1 cup Roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup red onion (finely diced)
1 to 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (minced)
3 avocados (peeled, seeded, and coarsely mashed)
1 jalapeño, optional (seeded and minced)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I prefer Chalula or Chipotle Tabasco)
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Cover surface of guacamole with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (to allow flavors to meld).
This easily holds up in the refrigerator for about 2 days…but the color of the guacamole may change somewhat. Don’t worry, just give it a good stir…it’s still very tasty and safe to eat.