Super Bowl Sunday is just about here! What you you cooking up for game day? If you’re planning on ordering catering, why not add to the snacks with your own homemade guacamole recipe? With the right knowledge at your disposal, this Latin American favorite is tasty, healthy and easy to make.
If you’re going to whip up this recipe with store-bought ingredients the weekend of the big game, be sure to buy ripe avocados. It’s of the utmost importance that you test store-bought avocados for freshness, as these fruits are only fresh for up to 48 hours.
The best avocados are firm, but with a slight give beneath the skin when pressure is applied with a gentle squeeze. If your fingers leave a marked indentation, the fruit is too ripe and will leave your guacamole brown and discolored. On the flip side, if it’s too firm, you’ll have bland and flavorless guac that’s hard to mash.
Once you have your avocado base, be sure to pick up red onions, fresh jalapeños, whole garlic, fresh limes, pre-shredded/grated cotija cheese, Roma tomatoes, ground cayenne and cilantro. It’s important to avoid white or yellow onions, as they’re best when cooked, while red onions offer more depth of flavor when raw. Likewise, you’ll also want to be sure not to buy jarred or pickled jalapeños. We want our guacamole to be as fresh as possible.
If spicy food isn’t you’re thing, feel free to forgo the jalapeños, as they’re optional to the recipe. However, if you want to kick things up a notch, serrano peppers will increase the heat and add a whole new element to your homemade guacamole.
As for what to pair this guacamole with, consider adding it to an otherwise catered spread from these Main Line area eateries. For a fully homemade occasion, whip up a batch of these stuffed mushrooms, then follow it all up with these magic bars for dessert.
Zesty Guacamole
Course: AppetizersCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes1
hour10
minutesThis guacamole recipe is easy to prepare and ideal for game day around the Main Line.
Ingredients
4 ripe avocados
1/2 diced red onion
4 tsp lime juice
1 diced jalapeño pepper
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cayenne
1 roma tomato
Cotija cheese (for garnish)
Cilantro (for garnish)
2 serrano peppers (optional)
Directions
- Cut open the avocados with a sharp knife and dispose of the pits. Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and place in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, lime juice and cayenne.
- Mash with a pestle until only small chunks are visible. A fork or potato masher are acceptable if you are without a pestle.
- De-stem your jalapeño by slicing off the top inch near the stem, then slicing length-wise. Cut the two pieces in half so you have four long quarters. Remove the white stem and seed with your knife, then dice the remaining quarters into very small pieces. Add them to the bowl. (Optional: dice the serrano peppers and add them to the bowl as well.)
- Dice the Roma tomato and half of the red onion, then add to the bowl.
- Place a whole peeled clove of garlic in a garlic crusher and crush into the bowl. If no garlic crusher is available, mince the clove with your knife and add to the bowl.
- Mix with a fork until the ingredients are evenly distributed through the guacamole. Move to a serving bowl and garnish with cotija cheese and ciltantro to taste.
Notes
- For a real spicy kick, add one finely diced habenero to your guacamole.
Related: This Mulled Wine Recipe Warms up Main Line Winters
