There are, of course, a few variations on guacamole, but most boil down to (1) do you add tomatoes or not, (2) how finely do you mash the avocado, and (3) what type of chile do you use (jalapeño or serrano). Here’s our preference.
I figure you know what guac looks like, so I chose a photo here of all the ingredients pre-mash.
Also, of course, serve with tortilla chips. And beer if required. Mexican beer. Corona works well, but only if you add a little salt and lime.
Ingredients
- 2 large Haas avocados
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 T cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (just the juice)
- 1-2 serrano peppers, finely chopped (depending on how spicy they are)
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1/2 t salt
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a bowl
- Mash thoroughly with a bean masher.
Notes
Serrano Peppers: These chiles have less of a bell pepper taste than jalapeño peppers, so you generally get more heat and less pepper taste when you use them. They do have their own subtle flavor, but it is less intrusive. The way to test them is cut off about 3mm off the bottom of the pepper. This is usually the least spicy part of the pepper. If it is spicy, just use 1 pepper. If it is super spicy, you can de-seed it, or use less than the whole pepper. Add the one pepper to your mash, and then at the end, taste it. If it needs more kick, add the other.
Bean Masher: The bean masher, typically used for creating refried beans, creates a nice consistent texture, beteen the lumpiness of using a fork, and the soupiness of using a mixer or blender, the latter of which is often used for refried beans in restaurants. If you want the ideal homemade texture, buy a bean masher.
