# How do you make your guacamole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283 "2011-03-19T20:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/21 "2011-03-20T00:50:19Z")
Complicated version: Avocados, tomatoes, onions, chopped black olives, lemon juice, chili powder, tabasco, salt…and a drop of Wright’s Liquid Smoke. Moosh up the alligator pears, mix in the toms and onions, squirt in some lemon juice, then add olives and seasonings to taste. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Caveat: you cannot make good guac from lousy avocados. If you can’t get good avos, forget it. Much simpler version: Bite an Avo, eat a chip. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/22 "2011-03-20T00:52:06Z")
Each their own of course. But when I’ve experimented with adding chopped tomatos or onions, I didn’t really notice them making much of a difference. They make the Guac ‘look’ pretty with the extra bits of color, but the difference in taste was pretty small, especially compared to the extra effort it takes to chop up the veggies. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/23 "2011-03-20T00:54:30Z")
Mine is Avocado, Garlic, Red onion, a few Roma tomato pieces, Salt and Lime . ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/24 "2011-03-20T01:15:17Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > 1. Mush up avocados. > 2. Add salsa. > 3. Stir a bit. > 4. Consume. What she said. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/25 "2011-03-20T01:44:17Z")
I use the Frugal Gourmet’s recipe more or less. 2 avocados 2 tbs good fresh salsa only fresh, chop up some tomatoes and make a pico if you cant get fresh salt pepper lime juice lots of cilantro roughly mash and eat quickly. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/26 "2011-03-20T02:02:05Z")
Two mashed avocados, one or two deseeded and diced tomatoes, a clove or two of pressed/finely minced/pureed garlic, and salt to taste. Simple and always gets good reviews. The Japanese girls we used to make dinner for always loved it. 🙂 My mom would put shredded cheese in it growing up, but it always made the guacamole taste overly rich and heavy, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/27 "2011-03-20T02:04:37Z")
Mayo in guac is absolutely acceptable. My mom was raised on the border in Douglas, AZ and her guacamole was always: mashed avocado, lime, salt, garlic powder, and a touch of mayo. Nothing else. Sunny Delight is also a very traditional recipe ingredient in carne asada, which was a surprise to me. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/28 "2011-03-20T02:57:04Z")
> [@Lightlystarched](#): > > Mayo in guac is absolutely acceptable. My mom was raised on the border in Douglas, AZ and her guacamole was always: mashed avocado, lime, salt, garlic powder, and a touch of mayo. Nothing else. > > Sunny Delight is also a very traditional recipe ingredient in carne asada, which was a surprise to me. Ah, in AZ maybe. In New Mexico putting mayo in guac is likely to get you killed. Seriously. I worked in a bunch of Mexican places in Albuquerque and if anyone tried putting mayo in the guac, it would have gotten ugly. Not sure about the Sunny Delight thing as carne asada has been around a bit longer than Sunny D. But it is probably used in place of the traditional limes. My recipe is simple. Avacados Green chile, diced Tomato, diced Onions, diced A bit of lime A bit of salt and pepper No cilantro Slee ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/29 "2011-03-20T03:17:23Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > Ah, in AZ maybe. In New Mexico putting mayo in guac is likely to get you killed. Seriously. I worked in a bunch of Mexican places in Albuquerque and if anyone tried putting mayo in the guac, it would have gotten ugly. Yeah, I’ve never been quite enchanted by the Arizona-Mexican style of cooking. California or New Mexico, hell yeah, but Arizona? Maybe I just haven’t found the right places. That said, the Sunny D marinade shortcut does sound like an idea that would work really well. Actually, it sounds quite brilliant. I’m going to have to try it next time I make fajitas. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/30 "2011-03-20T04:06:57Z")
Avocados and a pinch of salt. That’s it. I’m a minimalist. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/31 "2011-03-20T04:50:15Z")
Quoth **Left Hand of Dorkness** : > [@](#): > > I’m almost sure what you were missing was salt, Chronos. Y’know, that’s almost certainly it. Neither my mom nor I adds much salt to anything while cooking, because usually there’s some ingredient or other that comes with more than enough already. But when you’re starting with fresh vegetables, there wouldn’t be any at all, and I’ve learned from my other cooking mistakes that almost everything needs at least a little salt. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/32 "2011-03-20T05:09:27Z")
The only thing worse thatn puting a dairy product in guacamole would be adding mashed _peas_. :eek: Yes, my mother actually did this once. She got the recipe from one of her women’s magazines. It was disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/33 "2011-03-21T14:02:11Z")
Mayo? Sour cream? The hell? Avocados, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced jalapeno, minced garlic, lime juice. Mash it all together, then season with kosher salt to taste. I wish we had good avocados up here. Damn, now I want some guac. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/34 "2011-03-21T14:36:39Z")
I just read a recipe where green bananas were substituted instead of avocados. I’m really curious to try it out. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/35 "2011-03-21T14:37:24Z")
No cumin? What the…?! But, yeah…avocado, garlic, salt, cayenne…and perhaps some onions…and CUMIN! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/36 "2011-03-21T14:54:18Z")
Another vote for not adding mayo or sour cream (or cream cheese which I’ve seen used). These are all fine ingredients for a dip when you need something to bind the other ingredients together. But in guacamole, the mashed avocado is the binder. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/37 "2011-03-21T15:19:12Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Mayo? Sour cream? The hell? This. > [@](#): > > Avocados, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced jalapeno, minced garlic, lime juice. Mash it all together, then season with kosher salt to taste. And this. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/38 "2011-03-21T15:20:19Z")
That being said, I do make a different avocado-based concoction for my 7-layer dips: just avocado and cream cheese. I would not dare call it guacamole, though. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/39 "2011-03-21T15:31:18Z")
Avocado Onion Garlic Serrano (or Jalapeno) chiles Salt Lots of lime juice Cilantro ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283/40 "2011-03-21T15:33:14Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > No cumin? What the…?! But, yeah…avocado, garlic, salt, cayenne…and perhaps some onions…and CUMIN! I love cumin, but in guac? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-your-guacamole/575283.md?page=3)