Homemade Guacamole Bar

Who’s ready to have a party at home?! Cinco de Mayo falls on a Taco Tuesday this year, and few things are more fun to serve in the kitchen on this day than a make-your-own guacamole bar! So many things pair well with avocado. That’s why I love setting up guacamole bars at our house any chance I get. Plus, setting up a guacamole bar can also double as weekly food prep (if you plan your meals and want it to).

Some of our favorite guacamole ingredients can also be used for other dishes like this Yellow Rice with Peppers and Onions!

The recipe card below is for my personal favorite “classic” guacamole. But if you want to get crazy this Taco Tuesday, take a cue from the lists below and do whatever makes you happy! Haven’t gone grocery shopping in a while? Don’t worry! Just grab whatever you have around the house and make it work! Don’t let anyone tell you “what” to put in your bowl or “how much” of something to mix with your avocado. That’s the beauty of homemade guacamole. You can mix-and-match whatever you want, and everyone eats happy!

How to make guacamole

IMHO, you can add just about anything to avocado to make a guacamole that suits whatever cuisine you are serving. Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian – it’s all good! Just plan to have enough avocados based on the number of people you are serving. My husband and I can easily down an entire avocado each in one sitting, but if you’re serving guacamole with a larger meal, you might plan for half an avocado per person.

Guacamole is one of the few things I recommend NOT making more of than you need for a single meal. It’s hard to keep avocado from browning, and while it’s more visual than anything, it can still be unappetizing to see brown mush in tupperware. You can prep all the other ingredients in advance but leave the avocado for when you’re ready to eat.

The trick to making guacamole comes, first, in making sure your avocados are ripe (the skin will be more brown than green, and the avocado on whole should feel soft but not mushy when you give it a light squeeze). Second, pay attention to the order in which you mixing everything together. Start with the mashed avocado, herbs, spices, and non-solids (like citrus juice, olive oil, and sour cream). If you’re eye-balling measurements or throwing caution to the wind and just dumping randomly into your bowl, make sure you taste-test along the way! After that, mix in your hearty ingredients (like onions and diced garlic). Finally, finish off with your soft ingredients (like tomatoes).

What to put in guacamole

There are a few basic ingredients you probably always want to including in your guacamole:

• Avocado (okay, maybe this doesn’t count, but I’ll state the obvious)
• Salt (one healthy pinch of plain table salt per whole avocado used should do the trick)
• Citrus juice of some kind (lemon and lime are traditional, but don’t be afraid to get creative here!)

Beyond that, depending on what else you’re serving with the guacamole, consider adding any of the following:

• Cilantro (some may call this mandatory, but if you want to please everyone, including those who think cilantro tastes like soap, I would recommend keeping it on the side)
• Tomatoes
• Yellow Onion
• Lettuce
• Garlic
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Red Onion
• Cucumber
• Artichoke
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Rice
• Corn
• Beans
• Green, Yellow, Red Peppers
• Pablano, Jalapeno, Cayenne Peppers
• Dried spices
• Fresh herbs
• Flavored Olive Oil
• Sour Cream
• Crème Fraîche
• Shredded Cheese
• Citrus juice of another kind (orange, tangerine, grapefruit)

What to serve with guacamole

If you’re wondering what else you could serve with guacamole (and yes, I said that right – guacamole is always the star of the plate when it’s served!), here are a few ideas:

• Ground Beef Tacos
• Sriracha Brown Sugar Pork Tacos (recipe coming soon!)
• Chicken Rice Bowls
• Fajita Steak Burritos
• Curry Chicken Plate
• Salsa & Tortilla Chips
• Nachos Grande
• 7-Layer Dip
• Straight from the bowl with a spoon (I won’t judge!)

Conclusion

The next time you have a few ripe avocados at home, don’t be afraid to get a little creative and mix ’em with whatever else you have around the house at that time. That’s the joy of this dish. You can make it anytime, anywhere, with anything! And the best part about a homemade guacamole bar is it is such an easy way to please a crowd. Everyone can make their own exactly as they want it, and it adds a little fun activity to your party or gathering!

CKC’s Classic Guacamole

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Jenn Cook

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

0

minutes

There are a million + one ways to make guacamole, and no one recipe is “right.” Guacamole is a dish that can be made a little different each time to match the specific meal you serve it with. But if you’re looking for a simple, classic version (a good place to start), check this one out!

Ingredients

• 4 ripe avocados

• 1 lime

• 1 tsp salt

• 4 tsp cilantro

• 1/2 onion

• 1 tomato

• 1 garlic clove (optional)

• 1 jalapeno (optional)

Directions

• Prep all ingredients except the avocado and set aside for the moment:
  – Small dice the onion, tomato, and jalapeno (keep separated for now).
  – Turn the garlic into paste (a simple zester will do the trick!).
  – Rough chop the cilantro.
  – Juice the lime.
• Remove the skin and pit from the avocado and mash the flesh of the fruit in a medium bowl with a fork until mostly creamy. The good news is you don’t need to be gentle with this step. Get as messy as you need. It’s all gonna get mashed up anyway!
• Add the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and salt to the mashed avocado and stir until thoroughly mixed.
• Add the onion and jalapeno to the mashed avocado and mix until evenly distributed.
• Add the tomato to the mashed avocado and gently mix until evenly distributed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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