Guacamole — Mashed with a Fork, in 5 Minutes, Stays Green
Yvonne Ammann VeganRoughly mash two ripe avocados with a fork, juice of a lime, a finely chopped small onion, coriander, salt. Done. Do not blend — guacamole should have texture. Against browning: plenty of lime, and putting the stone in the bowl does not help, cling film pressed onto the surface does.
Guacamole has five ingredients and takes five minutes, and yet most people buy the grey paste from a pot. The difference is the avocado: ripe, mashed with a fork, with enough lime and salt. The only things you need to know are how to spot a ripe avocado — and that it does not belong in a blender.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces Avocados (ripe)
- 1 piece Lime
- ½ piece Onion (red, small)
- ½ bunch Coriander
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 piece Tomato (optional)
- 1 piece Chilli (optional)
Method
- 1
Avocado
Halve the avocados, remove the stones, scoop the flesh into a bowl with a spoon. Mix with the lime juice at once.
- 2
Mash
Mash roughly with a fork — pieces should remain. No blender, no stick blender.
- 3
Season
Chop the onion very finely, chop the coriander, and if using, deseed and dice the tomato and finely chop the chilli. Fold everything in with the salt. Taste — it usually needs more salt and lime than you think.
- 4
Serve
Straight away with tortilla chips, with tacos, on bread or in a bowl. If not at once: press cling film directly onto the surface and refrigerate.
Tips
- Spotting ripeness: gives slightly when pressed, and under the stalk end it is green, not brown. Hard avocados ripen in 2 to 3 days next to bananas or apples in a paper bag.
- Guacamole is avocado, lime, salt. The rest is a matter of taste — in Mexico often without tomato, sometimes without onion. Garlic, yoghurt and mayonnaise do not belong.
- As a lunchbox dip with carrot and cucumber sticks — children who do not eat avocado eat guacamole. With plenty of lime it stays green until lunchtime.
What can I substitute?
Less aromatic, but the acidity is the same — and that is what keeps the guacamole green.
For anyone who finds coriander tastes of soap — that is genetic and affects one in ten.
Milder. Red onion gives more bite and colour.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
How does guacamole stay green?
Avocado oxidises in air, like a cut apple. Acid and sealing help: stir in plenty of lime juice at once, and when storing, press cling film directly onto the surface with no air bubbles. The stone in the bowl does nothing. That way it keeps a day.
How do I tell if an avocado is ripe?
It gives slightly when pressed gently, like a ripe peach, and the little stalk end flicks off to reveal green underneath. Brown underneath means overripe, hard means unripe. At Migros and Coop, avocados labelled 'ready to eat' usually are.
Why not blend guacamole?
Blended, it becomes a smooth, airy cream that browns faster and looks like baby food. Guacamole should have texture — pieces of avocado, onion, tomato. A fork and 30 seconds are enough.
How much does homemade guacamole cost?
About 3 CHF for four — two avocados and a lime. The pot in the shop costs 4 CHF for half the amount and is grey.
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