Hand-mashed Hass avocado with fresh lime, coriander, white onion, and Serrano chilli served with crispy homemade totopos — the definitive guacamole done properly.
Guacamole is perhaps the most copied and most often badly made dish in Mexican cuisine. The versions encountered at parties and in mediocre restaurants — blended smooth in a food processor, laden with unnecessary additions like garlic powder, dried herbs, or excessive sour cream — bear little resemblance to the real thing. Authentic guacamole is made in a molcajete (volcanic rock mortar), uses only the freshest Hass avocados, and has a chunky, textured consistency that is entirely different from the pale, smooth paste most people associate with the name.
The ingredients are few and each one must be excellent. The avocados must be perfectly ripe — yield gently under thumb pressure, dark-skinned, creamy inside without any brown patches. The lime must be fresh and juiced immediately before use. The white onion must be raw and finely diced. The Serrano chilli must be fresh and green. And the coriander — both the leaves and the finely chopped stems — must be added at the last possible moment.
Homemade totopos — tortilla chips made from dried or day-old corn tortillas cut into triangles and fried in hot oil — are dramatically superior to any commercial tortilla chip. They take 15 minutes to make and the difference in flavour and texture is immediately apparent. The homemade version has a clean corn flavour and a lighter, crispier texture that shop-bought chips made from reconstituted corn flour cannot replicate.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 280 kcal | Protein: 4g | Carbs: 24g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 6g
- The avocados must be perfectly ripe. An underripe avocado is starchy, flavourless, and no technique will fix it. Take them home a few days early and ripen at room temperature.
- Press cling film directly against the surface of any leftover guacamole and refrigerate — this prevents browning. The lime juice also helps slow oxidation.
- Mash by hand — never blend. The texture of hand-mashed guacamole is fundamentally different from blended and is infinitely better.
- Add the coriander at the absolute last moment before serving — it wilts quickly and loses its fresh green colour.
- Homemade totopos cool and crisp further after frying — do not judge their crispiness while hot. Allow 5 minutes of cooling before tasting.
Storage
Guacamole is best eaten within 30 minutes of making. Press cling film directly against the surface if storing — it will keep for up to 4 hours in the fridge with this method though some browning is inevitable. Totopos keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Serving Tips
Serve guacamole in the molcajete at the table — it is a presentation as much as a serving vessel. Extra lime wedges, sliced Serrano, and flaky sea salt on the side. A cold margarita on the rocks, a chelada (beer with lime and salt), or an agua fresca de pepino are all perfect accompaniments to guacamole.
