Guacamole

Name: Guacamole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons chopped onion; 1/2 teaspoon minced Serrano chile, or more, to taste; 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro leaves; Salt; 1 small vine-ripened tomato; 1 ripe Hass avocado; Tortilla chips for serving

Recipe from Josefina Howard

Adapted by Florence Fabricant

Updated Jan. 29, 2024

Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 4(2,796)
Comments: Read comments

This guacamole, adapted from Josefina Howard, the chef at the original Rosa Mexicano restaurant in Manhattan is dead simple. It'a also easily scaled to serve a crowd, which is good, because you'll need a lot of it — even if you're the only one partaking. —Florence Fabricant

Featured in: BY THE BOOK; Memories of Mexico, Seasoned by Time

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

3tablespoons chopped onion
½teaspoon minced Serrano chile, or more, to taste
1½teaspoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
Salt
1small vine-ripened tomato
1ripe Hass avocado
Tortilla chips for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
In a medium-size bowl, mortar or a Mexican molcajete (lava stone mortar), thoroughly mash 1 tablespoon of the onion with the chile, ½ teaspoon cilantro and ½ teaspoon salt to make a paste.
Step 2
Cut the tomato in half horizontally, squeeze out the juice and seeds and discard. Chop pulp, and add it to the bowl.
Step 3
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, cutting around the pit. Gently twist the top half of the avocado off to separate the halves and remove the pit. Slice the avocado flesh of both halves lengthwise, then crosswise, cutting down to the skin, to form a grid. Scoop the avocado into the bowl with a spoon.
Step 4
Add the remaining onion and cilantro, and gently fold all the ingredients together. Season with more chile and salt if desired. Serve at once with tortilla chips.

Ratings

4 out of 5

2,796 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Rhsod7 years ago

I like to add some cumin and and lime juice. the cumiin gives another flavor layer and the lime juice slows down the browning as well as adding flavor.
For 4 haas avocados I add 1 tsp cumin and juice of 1 lime
Instead of chili pepper 1 tsp of chili powder works as well

Devilsporkchop7 years ago

The juice of one lime makes this so much better.

Mike7 years ago

To keep avocado from turning brown, boil for 10 seconds to kill enzyme inside skin and immediately plunge into ice water.

MSenna1 day ago

I honestly have the best way to keep an avocado from turning. Have no idea why this works but as a professional chef for 40 yrs this works. Peel and seed the avocados. Place them in an ice bath for 10 minutes. Now make the guac or slice for another use

R2 months ago

I used sea salt and this came out way way way too salty. Almost inedible. I used 9 avocados and 4 teaspoons salt, so less than this calls for. Next time I’ll start with 1/4 the salt and I’ll switch to diamond crystal. How much salt to use is the primary reason to use a recipe for guac

Nigel2 months ago

super good - good texture. replaced chili with chili powder and was amazing but don’t overdo the powder. tomatoes give it a good mellowness with the added tang of the onions. also - a lime is absolutely necessary!

Private comments are only visible to you.