Guacamole: How is it Made & What Should You Look For?

What is guacamole?

The word “guacamole” means “avocado sauce.” This tasty dip is made with mashed avocados and other fresh produce like tomatoes, diced onions, and lime juice. It may also contain other ingredients like jalapeno peppers, garlic, cilantro, and spices.

Guacamole is delicious when served with tortilla chips or as a dip for fresh vegetables. You can also serve guacamole on toast, on top of a salad, and as a side with most Mexican and Latin-inspired meals.

Where did guacamole originate from?

Guacamole was initially made in Mexico when the Aztecs began mixing avocados, tomatoes, chiles, and salt. When Spaniards arrived in the 1500s, they learned of guacamole and wanted to bring it back to their homeland. However, since avocados don’t grow naturally in Spain, they could not enjoy guacamole until they eventually began planting and growing avocado trees.

Many Americans don’t realize that it was rare to find guacamole in the U.S. throughout most of the 20^th century. This was due to a ban on avocado imports from Mexico that was in place from the 1910s until around 1997. Since the ban was lifted, guacamole grew in popularity and is now in high demand in the United States. 

What is the nutritional value of guacamole?

Guacamole is a calorie-dense food, so you’ll want to watch your portion sizes. However, it also provides many nutritional benefits. For example, avocados, which are the main ingredient in guacamole, are packed with monosaturated fat. This has been shown to boost brain health and may lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Avocados are also high in dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins E, B, and K. Some studies also show that the fat in avocados may help regulate cholesterol levels.

How is guacamole made?

Since it has few ingredients and is served raw, guacamole is extremely easy to make. The recipe starts with fresh avocados. Once the pits are removed and the flesh scooped out, it’s gently mashed and mixed with the rest of the ingredients (cilantro, onion, garlic, lime, tomatoes, jalapeno, and salt). That’s it!  

When is guacamole in season?

A simple search for “guacamole” on Instacart should help you find store-bought guacamole at any time of the year. However, if you want fresh guacamole at its peak, it’s best to buy it when avocados are in season. While they are usually available year-round, you’ll get the best flavors when buying avocados from January through March. This is because they’ll have a higher oil content during this time, which creates the buttery flavor and texture that makes avocados taste amazing.

What should you look for when buying guacamole?

When shopping for guacamole in the grocery store, you’ll typically find it in the deli section. Sometimes, it may also be in the dairy section, located near other types of refrigerated dips.

The biggest differences between brands of store-bought guacamole are the flavor, texture, and heat. Often, finding a brand of guacamole you love requires a bit of trial and error. However, you can increase the chances of finding a great one right away if you take a close look at the ingredients. For example, if you hate cilantro or tomatoes, you’ll want to make sure you choose a brand that doesn’t include these ingredients. 

You’ll also be able to choose between mild, medium, and hot/spicy guacamole. Some brands are chunky, while others have a smoother texture. You may also prefer healthier versions such as guacamole made with edamame or with added yogurt – remember that this will impact the taste.

If you’re looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for guacamole via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or provide specific instructions on how to choose the best products.

How to store guacamole

One of the biggest drawbacks of guacamole is that it turns brown very quickly. It’s a great idea to try to finish your guacamole the same day, as it’s rarely the same after it sits overnight.

One way to prevent browning is to put your guacamole in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Pack the guacamole down tightly so there are no air bubbles, then dribble some lukewarm water on top. When you’re done, there should be about half an inch of water covering the entire surface of the guacamole. Put the lid on and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then, when you’re ready to eat it again, gently pour off the water, stir it up, and it’s good to go! 

If you don’t want to deal with this, a more accessible option is to purchase packages of guacamole in single-use sizes. This way, you can use only what you need and keep the rest in the refrigerator. In this case, you’ll want to keep an eye on the “use by” date listed on the packaging. Generally, you can store unopened store-bought guacamole in the refrigerator for about seven to 10 days.

How to tell if guacamole is bad

It’s important to note that guacamole that has turned a bit brown isn’t necessarily bad. In fact, this is perfectly normal. You can often mix it in or scrape off the brown layer and enjoy the rest. However, if your guacamole has a grayish color or has started to get runny, it has probably gone bad. Likewise, watery guacamole is likely spoiled, even if it’s still green. If you see mold, throw it away right away.

Still not sure? Give it a sniff. Guacamole should have a sweet, mildly nutty smell. If it smells rancid or off, it has probably gone bad. As a last resort, you could always take a tiny taste. If it has gone bad, it will taste sour or rancid.

What can you substitute for guacamole?

If you can’t find guacamole at your favorite grocery store, don’t worry! You can always explore other types of dips and spreads to use instead. A jalapeno hummus may be a good substitute, or you can stick with fresh salsa instead.

If you have your heart set on guacamole, you may want to place a produce delivery for the ingredients and make it yourself at home. Once you see how easy it is, this may become your go-to solution!

Add guacamole to your shopping list today

When you place a grocery order through Instacart, you can enjoy convenient same-day delivery/pick-up. Create your shopping list, and your Instacart shopper will carefully choose your items for you and either deliver them to your door or have them waiting for you when you arrive.  

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.