The Best Guacamole Recipe - The Salty Marshmallow (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

Pour a thin but visible layer of water or lemon/lime juice over the guacamole to form a barrier with the air. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap, so it is flush with the guacamole to prevent air pockets, or put the guacamole in a sealed tub.

Fresh lime juice and zest – They make the guacamole zesty and bright. Jalapeño – For heat. Feel free to omit it if you're sensitive to spice. A serrano pepper would work here too!

The key is simple: you need to press the plastic wrap directly and completely against the surface of the guacamole. When stored this way, guacamole can be made ahead and stored in the fridge up to overnight with nary a brown spot in sight. Preparing for a party just got a whole lot easier.

From the second you crack open that avocado, it's a race against the clock before it goes brown. But with the right prep, you can make guacamole last in the fridge for three to four days. Planning on storing guacamole in the freezer? It should last for three to four months.

The avoFresh contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate. You add the powder mixture to fresh mashed avocado. The avoFresh keeps the avocado fresh and from turning that off-putting brown that avocado pulp gets when exposed to air.

Topping off your avocado dip with water keeps air, at least in part, from being able to penetrate the guacamole, which keeps it from browning. By using this simple technique, you can keep the brown at bay for about two days (maybe longer if you're lucky).

Lime is an integral part of great guacamole—or so we thought. Turns out, you get to taste and enjoy the pure flavor of avocado better in guacamole without the lime.

I like the flavor better with lemon juice, but lime works too. If you're out of fresh lemons or limes, try using bottled lime or lemon juice. Although, freshly squeezed juice is definitely the best! Salt: Salt enhances the flavors and brings it all together.

Most people prefer to use sweet white onion in their guacamole recipe. Red or yellow onion tends to give the guacamole too strong of a garlic flavor.

"The flesh of the avocado oxidizes quickly — much like a cut apple — which changes the color.

How does Chipotle keep their guacamole from turning brown? ›

“Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said. “Then it gets lidded, labeled and stored for later use. This process ensures freshness and prevents browning,” he continued.

Acidulants, such as citric and ascorbic acid found in lemon juice, help lower the pH of avocados and decrease the enzymatic activity, keeping them from turning brown ( 1 , 3 ). Therefore, squeezing a little lemon juice on top of your cut avocado before storing it could help delay browning.

Store-bought guacamole that's unopened should last 1-2 weeks. Once opened, store-bought guacamole usually lasts 1-2 days. Homemade guacamole also usually lasts 1-2 days. You'll know it's gone bad when it has a substantial puddle of brown liquid and the layers below the surface have lost their vibrant green hue.

It's perfectly fine to eat brown avocados or guacamole that's turned brown. Lime juice, a common ingredient in guacamole, may help the dip from completely changing color but it's unlikely to prevent any browning.

You can freeze guacamole for up to 3 months. So, if you have a good avo that's about to turn, mash it, mix it with guac ingredients (here's the full recipe), drizzle with oil and freeze for when you next need a creamy avo dip hit, or want to jazz up a mid-week Mexican dinner.

Store-bought guacamole usually has a co*cktail of preservatives which keep it from browning, and when you make guac at home, usually it's eaten within the hour. We can't make guac every hour - we make it every few hours, and the lemon/lime juice keeps it from browning too badly within that time frame.

To keep the leftover guacamole from browning, the employee rips off a sheet of plastic wrap, then presses it all the way down to the surface of the guacamole, knocking out the air that would be in the container if it was just sealed with a lid.

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.