12 Mistakes You're Probably Making With Your Guacamole

Whether you're obsessed with Chipotle's guacamole or prefer to make it yourself, the snack's popularity has only increased over time. Surprisingly, the Super Bowl is responsible for the globalization of avocados and guacamole. In a long-term plan concocted by the global PR team at Hill & Knowlton, the Super Bowl became known as the Guacamole Bowl (per The Atlantic). Every year, Americans gear up for the game by whipping up dip. So the team at H&K chose to capitalize on this, making guacamole a fan-favorite year-round.

Guacamole recipes vary from kitchen to kitchen. What remains the same is the creamy goodness and the dish's unique balance of flavors. Some chefs, like Wolfgang Puck, opt for more garlic. Others, like Curtis Stone, choose to leave out tomatoes. In any case, guacamole is a great dish that you can customize to your liking. While it might be challenging to make, the result is worth it. Even though there are multiple ways to make guacamole great, there are plenty of ways it can go wrong. Next time you mix up your favorite dip, steer clear of these common mistakes.

One of the best things about guacamole is its freshness. You can't achieve that with canned or soon-to-expire ingredients. Guacamole is also healthier with fresh ingredients, as store-bought guacamole generally has added sugars and more sodium. According to Healthline, avocados are full of healthy fats and vitamins, including magnesium, B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and folate. Likewise, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Since its ingredients are nutrient-rich, fresh-made guacamole is a hearty snack. Most will argue that store-bought guacamole doesn't taste as good as when it comes from the kitchen, and we also suggest making it fresh for optimal flavor.

When shopping for avocados, look for ones with tight skin and no pockets or dents. For jalapeños, grab the ones without blemishes or tears on their skin. If you see jalapeños that appear to have stretch marks, they'll be spicier. Look for heavy lemons or limes (although we suggest limes) as it means they're full of juice. Tomatoes should be blemish-free with tight and shiny skin.

Chunky guacamole is good. We love chunky. But chunky does not mean haphazardly dicing the onions and tomatoes in various sizes. Not only will your guacamole have a better mouth-feel if you take the time to chop your ingredients into small, uniform pieces, but it'll be a lot less work to mix together. Yes, we're in the comfort of our kitchens where mistakes can be made. But there's no harm in practicing a little finesse, too. Perhaps you didn't even realize there was a wrong way to cut your vegetables.

If tomatoes are cut too small, your dip will be mushy. However, smaller onions are better. Big bites of onion are unappetizing, so finely dice them to get that crunch without it being overwhelming. Start by cutting off the end opposite of the onion's root. Then, cut through the root as you cut it in half while keeping the root intact, so you have something to grip while dicing the onion. Cilantro should be chopped fine to save time later when grinding the mixture. To prevent avocados' oxidation, avoid using metal knives. Stainless steel knives contain copper and iron, which affect an avocado's enzymes, turning them brown. To easily cut your avocado, Rachael Ray recommends using a cooling rack to slice your avocado into little, mash-able cubes.

There are a few rules to making guacamole, especially when it comes to its classic ingredients. By missing a few essentials, or adding too many extra ingredients, the recipe's quality suffers. Too much lime will add far too much acidity. But if you forget the lime, the dip won't have the required acidity. Some substitute lemons for limes, whereas others claim that limes are the O.G. for guac. Lemons are a little tarter than limes, but either will add that desired citrus flavor. Guacamole is all about making it your way, while not straying too far from the traditional version.

Some ingredients are needed — like salt to combat blandness or an element of heat. It doesn't have to be jalapeño: Eva Longoria likes to use serrano peppers in her homemade guacamole. However, that pepper is spicier than jalapeños. There is such a thing as overdoing it and adding ingredients that aren't cohesive. Peas, asparagus, edamame. Why? You don't have to be a purist about your recipe — experimentation can result in great things. Add that fruit, but don't add three fruits, because then it becomes something other. Please, leave the Hellmann's mayo out of it. That heaviness will detract from the other fresh flavors of guacamole. Let's be honest: It just doesn't make sense.

As any chef will tell you, taste as you go. When making guacamole, the goal is to create balanced flavors. Traditional guacamole consists of a few key ingredients. As you tinker with your recipe, remember you can always add more of an ingredient, but you can't take it away once it's there. Sure, we've over-poured the salt or pepper and quickly scooped it out of a dry mix. Yes, there was that time you rinsed off a chicken breast after accidentally dumping seasonings on it. (Just me? Oops.) Guacamole is not like that. Once you add something, it's stuck in the creamy mixture.

To avoid a bad dip, taste as you create. Fear not! There are ways to fix a recipe mistake. If you use too much lemon and lime, making it sourer than desired, add more mashed avocado. Still too sour? Add a dash — only a little! — of sugar. A touch of sugar is also a good way to fix guacamole if you used unripe avocados, causing the dip to be bitter. Likewise, you can add citrus. Overdid it on the salt? The answer here is more avocados, more heat, or an ingredient that likes to soak up salt like olive oil. Ree Drummond suggests testing the salt levels with a tortilla chip.

Yes, avocados need to be mashed up to be a good base for your dip. The result of mashing them too much is they become watery and too mushy to be a sturdy component. It's totally acceptable — and preferred — to leave your avocado chunky. To prevent over-mashing, stay away from the food processor. It'll turn the avocado into a puréed liquid. Think of mashed potatoes: Creamy with lumps, but when done with a blender or processor, they turn gummy. Avocados have a similar nature, quickly turning into a soup when blended.

By using the correct tools, like a potato masher or a fork, mashing avocados can be as easy as popping them in the blender. After cutting your avocado, removing the pit, and scooping out its contents, slice or dice before mashing. Gently start squishing and stirring the avocados into a mash. Try not to overdo it with the tools, so your avocados maintain their delicious texture.

Since every cook has a unique way to make guacamole, there are a lot of variations to try. Indeed, classics are classics for a reason. But nothing says you can't try a new recipe or a new ingredient in your tried-and-true dip. While there are classic ingredients that belong in guacamole, you can also try adding more heat or a dash of sweetness to complement the dip's other ingredients.

Some fruits that pair well with the flavors of guacamole are mango, pineapple, or papaya. The tropical sweetness of these fruits adds a juicy bite to the dip. Another ingredient you can alter is the kind of onion you use. Each onion has a different taste, so switch it up between white, red, and Vidalia — if you want a sweeter guac. Or pick a different recipe! There are so many different and authentic Mexican recipes for guacamole — from using pears, guava, jicama, radishes, or ground anise — to imitate the taste of some of the avocados that are native to Mexico.