The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (2024)

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (2)

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (3)

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (4)

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ByStephanie Friedman/

No one wants to dig into brown guacamole. While a coffee-colored avocado isn't always a sign that the fruit has gone bad, it's still just not as appetizing to eat — and we eat with our eyes first, after all. Considering some foods, like ground beef and bananas, do eventually spoil after turning brown, it's easy for us to assume the same thing is happening when we see those hints of brown avocado flesh creeping in.

However, it is typically safe to eat a brown avocado. The problem is that unlike ground beef and bananas, they turn brown extremely quickly, usually within just a few hours of being cut open. But we don't always need to use the whole avocado at once — so to solve the eternal dilemma of keeping your second half of the fruit green, there are a plethora of tips out there. You can try keeping it in an airtight container, placing it next to an onion, or drowning it in coconut water.

If you're deploying your avocado in guacamole, you need something that you can incorporate into your dish. One of the most popular tricks is to mix lemon or lime juice into your guacamole, which will not only add a burst of acidic flavor, but will keep your bowl looking fresh for longer. But to add creaminess and preserve its green color, try using this tasty ingredient.

Don't sleep on sour cream

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (5)

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Sure, guacamole is creamy on its own — but when you add sour cream, you amp up the silkiness of the dip even more. You don't need much, as even a few tablespoons of the stuff will do. Not only does it enhance your guacamole's texture, but it will add a little tang that doesn't veer on overwhelming.

But that's not the only way sour cream is an asset here. Instead of mixing it in with the other ingredients, try spreading it over the top of your guacamole after placing it in a bowl. Then, cover the whole thing with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap sticks to the layer of sour cream.

What does this accomplish? When the avocados in guacamole turn brown, it's because they contain an enzyme that reacts with oxygen in the air. So preventing this oxidation from happening is as simple as blocking your guacamole from the air, which the sour cream and plastic wrap layers do. This is why some people recommend storing your avocado halves in the fridge face-down — cutting contact with the air keeps the meat green longer.

Using sour cream is a tasty way to create a thick barrier. And for an added bonus, when you're ready to eat, you can mix it into the rest of the bowl.

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The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

The Creamy Ingredient That Will Keep Your Guacamole Green - Tasting Table? ›

Don't sleep on sour cream

What do you put in guacamole to keep it green? ›

DOES LEMON JUICE KEEP GUACAMOLE FROM TURNING BROWN? Yes! The lemon forms a barrier between the outside air and the guacamole to make sure the dip stays its greenest.

How do restaurants keep guacamole green? ›

Top with lime juice and plastic wrap

Avocados and most other fruits and veggies contain an enzyme (polyphenol oxidase) that reacts with the oxygen in the air and turns the flesh a dull shade of drab, known as oxidation. Limes are very acidic and contain loads of ascorbic acid, aka, vitamin C, which combats the enzyme.

How does grocery store guacamole stay green? ›

But as every guac fan knows, the stuff has a tendency to look nasty in a hurry, a problem only compounded when the product is made in advance. Fortunately for Wholly, the brand had already pioneered a high-pressure process that removes all the air from the container, so the batch doesn't oxidize and turn brown.

How does chipotle guacamole stay green? ›

In order to keep the dip from turning from a vibrant green to a yucky, brown hue by the day's end, it is double sealed. His third TikTok clip showed how each tin of guacamole is sealed to keep it from going bad. “Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said.

What is a natural preservative for guacamole? ›

Squirt a thin layer of fresh lime juice onto the guacamole, covering it completely. Cover and store in the fridge for up to two days or until you're ready to serve it. To serve, pour out the excess juice and mix well.

How do restaurants keep avocados from turning brown? ›

The main goal is to prevent oxygen from touching the avocado's flesh. Plastic wrap is a practical, albeit not foolproof way to slow down the natural course of fruit aging. The trick is to make sure the plastic wrap is sealed flush with the flesh.

What powder keeps guacamole fresh? ›

The avoFresh contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate. You add the powder mixture to fresh mashed avocado.

Will vinegar keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

Water is a great trick to use for storing guacamole so it stays fresh, but there are a few other options as well. Acid, like lemon, lime, or vinegar, creates a barrier against oxygen as well, so applying a thin layer will work in a similar way.

Does sour cream keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

When the avocados in guacamole turn brown, it's because they contain an enzyme that reacts with oxygen in the air. So preventing this oxidation from happening is as simple as blocking your guacamole from the air, which the sour cream and plastic wrap layers do.

How to keep guacamole from turning brown at a party? ›

i add a pit of an avocado to the middle of the guacamole. and i squeeze lime juice right over the top to prevent it from browning. the other thing that i do is i take some saran wrap or plastic wrap. and and i press it over and on top of the guacamole.

Does leaving the pit in guacamole keep it green? ›

The guacamole under the bulb will stay green. So what is the best method to reduce the browning? Cover the guacamole with plastic wrap, which will make it impervious to oxygen. Back in the day Saran Wrap was the best option, as it was made from polyvinylidene chloride.

How do you increase the shelf life of guacamole? ›

Aside from leaving in the avocado pit, typical ways to keep guacamole fresh include plastic wrap and lemon juice. Plastic wrap is supposed to prevent air exposure and the acidity of lemon juice prevents the chemical reaction of oxidation.

How do restaurants keep their guacamole green? ›

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.

How do you make guacamole greener? ›

Many people recommend keeping the avocado pit in the guacamole until it's ready to serve, which does help a bit but only for a while. So what's the solution? The fool-proof method to keep guacamole green, even when it's made well in advance, is to simply cover it with plastic wrap.

Does lemon or lime juice keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

After testing nine methods, I found that a good squeeze of lemon juice was by far the best at preventing guacamole from turning brown. Lime juice was a close second.

What is the best way to keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the dip, lightly pressing all over to make sure the plastic is directly in contact with the entire surface of the dip. Store the guacamole in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Does lemon juice keep guacamole green? ›

Water is a great trick to use for storing guacamole so it stays fresh, but there are a few other options as well. Acid, like lemon, lime, or vinegar, creates a barrier against oxygen as well, so applying a thin layer will work in a similar way.

Why should you leave the lime out of guacamole? ›

You see, lime is a very strong acidic flavor and it can easily overpower the delicate flavor of the avocado. Instead, finely dice red onions and pickle them with lime juice for 15-30 minutes.

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