Guacamole is one of those recipes that is perfect for just about any get-together because it is easy to make, avocados are readily available year ‘round, you can make it on the fly as your guests watch (it is always fun when restaurants make guacamole tableside), and best of all, everyone loves it! My version includes a bit of cayenne and a little cream cheese which gives it a slightly smoother consistency and a bit of a Southern flair. You can most certainly omit the cream cheese for a healthier option.
You might notice I kept the outer peel of the avocados intact and spooned the guacamole into them so that each guest has their own individual serving-- that way, there's no hovering over a shared bowl and little risk of double dipping!
Since guacamole requires ripened avocados, you will need to plan your shopping trip a few days prior to making the recipe since you can never find a ripe avocado in the store when you need one!
Learn how to ripen or soften an avocado quickly using one of these easy methods...
PERFECT PARTY GUACAMOLE
INGREDIENTS
4 large ripe Haas avocados, peeled, seed removed, and cubed
2 limes, juiced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch granulated sugar
4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced fine
1 medium white onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ of a small Serrano pepper, seeded and minced (a Jalapeno pepper can be substituted)
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Toss the avocado with the lime juice. Drain the lime juice, reserving 2 tablespoons. In a large bowl, add 1 avocado, the cream cheese and the salt, pepper, cumin, sugar, and cayenne plus 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice and blend together so the cream cheese is not visible. Add the remaining avocado and 1 more tablespoon of the lime juice and coarsely mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine.
Serve immediately with warm tortilla chips or toasted pita bread wedges.
