Fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole – Gluten-Free

Name: Fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole - Gluten Free
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 large Avocados Ripe but firm (Can use 4 small avocados if needed); 2 Roma tomatoes diced; 1 bunch Cilantro coarsly chopped (Can be finely chopped too); 1/2 cup Red Onion diced; 1 Serrano Pepper finely chopped (Optional) (Jalapeno pepper is an option ); 1/2 large Lime; 1/3 large Orange; 1/2 tsp Sea salt

Fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole, Fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole – Gluten-Free

Written by Joelle

Once you have made this delicious guacamole, you will never make it any other way! It is easy to make, uses only fresh ingredients, and is loaded with flavor. It’s the best guacamole, hands down.

“Avocado must be a magical fruit.
The name itself sounds like an invocation.”
Michael Bassey Johnson

Decades ago, during a business trip to San Antonio, Texas, I enjoyed a meal at a wonderful restaurant on the Riverwalk named Boudrous. Looking around me, it was evident that everyone was ordering the tableside guacamole, so I joined in. I had not tried guacamole until I moved to the West Coast, and I was not a big fan to date. This version looked fresh and full of great ingredients, so it was worth another attempt. The cart came to the table and was made to my specifications for spiciness. I was thrilled; it was the freshest version of guacamole I had ever seen, and it immediately won me over. None of the baby food version I had so often seen. They kept the mixture chunky and then served it with corn chips. It was love at first bite; this fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole was perfect. Travel does bring home some terrific recipes.

I returned one more time before leaving San Antonio to write down each ingredient and its proportions. I have been back several times since and always make a reservation; Boudrous is one of my favorite restaurants to this day. Over the years, I have played with the recipe and altered it from the original one. I serve it often as an appetizer to guests, and this version is by far the most popular. Over the last year, I have traveled to Mexico twice, and I often order guacamole if it is made fresh. This recipe still beats that out. As a result, it inspired me to share it with our readers.

One incredibly unique step in this guacamole

One of the downsides of guacamole is how quickly it turns brown once served. This has always bothered me when serving guests. However, boiling the avocados is a trick to reduce the browning and keep your guacamole looking lovely. It sounds a bit unusual, but it works!

Avocados must be one of the kitchen’s most popular and healthy fruits. But once cut, the surface of the fruit quickly turns brown. Avocados have an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase under their skin. Once the avocado is cut, the enzyme comes into contact with oxygen in the air, turning the surface of the flesh brown. Some traditional methods, such as lemon juice, can slow the process but can impact the flavor or texture.

Chef Raymond Blanc teaches a better method for preventing avocados from going brown: blanch the whole fruit with the skin on before cutting it. Once the fruit is cut, its flesh can be exposed to air for several hours without significant browning. This method kills the enzyme that causes browning when the avocado flesh is exposed to air. It has been a game-changer for me.

If this guacamole recipe inspires interest in a trip to Mexico, check out our blog post about Mexico City. It was a city we adored, and the food was one of the best parts! Mexico City: A Bucket List Must

Let’s get mixing guacamole!

Fresh Tex-Mex Guacamole – Gluten Free

Once you have made this delicious guacamole, you will never make it any other way! It is easy to make, uses only fresh ingredients, and is loaded with flavor. It's the best guacamole, hands down.

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Appetizer, Salad, Snack

Cuisine Hispanic, Mexican, Tex-Mex

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 large Avocados Ripe but firm Can use 4 small avocados if needed
2 Roma tomatoes diced
1 bunch Cilantro coarsly chopped Can be finely chopped too
1/2 cup Red Onion diced
1 Serrano Pepper finely chopped (Optional) Jalapeno pepper is an option
1/2 large Lime
1/3 large Orange
1/2 tsp Sea salt

Instructions

Bring water to boil a pot of water on the stove. Once it reaches boiling, immerse the avocados in the water for 10 seconds. No more, no less. This kills the enzyme that causes browning when the avocado flesh is exposed to air.
Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop in a mixing bowl. Coarsely chop.
Add the Roma tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro and mix gently with a fork.
Squeeze the lemon and orange juice into the mix along with the salt and gently continue to mix gently with the fork. Combine till well mixed. The guacamole should remain chunky. Give it a taste test. Sometimes a bit more lime juice makes it perfect.
Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately with corn chips or multi-grain crackers. It also makes for a great healthy salad, topping for tacos, spread on toast or a side dish.

Notes

Chunky guacamole has always been my favorite versus the versions that are more like baby food. In this recipe, the fresh ingredients mesh beautifully to have all the wonderful flavors and textures explode in your mouth.
For this recipe, look for large avocados. I prefer them to small ones, but if that is all you have, go for it.
The pepper can be roasted to soften the spiciness, but I prefer it fresh.
Boiling the avocados for 10 seconds seems silly, but it really does make a difference, especially if they are left out for a while as an appetizer.
Garlic is often added to Guacamole, but I leave it out since it can dominate.
Definitely use fresh limes and oranges rather than juice from a bottle. The flavor difference is worth it.
If you have leftovers, which I doubt you will, put the guacamole in an air-tight storage container in the refrigerator.
I am a big fan of organic multi-grain crackers that are gluten-free and delicious. They are a nice alternative to corn chips.
This guacamole makes a great salad, side dish or topping for any Mexican dish.