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For a delicious twist, use fresh basil in this Italian guacamole. So good smeared on bread or as a dip for crackers or crunchy breadsticks!
I’m an avocado lover…sliced into salads, piled onto bowls of chili, smeared on toast, or of course, mashed into guacamole. But I never had Italian guacamole until just recently and man, have I been missing out.
My friends and I went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant recently and we ordered a bunch of apps for the table, one of them being a board of dips and olives. I was surprised when it arrived to the table to see a small bowl of guacamole.
Curious, I grabbed a breadstick and dunked. The flavor was both familiar and fresh at the same time. It was bursting with fresh basil, and the creaminess of the avocado was punctuated with a pop of acid and hint of heat.
I knew immediately that I would be making my version of this Italian style guacamole at home. Immediately.
Let’s make Italian Guacamole
I toyed around with the herbs and seasonings (swapped cilantro for basil, lemon for lime, red pepper flakes for jalapeño), tweaked it here, add a pinch there. And success! A delicious bowl of guacamole, Italian-style!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Perfectly ripe avocados
- Fresh basil
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- A little minced garlic
- Lemon juice
- Just a splash of white wine vinegar
- Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
Once your ingredients are gathered, prep everything before you slice into the avocado. Once the avocado is chopped, simply stir it all together in a bowl or mash with a large fork until you reach your desired consistency.
Italian guacamole is the perfect addition to a cheeseboard. Think a mix of hard and soft cheeses, olives, salami, soppresata, white bean spread, bread, and breadsticks. Pile it all on with some fresh basil and tomatoes and dig in!
Tips for success
- Make sure you use ripe avocados for the best results. To test if your avocado is ripe, press its side. It should yield slightly, but not feel too soft or mushy.
- Avocados will oxidize and turn brown when they are cut and exposed to air. To ensure that they don’t turn, have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you slice into them.
- The lemon juice will also help to prevent oxidation, drizzle it immediately over the chopped avocado and toss well.
- Guacamole should be made as close to serving time as possible, but if you need to store it in the refrigerator for a short while before serving, cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it right on the surface of the guacamole.
- Don’t skip the salt! It helps to bring out the flavor of all of the ingredients. Season, taste, adjust, enjoy!
More Avocado LOVE!
- Max’s Favorite Guacamole
- Lemony Avocado Toast with Arugula
- Grilled Guacamole
- Chicken Burrito Bowls with Avocado Dressing
For a delicious twist, use fresh basil in this Italian guacamole. So good smeared on bread or as a dip for crackers or crunchy breadsticks!
- 2 ripe avocados, cut in half and pits removed
- 1/4 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 tsp garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, minced
- splash of white wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- a few turns of black pepper
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Hold the avocado half in your hand and cut through in a cross hatch, without cutting through the skin. Scoop out into a bowl. Repeat with the other halves.
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Stir all of the ingredients together. If you prefer a less chunky guac, mash with a large fork until you reach your desired consistency.
- Make sure you use ripe avocados for the best results. To test if your avocado is ripe, press its side. It should yield slightly, but not feel too soft or mushy.
- Avocados will oxidize and turn brown when they are cut and exposed to air. To ensure that they don’t turn, have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you slice into them.
- The lemon juice will also help to prevent oxidation, drizzle it immediately over the chopped avocado and toss well.
- Guacamole should be made as close to serving time as possible, but if you need to store it in the refrigerator for a short while before serving, cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it right on the surface of the guacamole.
- Don’t skip the salt! It helps to bring out the flavor of all of the ingredients. Season, taste, adjust, enjoy!
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