Guacamole

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Mexican avocado-based dish

title: "Guacamole" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["condiments", "cuisine-of-the-southwestern-united-states", "dips-(food)", "guatemalan-cuisine", "mexican-cuisine", "mexican-garnish", "cuisine-of-new-mexico", "tex-mex-cuisine", "vegan-cuisine", "vegetable-dishes", "avocado-dishes"] description: "Mexican avocado-based dish" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guacamole" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Mexican avocado-based dish ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox prepared food"]

FieldValue
imageGuacamole IMGP1271.jpg
captionGuacamole
alternate_nameGuac
countryMexico
typeDip
main_ingredientAvocados, salt, lime juice, onions, jalapeños
variationsSour cream, basil
similar_dishAvocado sauceMantequilla de pobreVenezuelan guasacaca
::

| image = Guacamole IMGP1271.jpg | caption = Guacamole | alternate_name = Guac | country = Mexico | region = | creator = | course = | type = Dip | served = | main_ingredient = Avocados, salt, lime juice, onions, jalapeños | variations = Sour cream, basil | calories = | other = | similar_dish = Avocado sauceMantequilla de pobreVenezuelan guasacaca

Guacamole (), sometimes informally shortened to guac in the United States, is an avocado-based dip, spread, or salad first developed in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine, it has become part of international cuisine as a dip, condiment, and salad ingredient.

Etymology and pronunciation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Guacomole.jpg" caption="Guacamole with tortilla chips"] ::

The name comes from Classical Nahuatl āhuacamōlli , which literally translates to 'avocado sauce', from āhuacatl 'avocado' + mōlli 'sauce' or 'mole'. In Mexican Spanish, it is pronounced . In American English, it tends to be pronounced . British English also uses this pronunciation, but is more common.

History

Avocado seeds were first found in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico around 9,000–10,000 years ago (7000–8000 BCE) and had been domesticated by various Mesoamerican groups by 5000 BCE. They were likely cultivated in the Supe Valley in Peru as early as 3100 BCE. In the early 1900s, avocados frequently went by the name alligator pear. In the 1697 book A New Voyage Round the World, the first known description of a guacamole recipe (though not known by that name) was by English privateer and naturalist William Dampier, who in his visit to Central America during one of his circumnavigations noted a native preparation made by grinding together avocados, sugar, and lime juice.

Guacamole has increased avocado sales in the U.S., especially on Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo. The rising consumption of guacamole is most likely due to the U.S. government lifting a ban on avocado imports in the 1990s and the growth of the U.S. Latino population.

Ingredients and preparation

Guacamole is traditionally made by mashing peeled, ripe avocados and salt with a molcajete y tejolote (mortar and pestle). Recipes often call for lime juice, cilantro (known as coriander outside the US), onions, and jalapeños. Some non-traditional recipes may call for sour cream, tomatoes, basil, or peas.

Due to the presence of polyphenol oxidase in the cells of avocado, exposure to oxygen in the air causes an enzymatic reaction and develops melanoidin pigment, turning the sauce brown. This result is generally considered unappetizing, and there are several methods (some anecdotal) that are used to counter this effect, such as storing the guacamole in an air-tight container or wrapping tightly in plastic to limit the surface area exposed to the air.

Composition and nutrients

As the major ingredient of guacamole is raw avocado, the nutritional value of the dish derives from avocado vitamins, minerals and fats, providing dietary fibre, several B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E and potassium in significant content (see Daily Value percentages in nutrient table for avocado). Avocados are a source of saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and phytosterols, such as beta-sitosterol. They also contain carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein.

Similar dishes

''Mantequilla de pobre''

is a mixture of avocado, tomato, oil, and citrus juice. Despite its name, it predates the arrival of dairy cattle in the Americas, and thus was not originally made as a butter substitute.

''Guasacaca''

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Guasacaca_avocado_sauce-1500x1000.jpg" caption="Guasacaca in a mason jar" alt="Guasacaca in a mason jar"] ::

Main article: Wasakaka

Thinner and more acidic, or thick and chunky, guasacaca is a Venezuelan avocado-based sauce; it is made with vinegar, and is served over parrillas (grilled food), arepas, empanadas, and various other dishes. It is common to make the guasacaca with a little hot sauce instead of jalapeño, but like a guacamole, it is not usually served as a hot sauce itself. It is pronounced "wasakaka" in Latin America.

''Guacamole falso''

Substitute ingredients are sometimes used in place of avocados to produce a thick green sauce called guacamole falso (fake guacamole). Common substitutes include summer squash, green tomatoes and oil-fried jalapeños.

Commercial products

Prepared guacamoles are available in stores, often available refrigerated, frozen or in high pressure packaging which pasteurizes and extends shelf life if products are maintained at 34 to.

Holiday

National Guacamole Day is celebrated on the same day as Mexican Independence Day, September 16.

In popular culture

On November 20, 2022, Peribán, Mexico, achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest serving of guacamole. The serving weighed 4,972 kg (10,961 lb) and had 500 people help prepare it.

References

Bibliography

  • Hartel, Richard W and Hartel, AnnaKate (March 1, 2009), Food Bites: the Science of the Foods We Eat; Springer Science & Business Media,

References

  1. "Oxford Dictionary".
  2. "guac {{!}} Definition of guac in English by Oxford Dictionaries".
  3. Zeldes, Leah A.. (November 4, 2009). "Eat this! Guacamole, a singing sauce, on its day". Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc..
  4. (September 4, 2007). "Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking". Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
  5. Smith, Andrew F.. (May 1, 2007). "The Oxford companion to American food and drink". Oxford University Press.
  6. "How to Pronounce "Guacamole" in Spanish". ThoughtCo.
  7. (2018). "300 Years of San Antonio and Bexar County". Trinity University Press.
  8. (2004). "Etimologías: introducción a la historia del léxico español". Pearson Educación.
  9. "Guacamole: Definition of guacamole in Oxford dictionary (American English)".
  10. "Definition of guacamole in English by Oxford Dictionaries".
  11. "Etymology".
  12. "What's in a name?". University of California.
  13. (2008). "Tracing the Geographic Origins of Major Avocado Cultivars". Journal of Heredity.
  14. (2007). "The avocado (''Persea americana'', Lauraceae) crop in Mesoamerica: 10,000 years of history". Harvard Papers in Botany.
  15. Morton JF. (1987). "Avocado; In: Fruits of Warm Climates". Creative Resource Systems, Inc., Winterville, NC and Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
  16. (26 July 2019). "The Pirate Who Penned the First English-Language Guacamole Recipe". Atlas Obscura.
  17. Charles, Jeffrey. (2002). "Food nations: selling taste in consumer societies". Routledge.
  18. Khazan, Olga. (2015-01-31). "The Selling of the Avocado".
  19. "The best guacamole recipe".
  20. "The Best Guacamole (and the Science of Avocados) {{!}} The Food Lab".
  21. "Green Pea Guacamole".
  22. Hartel, 2009, p. 43
  23. "National Guacamole Day :: Fresh Avocado".
  24. (2013). "Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties, per 100 grams". NutritionData.com.
  25. "Avocados: Health Benefits, Nutritional Information".
  26. (2013). "Hass avocado composition and potential health effects". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.
  27. (1965). "House & Garden". Condé Nast Publications.
  28. (July 13, 2004). "Caracas Calling". [[New York Press]].
  29. (July 2, 2009). "Guasacaca – Venezuelan-style Guacamole".
  30. Serpa, Diego. (1968). "Avocado Culture in Venezuela". California Avocado Society 1968 Yearbook.
  31. (September 2022). "guasacaca".
  32. Chang, Alisa. (July 19, 2019). "Why Taquerias Are Making Guacamole Without Avocados". All Things Considered.
  33. "High-pressure processing ideal for guacamole lovers".
  34. "National guacamole day!".
  35. "Celebrating Mexican Independence Day, National Guacamole Day". The Arizona Republic.
  36. "Largest serving of guacamole". Guinness World Records.

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condimentscuisine-of-the-southwestern-united-statesdips-(food)guatemalan-cuisinemexican-cuisinemexican-garnishcuisine-of-new-mexicotex-mex-cuisinevegan-cuisinevegetable-dishesavocado-dishes