Averie Cooks Do-It-Yourself Guacamole Bar

I’ve always loved guacamole but my consumption this summer has been off the charts.

So much so that creating my own guac bar is only fitting.

If you’re like me, you don’t have to throw a party to set out a spread like this. I can down this by myself on a random Monday.

I’ve made more meals out of The Best Peach Mango Salsa and guacamole than I can count. I don’t even need chips, just a spoon.

After the avocado is mashed in a bowl with a squirt of lime juice and dash of salt, it’s time for the add-in’s. I love the textures and flavors of veggies in guac and they really help to stretch one avocado. I try to limit myself to one avocado per day, but sometimes that’s impossible.

A big tip if you just need a few tablespoons of various veggies is to buy a ‘fajita mix’ or ‘stir fry mix’ in the refrigerated case of the produce department. It’s an easy and more cost-effective way to incorporate a wide variety of veggies without having to buy a whole one of each.

For pops of color and nice texture I like tomatoes, bell peppers (any color), corn, black beans, or olives.

If you’re a heat seeker like I am, add diced jalepenos, green chili peppers, poblano peppers, ground cayenne pepper, or cumin. Stirring in a couple tablespoons of spicy salsa works, too.

For bold flavor, add onions, garlic, salsa, or pico de gallo. And I love cilantro and always go overboard with it because it adds big flavor and for me it’s what makes guac taste authentic.

Get creative and if you think crumbled goat cheese, char-grilled corn, pickled jalepenos, mango or pineapple sound good, add them.

Serve your DIY guac with chips, flatbread, toasted pita bread or baguette slices. To keep carbs down and veggie intake up, sometimes I use speared bell peppers as my dippers. Sometimes I just use a spoon and shovel.

If you plan to do a guac bar for an event, only mash about half the avocados you think you’ll need in the beginning (I budget 1 avocado per person), and as time passes, mash as needed. Even if it doesn’t turn brown, guac turns darker and looks less appealing over time.

Whatever you add to your guac, I highly recommend washing it down with a couple of The Best Homemade Margaritas or a non-alcoholic 5-Calorie Lime-Raspgberry Margarita Fizz.

Just remember avocados are loaded with healthy fats. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.