The contenders: Alton Brown, Rachael Ray, Ayesha Curry, Marcela Valladolid, and Beyoncé.
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Guacamole: the ultimate snack to serve at Super Bowl parties, cookouts, and everything in between.
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I mean, who doesn't love guacamole? It's fresh, creamy, and perfect for parties — but not all guacs are created equal...
To try to find the absolute best guac recipe, I decided to test five of the most popular recipes.
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This was my lineup:
1. Alton Brown: Because Alton is all about technique, and something as simple as guacamole really comes down to that.
2. Rachael Ray: Because even though I was pretty skeptical of her almond, chipotle, and apple guacamole, you can't argue with the fact that crunchy + spicy + sweet is usually a good combination.
3. Marcela Valladolid: Because I wanted to try something unexpected, and her recipe for mango guacamole with chili oil sounded like just the thing to spice up the competition.
4. Ayesha Curry: Because her recipe for guacamole with hot sauce seemed really straightforward, and sometimes the best recipes are the ones that don't overcomplicate things.
5. Beyoncé: Because anything Beyoncé touches is gold (let's be real, she doesn't do average), and I had a feeling her guacamole would ~slay~ the competition. 👑 🐝
Here are their methods and how they stacked up:
Up first was Alton Brown. He starts by tossing avocados with lime juice.
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Mix to coat, then strain the excess lime juice — you'll use it later.
Then mashing and adding salt, cumin, and cayenne.
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Plus: diced onions, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and more lime juice.
So, was this guac Good Eats material?
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Ehh...it was OK. The cayenne turned the guac an unappetizing brown color and added a harsh, raw spice flavor. It also tasted rather flat and lacked salt and acid — half a teaspoon of salt just wasn't enough to balance the fatty avocado. This guac wasn't bad, but it wouldn't score a touchdown.
Rating: 🥑🥑🥑
Get Alton Brown's recipe here.
Then came Rachael Ray. She starts by mixing diced onions with citrus juice and salt.
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Then she adds avocados, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, pureed chipotle peppers, and (wait for it...) diced apples.
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Everything's mixed, then topped "liberally and entirely" with toasted almonds. So, how was it?
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TBH, it wasn't great. The base of this guacamole was simple and tasted good — if it stopped at that, it would have been fine. However, the addition of apples, more lemon juice, almonds, AND chipotle took it to a strange place. All of the flavors competed against each other, and the apples didn't go well with the mashed avocado. I applaud Rachael for taking on a classic, but it just didn't come together.
Rating: 🥑🥑
Get Rachael Ray's recipe here.
Up next was Marcela Valladolid. She mashes the avocados...
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Then adds diced mango, red pepper flakes, a TON of lime juice (one-half of a cup to be exact), and a generous sprinkling of salt.
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Last, she garnishes with chili oil. But did it taste any good?
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It did! The mangoes paired perfectly with the avocado and cut the guacamole's creamy texture without competing against it (unlike Rachael's apples). It had a ton of salt and lime juice which made it super vibrant and flavorful. The final addition of chili oil added a pop of unexpected heat and took this guac to the next level. It was perfect.
Rating: 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑
Get Marcela's recipe here.
Up next was Ayesha Curry. She scoops avocados into a bowl...
Getty Images, Jesse Szewczyk / BuzzFeed
And adds shallots, lime juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and garlic paste.
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Then she just mashes it up with a fork.
So, does hot sauce and shallots beat jalapeños and onions?
Jesse Szewczyk / BuzzFeed
I don't think so. This guac lacked freshness (no herbs!) and tasted flat (not enough acid!). The shallots were good, but they didn't replace the classic garlic and onion combination that I love — and the hot sauce certainly didn't replace jalapeño. This wasn't terrible, but it was nothing more than your standard sports bar dip.
Rating: 🥑🥑
Get Ayesha Curry's recipe here.
Last but not least came the Queen B herself, Beyoncé. She starts by peeling two avocados and smashing them with a spoon.*
Getty Images, Jesse Szewczyk / BuzzFeed
*Not a fork (or baseball bat).
Then adds onions, tomato, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Emily Shwake / BuzzFeed, Jesse Szewczyk / BuzzFeed
Mix until smooth, then serve it up.
It looked beautiful, but did it taste good?
Emily Shwake / BuzzFeed, Jesse Szewczyk / BuzzFeed
Yep! This was fresh, flavorful, and had pops of texture from both the onion and tomato. The lime juice made it bright and acidic, and the salt level was perfect. This wasn't super unique or unexpected, but it was delicious. (Dare I say, flawless?)
Rating: 🥑🥑🥑🥑
Get Beyoncé's recipe here.
SO WHO WON?
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THE WINNER: Marcela Valladolid
This guacamole was unlike anything I have ever had before. It was inventive and had the perfect combination of tart, salty, sweet, and hot. If you want something totally unexpected (and seriously delicious), go with this winning recipe. Get the recipe here.
SECOND PLACE: Beyoncé
This recipe was well balanced and tasted amazing. It had all of the delicious ingredients that make up a good batch of guacamole, and all in the right amount. If you want something simple, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing, go with this one. Get the recipe here.
THIRD PLACE: Alton Brown
This recipe all came down to seasoning — and it just didn't work. It was too heavy on the cayenne (so much so that it gave it an ugly brown color) and lacked salt. Get the recipe here.
FOURTH PLACE: Ayesha Curry
This guacamole was pretty underwhelming. It lacked texture and freshness, and tasted flat. It needed more acid and/or more herbs — something to brighten it up and bring it to life. This would make a decent spread for toast, but not a great guacamole. Get the recipe here.
LAST PLACE: Rachael Ray
This recipe was the complete opposite of Marcela's. The apples didn't compliment the avocado like the mango did, and the almonds were unnecessary. They added texture, but the flavors didn't work at all. Get the recipe here.
TL;DR: If you want a unique twist on traditional guacamole that is seriously good, go with Marcela Valladolid's mango guac — but if you're looking for something more traditional, go with Beyoncé's classic.
Previous recipe showdowns:
• The Ultimate Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• The Ultimate Scrambled Egg Recipe
• The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• The Ultimate Stuffing Recipe
• The Ultimate Pancake Recipe
