Build-Your-Own Guacamole Bar

Recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published on 365Barrington.com.

What’s better than fresh guacamole? A completely customizable guacamole bar! 

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or even a fun family dinner at home, this recipe and general serving style is a guaranteed win. 

When planning this bar, estimate about one avocado per person and prepare enough to feed the initial group. Then, as the bowl empties, add more avocados. This will ensure that the avocados stay fresh in taste and color. If you prefer to make the guac all at once, a little squeeze of lemon or lime juice will usually keep it fresh.

Once you have the guac, its all about the toppings. The great thing about a guacamole bar is that you can tailor the toppings to those around your table and give them the freedom to build their bowl as they please.

Here are a few examples of how you can customize your guacamole bar. 

• To add color and texture, set out tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, corn, black beans or olives to mix in.
• For heat seekers, add extra garlic, diced jalapenos, green chili peppers, poblano peppers, ground cayenne pepper or cumin.
• If you love cilantro, go overboard because it adds big flavor.
• Get creative by adding crumbled goat cheese, char-grilled corn, pickled jalapenos or mango salsa.

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to making fresh guac, but for more inspiration, check out the ingredients and instructions below for creating a DIY guacamole bar at home.

Guacamole Bar

Ingredients

Essentials

• Medium-size ripe avocados, 1 per person
• Fresh lime juice, to taste
• Pinch of salt, to taste

Optional Add-Ins

• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• Heinen’s pico de gallo
• Jalapenos
• Green chili peppers
• Poblano peppers
• Serrano peppers
• Bell peppers (any color)
• Heinen’s cayenne pepper
• Heinen’s red pepper flakes
• Heinen’s cumin
• Heinen’s Salsa
• Heinen’s corn
• Heinen’s black beans
• Olives
• Cheese (crumbled Cotija, feta, goat, blue, etc.)
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Sour Cream

Dippers

• Heinen’s Tortilla chips
• Flatbread
• Heinen’s pita bread, toasted
• Heinen’s baguette, sliced
• Heinen’s crackers
• Bell Pepper Slices 

Instructions

1. Peel and seed the avocados. Scoop out the green flesh and mash in a medium-size bowl.
2. Add the lime juice and salt and stir to combine. 
3. Set the bowl in the center of a serving tray, serving board or counterspace.
4. Add as many add-ins as you desire to small serving bowls and arrange them around the bowl of guacamole. 
5. Fill in any gaps with the dippers.
6. Allow guests to build their own guacamole. Refill the guacamole bowl with fresh avocados, lime and salt, as needed. 

By Heinen's Grocery Store

In 1929, Joe Heinen opened the doors of a small butcher shop on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio, aiming to establish himself as the city’s purveyor of quality meats. As customers came into Heinen’s new shop for their meat purchases, they began asking him to carry groceries as well. Joe added homemade peanut butter, pickles and donuts and by 1933, business had grown enough to include a line of produce and canned goods. Heinen’s Grocery Store was born.