Guacamole

Bowl of delicious Guacamole...

My version of Guacamole with a little Peruvian twist - aji rocoto used for spicy heat.

This Guacamole recipe is fabulous. It's so delicious and full of flavor and I'm excited to share it with you. What makes my Guacamole recipe different? I add a special ingredient to substitute for the jalapeño pepper. It's called aji rocoto. It's a paste made of rocoto peppers which look similar to bell peppers, but be careful, it's full of heat!

Secret ingredient is aji rocoto...

I have only experienced this pepper in paste form. Just a bit on the tongue makes you take a step back. I use 1 teaspoon or more of aji rocoto because my family loves heat. If you are sensitive to heat, I suggest starting with ½ teaspoon and work your way up. But, please try it. It gives this guacamole a delicious flavor. I want to thank my Tía Renee for getting it for me. She always supplies me with these wonderful ingredients.

Another key ingredient? Lime. Fresh lime juice is imperative to this dish. Not only does it help prevent the avocado from browning, it brightens up the flavor.

I have made this Guacamole several times for this post. A few times we couldn't stop eating it for my photos and I had to make more. No worries. It gave me the opportunity to make it perfect so I can share it with you. I take great pride in my recipes and I won't post unless I'm proud. I promise that if I can make it better, I will, and repost any improvements. You deserve the best.

I'm so excited about this recipe. It's worth getting a jar of aji rocoto paste as you can use it in substitution for hot sauce or cayenne. Add a little of Peru into your dish and you won't be disappointed. You can find it in Latin markets or online. If you are fortunate to have a supermarket that covers all ethnicities, you may find it on a shelf there. If you can't find it, just substitute a little cayenne or hot sauce.

Although the Aztecs created Guacamole, the small addition of the aji rocoto adds a little Inca. Nothing wrong with combining two great empires.

¡Al ataque!

Be happy, eat well...

Guacamole

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My version of Guacamole with a little Peruvian twist - aji rocoto used for spicy heat. See Notes for substitutions for aji rocoto.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 cups

Author: Natalie Gregory

Ingredients

• 4 ripe Haas avocados
• 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ - 1 teaspoon aji rocoto*
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup red onion diced
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced (optional)

Instructions

• Cut the avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
• Pour the lime juice over avocados and add onions, cilantro, aji rocoto, salt, and pepper.
• Using a big spoon (I use a tablespoon), chop up the avocados into bite size chunks while at the same time combining ingredients.
• Stir in the tomatoes.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning for aji rocoto, salt, and pepper. My Mom always said, you can always add, but you can't take away.
• ¡Al ataque!

Notes

*Aji rocoto paste can be found in the Hispanic section of the grocery store, in Latin markets, or purchased online.
If you like spicy, add more but try with the lower amount first.
If you want to substitute the aji rocoto, use
¼ - ½ teaspoon of hot pepper sauce OR
¼ - ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see how it turns out. Tag me on Instagram @thegeneticchef or tag #thegeneticchef and tell me all about it!