How to Keep Guacamole Green

My husband is something of a guacamole connoisseur. When good avocados can be found in our decidedly non-tropical state, he scoops them up and works on perfecting his guacamole technique. So, I’ve spent some time trying to make his guacamole last. In the rare instances we don’t polish off the bowl, it seems a terrible shame to waste an ounce of that good green stuff.

In the past, my efforts to keep guacamole green and fresh overnight have always failed. I’ve seen many ideas for keeping guacamole fresh — Keep the avocado pit in the bowl! Press plastic wrap on top! Use more lime! — but none of them have ever worked for me. Invariably, the top of the guacamole turns brown, and I have to scrape at least an inch off to get to the good stuff below.

Luckily, I’ve discovered a simple, foolproof, and easy way to keep guacamole green and delicious — and no, it doesn’t involve avocado pits or extra lime juice. Want to see how I do it?

See this bowl of creamy guacamole? I made it over 24 hours before I took this photo, and yet it is still as fresh and green as it was the day before.

To prevent your guacamole from turning brown, use water! Yes, a small amount of water is a great way to help guacamole maintain its vibrant green color and stay fresh.

Here’s how to do it: Put the guacamole in an airtight container that has a tight-fitting lid. Pack the guacamole tightly in the bowl, pressing out any air bubbles with the back of a spoon. Slowly add some lukewarm water over the top.

You can fill a measuring cup and pour the water gently down the sides so it doesn’t disturb the surface of the guac too much. Make sure the water covers the surface of the guacamole until it’s about 1/2 inch up the sides. Put on the lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

When ready to eat, take off the lid and and gently pour out the water. Stir up the guacamole to incorporate any extra moisture, and it’s ready to eat!

Water is a perfect barrier against oxygen, and since guacamole is dense, a little liquid won’t water it down or affect the flavor or texture of the guac like adding extra lime juice would. (I like a precise balance of lime to avocado in my guac, and I don’t want to drench the guacamole in juice to keep it fresh.)

This method is easy and cheap, and you can use it with any kind of guacamole. Once you’ve poured the water off and given the guac a stir, it’s as good as new — maybe even better because the flavors have a chance to meld.

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(Images: Faith Durand, Sara Kate Gillingham)