I think you’ll be pleased with how fun and delicious this Chunky Spicy Caribbean Guacamole is. I decided to create an island version of guacamole today, loading it with tropical fruits, seasonings, and just enough heat to make it interesting. I added mango for a touch of sweetness, ginger for depth, lime for tropical flavors, allspice for a distinctly Caribbean aroma, and mint for a pop of freshness.
Guacamole is one of the most popular party foods in America and shows up for many game day activities. It is one of the easiest dishes to make, taking only a few minutes once you’ve gathered and prepped your ingredients.
It can take a few days for avocados to ripen fully, so I always buy them 2 to 3 days in advance of when I am going to be making this Caribbean guacamole. If you are using Haas avocados, you want them to be just barely soft when you gently press them.
Traditional Caribbean foods are very spicy, often incorporating screaming hot habanero peppers, but when you make your own you have complete control over the heat index. Even if your family doesn’t like spicy foods, you definitely want to use some heat to create a balance with the sweet and savory ingredients in this recipe. Feel free to lower the amount of red pepper flakes or leave out the jerk seasoning, and taste the mixture often as you mix it together to judge the spiciness and stop when you are happy with it. Remember that peppers and chiles tend to get hotter as they sit, so be aware and stop adding them before you max out on your heat tolerance.
One of the biggest challenges of making guacamole is keeping it fresh and stopping it from turning brown from oxidation. A trick I learned is to smooth the top and pour a layer of water over the top to lock out the oxygen. Cover tightly with an airtight container and refrigerate for a couple of days. When you are ready to use it again, pour off the water, stir, and it is ready to serve.
The recipe may look like it has a lot of ingredients, but together they create the perfect blend of flavors and spice. You are welcome to customize them to your personal taste, especially the jerk seasoning and red pepper flakes.
You can use a hollowed out avocado shell for individual servings of guacamole!
Melissa’s Produce provides the freshest fruits and vegetables, generously sending us all avocados to use while creating our recipes. If you want the freshest produce, Melissa’s is the place to go. They have a huge supply of hard-to-find items available for ordering online and can track down just about anything you need. They carry organic and conventional products for every conceivable event or recipe.
Enjoy this Caribbean Guacamole for your next party or when you are serving a Mexican-style meal at home. Your family and friends will thank you!
How to make Chunky Spicy Caribbean Guacamole:
- Mix together the lime zest, lime juice, red pepper flakes, cilantro, ginger, jerk seasoning, salt, and pepper
- Smash the avocados with the onions and mint, add the lime-cilantro mixture and stir together; taste and adjust seasonings
- Stir in the mango; taste again and serve with lime wedges, minced chives, and tortilla chips
How can I get more juice from citrus fruits?
To get the most juice from citrus, microwave your limes for 5 seconds, roll it between your palm and the counter, pressing down firmly, and then slice and juice over a bowl using a reamer.
PRO Tip:
Did you know there are different types of avocados? Some are ripe when they are dark brown, others may be green when they ripen. To help you pick the best, perfectly ripe avocados, ask the produce manager at your grocery store for their assistance.
PRO Tip:
If you are making this for a large group with adults and children, mix together the avocadoes, onions, mint, lime zest and juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Divide this mixture into two bowls, and add the ginger, chili pepper, and jerk seasoning (if using) to one of the bowls for the adults to enjoy. Be sure to clearly label the bowls so your guests know which is which.
Key Ingredients for this Recipe
- Limes
- Red pepper flakes, cilantro, ginger, jerk seasoning, allspice, salt & pepper
- Avocados
- Onions & fresh mint
- Mango
- Chives & tortilla chips
Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe (affiliate links)
Gluten-Free Tips:
The only ingredient in the recipe you need to read the labels for is the jerk seasoning. Sometimes seasoning blends have gluten-containing ingredients. Penzeys‘ online store is very good about labeling their products. (I am not being paid to support them, I just really like the products.)
Chunky and Spicy Caribbean Guacamole (Gluten-Free)
This Chunky Spicy Caribbean Guacamole is creamy, rich, and so satisfying with just enough heat to make it delectable!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp fresh lime zest
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (or use parsley)
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp jerk seasoning blend, or to taste, optional (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice, optional
- 3 ripe avocados, seeds removed, flesh cubed
- 1/2 red onion or 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes, seeded, peeled, and cut into small cubes
- Fresh limes, for garnishing
- Minced chives, for garnishing
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, juice, chile, cilantro, ginger, jerk seasoning (if using), salt, and pepper; whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the avocados, onions, and mint. Mix together with a fork, smashing the avocados into a mostly smooth paste. Add the lime-ginger mixture, stirring until evenly blended. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the mango, stirring gently to incorporate them. Taste again and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips. If you make this ahead or to store leftovers place guacamole in a bowl, smooth the top, and cover with a thin layer of water to keep it fresh and tasty! Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 205Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 323mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 8gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
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This post was first shared in July 2016. The article was updated in 2020.
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