Guasacaca (Venezuelan Guacamole)

Guasacaca! Can you have too much of a good thing in your life? Not when it comes to avocados! Anything that you put avos in gets a little creamier and whole lot more decadently delicious. Is it just me? Or are you with me? I know… I… you… we all love avocados!

If so, we are all going to love Guasacaca. Why not? It’s like a distant cousin of your favorite guacamole. Miss Guasacaca is just a little more southern and saucier, as she comes all the way from Venezuela. The two have similarities, yet are very distinct from each other.

Get ready to eat that Avo a new way… the Venezuelan way!!

Why You’ll LOVE Venezuelan Guasacaca

• It’s creamy, vibrant, rich, tangy and herby.
• This is one of those “throw all in a blender and give it a few whirls” kinda quick and easy thing.
• Should we call it a dip or dressing or spread or marinate? Yes to all, we will teach you…
• People are going to get curious and pleased with these new “Guac” like, yet very unique, flavors. It’s going to be the talk of town at your next get together or pot luck.
• And by accident it turns out to be keto, low carb, gluten free, vegan… Is it a keeper?

What is Guasacaca Sauce?

Pronounced as Wah-sah-kaka, it is Venezuela’s beloved avocado green sauce, so much so that they can say it’s the country’s official condiment. You might find hundreds of variations, but the basic idea is the same.

This is the sauce you will see in plastic squeeze bottles at their restaurants or food carts where they like to dunk and dip and drizzle it generously all over their food. Think tostones, empanadas, grilled meats, veggies and their arepa, which is kind of a cross between a tortilla and pancakes, all slathered with this green fresh vibrant sauce.

It could be a little chunky or a little thinner. It could have a little olive oil or lots, say anywhere from a few tablespoons to 1 cup! We experimented and the verdict is you don’t need more than few tablespoons of olive oil to make great Guasacaca.

Sometimes, it’s even made without avocado at all, with just more herbatious flavors. It’s so easily customizable to your own mood and taste.

How is Guasacaca Different than Guacamole?

• Guasacaca is smoother and silkier, the result of blending it and adding olive oil. Saying that, you can make it chunkier by blending it less, but most of the time it is more of a sauce.
• It’s tangier than guacamole as it has vinegar in addition to the lime.
• It has parsley and much more cilantro, resulting in an herbier sauce.
• Most varieties have green bell pepper which adds different tones of flavors to the mix.

Is Guasacaca Spicy?

That’s up to you! This Venezuelan green sauce can be as spicy or mild as you like, depending on the number of jalapenos used, and whether or not you discard the seeds.

Ingredients

• Avocado – It’s all based on these obsessive worthy green things.
• Onion – Just a little so it doesn’t overpower the end result.
• Green bell pepper – One of the reasons it’s not Guac.
• Jalapenõ – To give it some kick some kick. For a milder sauce, remove the seeds.
• Garlic – For that irresistible aromatic touch.
• Herbs – Cilantro and parsley.
• Lime – For tang.
• Vinegar – For more tang.
• Olive oil – Very distinctive of Guasa.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.

How to Make Guasacaca

Step 1: Prep your ingredients. Give a quick rinse to the herbs and remove the larger stems. Roughly chop the onion and green pepper. Scoop out the avocado pulp.

Step 2: Blend. Add all the ingredients, except olive oil, in your blender and blend for a few seconds.

Step 3: Add olive oil. Drizzle in the olive oil and give it another whirl. Blend till smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Step 4: Taste and Adjust. It’s your Guasacaca, after all. Want some more heat? Add more jalapeños (it’s always good to start slow on them, as their hotness can vary). More tang? Add a dash more lime juice or vinegar. Taste for salt and pepper.

Transfer to a jar or bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

This avocado sauce goes with practically anything and everything. Remember dipping, topping, spreading…

Dip Tostones, empanadas, Arepas and Fries in this dipping sauce. Put a dollop on Grilled Chicken, Pork Chops or Steak. Slather it over Fish Tacos or Shrimp Tacos, it’s great with seafood.

Dress your Burrito Bowls or Buddha Bowls with this sauce. Or, just serve it with a big bowl of tortillas at your next party or potluck.

The possibilities are as endless as the deliciousness!!

Expert Tips

This Venezuelan avocado sauce recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few tips to make it perfect every time.

• Ripeness Matters: Choose avocados that yield slightly to pressure for the creamiest texture.
• Customize Your Consistency: If you want chunkier Guasacaca, you can pulse instead of blend until your desired consistency.
• Flavor Boost: Try roasting the green pepper and jalapeño for a smokier, more complex flavor profile.
• Control the Heat: Keep the jalapeño seeds in for more heat or remove them for a milder sauce.

Some Variations

• A more herbaceous Guasacaca: Feel like more parsley, cilantro and garlic flavor? All you have to do is decrease the avocado by half. The sauce might be a little thinner, but all the herbs will shine through more. Many Venezuelan food carts have this type, or minus the avocado altogether. You can use avocado-less Guasacaca to marinate your meats.
• Do you want it as a salad dressing? Just add a little more lime juice, vinegar and olive oil or water to give it a thinner consistency. Try it on your regular salad and get surprised by how bright and refreshing it tastes.

Leftovers and Storage

Guasacaca retains its color better than guacamole, as it has more acidic content from lime juice and vinegar. It should be good for 2-3 days in a jar.

For best results, push cling wrap right down onto the surface of the sauce to keep air out and prevent oxidation. This helps keep it green longer.

The next time you feel like some tortilla chips, grab a few extra ingredients and make this Guasacaca instead of your regular gaucamole.

I like to mention here that I absolutely adore my guac, but after making acquaintance with this new saucier version, I don’t mind dunking my chips in guasa every now and then!

Get Guasacaca Going!! Btw, can you pronounce it correctly by now, the way the locals do… Wah-sah-kaka! 🙂

Guasacaca, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other awesome condiments!
Cilantro Mint Chutney
Bulgogi Sauce
Cuban Mojo
Chipotle Mayo
North African Chermoula
Tomato Cucumber Raita
Peruvian Green Sauce
Peri Peri Sauce
General Tso Sauce
Creole Mustard
Louisiana Style Remoulade

Guasacaca (Venezuelan Guacamole)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Guasacaca! Meet guacamole's tangier, herbier cousin. Venezuelans love this avocado based condiment and now you can too!

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Ingredients

• 2 large ripe Avocados
• 1 Small Onion
• 1 Small Green Pepper
• 1 -2 Jalapeno
• 1-2 Garlic
• 1 cup Cilantro, tightly packed
• 1/2 cup parsley, tightly packed
• 2 Tbsp Vinegar
• 3 Tbsp Lime juice
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Gather and prepare all ingredients. Quickly wash cilantro and parsley and remove the larger stems. Peel garlic. Roughly chop onion, green pepper and jalapeño. Scoop out the avocado pulp.
2. Add everything to your food processor or blender and blend until fairly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Drizzle in olive oil and give a few more pulses.
4. Taste and adjust to your taste, adding more salt, lime juice or jalapeño.
5. Transfer to your bowl and serve.

Notes

1. For chunkier Guasacaca, pulse rather than blend until you reach desired consistency, without over processing.
2. Jalapeños vary in their heat level. Start with 1 without seeds if you want mild Guasacaca. Taste and adjust. You can always add more later, but can't reduce the heat level if it turns out too spicy for your taste. If you don't want any heat, you may skip the jalapeño altogether.
3. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container. For best quality, push cling wrap right down onto the surface of the sauce to keep air out and prevent oxidation.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 244Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 0mgSodium 59mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 2g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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