Blue cheese and bacon are a match made in heaven, and here they’re mixed with avocado for a party-ready guacamole. Serve with tortilla chips, veggie sticks, or even on burgers and steaks!
This is party guacamole. True, every guacamole is party guacamole, but this stuff is over the top. Packed with bacon and blue cheese crumbles, it is not for your everyday guacamole needs.
The first few times I made this, I kept it simple: avocados, crisp bacon crumbles, chunks of blue cheese, a little vinegar. Then I figured I could improve it with some chopped tomatoes and a scattering of herbs, but you know what? Bacon and blue cheese don’t need help. The other stuff was distracting.
DEVOUR IT THE DAY YOU MAKE IT
There’s another reason this is party guacamole. It’s best eaten within two hours of being made.
The bacon eventually starts softening up, and at that point, its texture doesn’t contrast as pleasingly with the creamy mashed avocado. Having a crowd around ensures it gets downed.
You can refrigerate leftovers for up to a day, but they won’t taste as good. Prefer to work ahead? Never fear! You can make the bacon crumbles a day or two in advance, and that’s the part that takes the longest.
SERVE WITH CHIPS AND MORE
Of course you can—and should—serve this with tortilla chips, but I like pretzel chips and saltines, too. Fresh raw veggie sticks like bell pepper strips or celery are a fun twist. Branch out and smear it over a hearty slab of crusty toasted bread.
Even better? Serve it as an accompaniment to grilled steak or on a burger! It’s a casual, warm-weather version of the classic steakhouse pairing of beef, blue cheese, and bacon.
AVOCADO BUYING & STORING TIPS
How can you tell when avocados are ripe? At a glance, one way is their color. Avocados turn dark green when they are ripe. If you lightly press their skin with your finger, their flesh will yield a bit, but it won’t be squishy. Squishy means overripe!
Because delicate ripe avocados often don’t make it home from the store in good shape, I like to buy avocados that aren’t quite ripe. They’ll ripen up on the counter, where I check in on them daily (the drawback: this requires planning ahead).
When they are ripe, I either use them or refrigerate them. Yes, refrigerate them! A ripe avocado will hang out in the fridge just fine for three or four days, giving you some flexibility. For the best flavor, bring them out of the fridge about half an hour before you plan to use them. After all, who wants frigid guacamole?
MORE GREAT GUACAMOLE RECIPES
- Get funky with your fruity side with this Strawberry Guacamole
- Mayo-free Guacamole Deviled Eggs? Yes, please!
- If you just need a classic, then try our Perfect Guacamole.
Bacon and Blue Cheese Guacamole Recipe
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8-10
Blue cheese and bacon are salty, so this guacamole might not need as much salt as you are used to adding.
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon, preferably thick cut
- 3 large ripe avocados
- 2 to 3 teaspoons red or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Dash hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
- Salt to taste
For serving:
- Tortilla chips
- Pretzel chips
- Saltines
Method
1 Cook the bacon: Lay the bacon strips in a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook, turning frequently, until the bacon is crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Lay on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble it and set it aside.
2 Scoop and mash the avocados: Cut the avocados in half pole-to-pole and twist them open. Remove the pit. (See How to Cut and Peel and Avocado.) With a large spoon, scoop the avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Mash it with a large fork until it’s chunky-smooth.
3 Add the seasonings: Add 2 teaspoons vinegar, the garlic powder, and the hot pepper sauce; mix well. Reserve 1 tablespoon each bacon and blue cheese for garnish, and gently fold the rest into the guacamole. Taste the guacamole on a chip or cracker, then adjust seasoning with salt. If it tastes flat, add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vinegar.
4 Garnish and serve: Transfer to a serving bowl, then garnish with reserved blue cheese and bacon. This guacamole is best enjoyed within 2 hours, but you can refrigerate leftovers up to a day.
