Spicy Guacamole

For my spicy lovers, supercharge your guacamole by amping up your guacamole to spicy guacamole for a delicious mouthwatering dip!

Hi, friends! I originally developed this recipe in 2016 in honor of National Hot N' Spicy Day on Good Morning Arizona and it's still a favorite today.  This is my go-to guac recipe when I'm not lazy and using a guacamole spice packet or just doing my lazy guacamole (salsa + avocados+ sour cream/Greek yogurt). 

I wish every day was National Hot N' Spicy Day because spicy food is my absolute favorite.  Unfortunately, I don't have it as much as I would like because Mr. Hungry does not share my love for all the mouth-on-fire goodness.  So, I was especially excited to have an excuse to make things as spicy as possible today!

If you share my love for spicy things that's great because spicing things up is a great way to add flavor and cut back on excess calories.  Spicy foods also have several health benefits that I'll share below. 

Health Benefits

This recipe contains two super hot small peppers with huge health benefits.

• Jalapenos

Jalapenos are available green but turn red when mature.  They help support the immune system by providing 17mg of Vitamin C.  In addition, they promote skin and eye health by providing Vitamin A.

• Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is also nutrient rich supplying Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, potassium, and manganese.  It also contains flavonoids which harness its antioxidant properties.

• Capsaicin

Both jalapenos and cayenne pepper contain a powerful component known as capsaicin.  Capsaicin is thought to be the primary driving force behind the heat and the health benefits.

Capsaicin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, has been used as a topical analgesic (pain relief), and promotes vasodilation (which can lower blood pressure.)    Some research has shown that countries with cultures that traditionally use peppers regularly tend to have lower rates of heart disease.  This may be because capsaicin helps to protect fatty acids from being oxidized (damaged).

Have you heard that spicy foods help you burn more calories?  It's true, capsaicin increases your rate of thermogenesis and oxygen consumption for about 20 minutes after ingestion. 

In 2006, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when chili peppers are included in a meal there is a lower amount of insulin required to bring blood sugar down.  The more frequent peppers in the meal, the less insulin was required lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Capsaicin has also been researched for its potential to signal anti-tumor, specifically in prostate cancer.

Plus, for spicy food lovers, these foods are delicious! 

How to Make Spicy Guacamole

This is a visual how-to section. Please scroll down to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card. 

This recipe comes together quickly when you use a food processor to help you create a finely chopped medley of onions, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and spices.  Then you mix your mixture with mashed avocado and that's it! Chunky and incredibly flavorful guacamole!

Swaps and Substitutions

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and basically friendly for all.  However, if you're missing an ingredient at home you may wonder about substitutions.  See below for suggestions.

• Avocados - do not omit, can't make guac without avocados.
• Jalapeno - You can swap other peppers here such as serrano or poblano.  Serranos will be very spicy and poblano will be less spicy.  I would stick with a green pepper family though and look up the spice level before you decide to swap. You can also remove the seeds and veins from your jalapeno to make it less spicy or leave them in to make it more spicy. 
• Cilantro - don't omit it, unless you don't like cilantro. 
• Red onion - substitution depends on how much you like raw onion especially harsher onions like white or yellow.  They can be used, but you may want to start with less than what the recipe calls for. 
• Salt - add to taste, don't omit.
• Garlic - If raw garlic isn't your thing or you don't have any on hand, substitute ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic. 
• Lime juice - lemon juice can be used in a pinch, but it will make the guac taste a little less traditional. 
• Cayenne Pepper - to taste, a little goes a lonnnnngggg way. 

How to Store Spicy Guacamole (Without Browning)

To store:  There are several ways to prevent your guac from browning on top aka oxidizing.  First, make sure to store it in an airtight container and place the pits of the avocados in it.  Cover with a layer of lime juice and place the lid on the container.  When you are ready to serve it, pour off the layer of lime juice, remove pits, mix and serve.

You may also like:

• Lazy Girl Guacamole
• 50 Tailgating Recipes That Score

Tag me if you make these! I love to see what you guys make! You can tag me on Insta @hungryhobbyRD and Facebook @hungryhobby!

 

 

References:

• Ahuja KD, Ball MJ. Effects of daily ingestion of chilli on serum lipoprotein oxidation in adult men and women. Br J Nutr. 2006 Aug;96(2):239-42. 2006. PMID:16923216.
• Ahuja KD, Robertson IK, Geraghty DP, Ball MJ. Effects of chili consumption on postprandial glucose, insulin, and energy metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):63-9. 2006. PMID:16825682.
• Attal N. Chronic neuropathic pain: mechanisms and treatment. Clin J Pain 2000 Sep;16(3 Suppl):S118-30. 2000.
• Mori A, Lehmann S, O'Kelly J, Kumagai T, Desmond J, Pervan M, McBride W, Kizaki M, Koeffler HP. Capsaicin, a Component of Red Peppers, Inhibits the Growth of Androgen-Independent, p53 Mutant Prostate Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2006 Mar 15;66(6):3222-9. 2006. PMID:16540674.
• Rains C, Bryson HM. Topical capsaicin. A review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic potential in post-herpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy and osteoarthritis. Drugs Aging 1995 Oct;7(4):317-28. 1995.
• Sharma, Surinder Kumar, Amarjit Singh Vij, and Mohit Sharma. "Mechanisms and clinical uses of capsaicin." European journal of pharmacology 720.1 (2013): 55-62.
• Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet, and Pilou LHR Janssens. "Red Pepper Can Enhance Energy Metabolism and Satiety." Nutrition Today 49.5 (2014): S6-S7.