Guac-kale-mole
Guac-Kale-Mole- a classic guacamole with a twist, this recipe will have everyone coming back for second servings of greens!
Yep, that’s right. I put kale in guacamole. Call me crazy but I LOVE it and I think there’s a strong chance you will too.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’m a big fan of sneaking greens in wherever I can. Muffins, pancakes, soups, smoothies…the more green the better, in my opinion.
What’s so great about adding kale to guacamole is that the flavors blend so perfectly you can barely tell it’s there. I mean, it tastes a little different but it’s a complementary kind of different, if that makes sense. The first time I tried it was at Whole Foods back in California. I was skeptical at first but it didn’t take long for me to devour an entire container and go back for more.
Tips for Making the Best Guac-Kale-Mole
- Food Processor- I know this might be a deal breaker for some of you that don’t own a food processor but it is key to achieving finely chopped kale that will blend seamlessly with the guacamole. Of course you could spend time finely chopping it by hand but a food processor does it in the blink of an eye.
- Lacinato (or Dino) Kale- the variety of kale is key for ideal texture. Lacinato kale is much smoother and slightly less bitter than curly kale. I highly recommend sticking with this variety.
- Lemon and Lime Juice- I personally find a blend of lemon and lime juice (as opposed to juice lime juice) makes for the best flavored guacamole. The lemon juice adds a bit of boldness that hits your palate in all of the right places.
- Perfectly Ripe Avocados- this one might be obvious but there’s nothing worse than stringy, bruised up avocados. I find the best way to assure perfect avocados every time is to buy them when they’re super hard and green then let them sit on the counter or in the pantry for 3-4 days. Once they’re slightly tender to the touch, they are perfectly ripe and ready to use. If you’re not ready to use them at the time you can transfer them to the refrigerator and they’ll last an additional 5-7 days. It requires a little bit of planning ahead but trust me, it’s so worth it!
I’m sure some of you are like me and don’t have access to a Whole Foods so I hope you find this copycat version useful! It’s perfect to serve for family taco night, picnics, or Cinco-de-Mayo celebrations.
Looking for recipes to serve with guac-kale-mole?
- Lentil Carrot Tacos
- Lentil Taco Skillet
- Vegan Chorizo
- Easy Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Roasted Potato Burrito Bowls
- Cabbage Rice Fajita Bowls
- Swiss Chard Mushroom Enchiladas
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
- Easy Lentil Taco Salads
Guac-Kale-Mole
Ingredients
- 100 g lacinato kale, about 1 small bundle (stems removed)
- 150 g Roma tomato, about 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (by hand)
- 100 g red onion, about ½ red onion
- 1 small jalapeno , cored and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (packed)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, depending on size
- 4 medium (ripe) hass avocados, pitted
- 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Using a food processor, finely chop the onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- To the processor, add the kale leaves (with stems removed) and blend until finely chopped. See photos in post for reference. Transfer to the large bowl and set aside.
- Lastly, add the avocados to the processor along with the lemon and lime juice and blend until smooth. If you're sensitive to citrus, start with less then taste test at the end and stir in more, if desired.
- Add the blended avocados to the large bowl and stir everything together. Add salt to taste (I usually add about ½ teaspoon) and more citrus juice, if desired. Serve immediately or tore in an airtight container for up 4 days. It tends to stay pretty fresh thanks to the citrus juice but sealing the top with plastic wrap or tinfoil can also help assure it will stay green.
Well, I’m not in Canada…but I live in southern Illinois and am 41 miles (I googlemapped it!) from a Whole Foods in St. Louis. So I WILL be making this. Thanks for the scoop…literally!
Haha that is quite the name for guacamole! I too share a love for WF – I’d love to visit the Austin location.
Ahahah Whole Foods rocks. That reminds me I should pay it a visit asap. Not for this guacamole (I have now the great recipe you shared! it looks really amazing), but for all the amazing spices and grains I can only get there. I lived 5 minutes walking distance from the biggest store in London and yes, only my wallet is relieved now that I live in another area :)
The closest Whole Foods to me is over an hour away :-(
I love the idea of throwing kale into guacamole. Thanks for sharing this!
omg, this sounds like something I would love! Lump Michigan in with Canada, because I’m about 2 hours away froma whole foods :(
What a clever way to add more veggies to an already amazing dip. This would be perfect for a Super bowl party this weekend.. maybe I’ll send this with Grant to his ‘boys only’ party. They’ll be too busy eating it to notice how healthy it is!
I told C that wherever we move next must have access to a TJs aka AMURICA. Such a creative recipe! Those people at whole foods are so damn smart!
hehe…love that! And, oh boy, does this look tasty! I love guacamole and I got Justin really into it too, so this would last for like 2 minutes in our house. Delish!
Yes! I love this. I heard about this kale guacamole and thought I need to try it. Now I don’t have to trek downtown to buy it, I can just make it at home!!
I adore Whole Foods!! I’ve been trying to plan a vacation to Austin pretty much just so I can go to the store there. It would seriously be like a dream come true. I sampled their Guac-kale-mole the other day and it was pretty delicious. I love that you made a homemade version.
Oh yes this does sound wonderful! This would be perfect to make for the game this weekend. Whole foods is such a dangerous store, I always end up spending way too much money on fun foodie finds in there.
Ah everytime someone mentions Whole Foods I get jealous…Downside of living in Canada hahaha! This looks great, never thought to add kale!
I LOVE this! I’d totally say it with a country accent too! What a fun twist on my favorite snack food.
This looks amazing! Whole Foods is my happy place. I can never live in a city where there isn’t a Whole Foods ever again!
And I complain that there isn’t a WF within 10 minutes of me. lol. They’re all either on the west side of the valley or north. :\ I heard Austin is the best city to visit if/when in Texas, so I definitely would check out their WF :) Love guacamole and kale. This recipe is like ‘duh, why didn’t I think of that?’. It looks divine btw.
I looooove guac! I never had kale in it, though. I love to add tons of cumin and cilantro!
I think the closest Whole Foods is about an hour and a half away from me…and to be honest, the Canadian Whole Foods aren’t quite as good as the US ones. And this recipe is probably one of the few ways that I would eat kale…because guacamole basically just makes everything awesome ;-)
Thanks for recreating this recipe- my bank account thanks you! ;) And I already want to visit Austin, now I have another reason to go!
There is no WholeFoods – or anything overly similar – where I live :( When I was living in London there was a WholeFoods near my work and I used to go in there and just browse the aisles looking at all the amazingly delicious, healthy foods! (A little crazy, I know! ;) Guess I’ll have to just make this Guac-kale-mole myself in that case – thanks for the recipe, it sounds delicious!
That’s it. You MUST come to Chicago ASAP and I’ll take you to my Whole Foods, Sarah. I’ve never been to the one in Austin but you can drink wine while shopping here in Chicago. It’s pretty much the most glorious thing I’ve ever done in my life. And now, I’m going to pick up the ingredients for country-speak (hehe!) guac-kale-mole the next time I’m there!
HELL YA!!
Omg. So simple, yet so amazing. I bought kale & quinoa sushi from the grocery store last night – it’s going to be todays lunch! :)
How have I never seen this at Whole Foods? I’m obsessed!!!
I’m a Whole Foods junkie (the Chicago one is the best one I’ve been to yet), but damn is it expensive. Your version is probably a third of the cost of the WF version. Perfect for this broke ass college student.
I’m pretty sure I’d be the biggest fan of Whole Foods if we happened to have one where I live! Thanks for posting this copycat version. I’m sure it is just as delish as the original.
Guac-kale-mole. Oh, I love the name! So genius! xx
Bahaha when we were looking at moving from DC I told my husband that I wouldn’t move anywhere where there wasn’t a whole foods and a trader joes nearby. Thankfully North Carolina has both : ) I can never get enough guacamole – love the addition of kale! I haven’t seen that at my local whole foods!
I love whole foods been shopping their for about 6 months they have the best stuff especially for me who has to have wheat free grain free options every time I go there I am always looking for something new to try. Luckly for me there is one about 20 minutes away . Also wanted to say I love your posts look forward to them have many options for me. Vegetarians rock
Haha, I can also pinpoint where my student loan debt came from… Though, unlike your healthy and smart self, it was not Whole Foods. It was more or less the unhealthy lifestyle of college: beer.
Anyway, this recipe, per your usual, sounds delightful! My boyfriend LOVES guac (like so much so, he just slits avocados and adds spices and a few raw ingredients and just eats them) and this is a PERFECT way to get in some more greens. It looks so tasty!! :)
Two words: HOLY YUMMINESS
Love the addition of kale, it’s perfect!
I love that there’s extra green in this. I’m definitely going to be trying this!
I’m ALSO one of those Canadians with a WF 40 mins away from me haha!!! And umm, this is SO clever of them. I need to make this pronto, because guac + kale = amaaaaaazing idea!!
Whole Foods is one of the places I’ve missed most since moving to Germany — thanks for replicating the recipe and sharing it with us! Looks amazing.
Pingback: Guac-Kale-Mole
Pingback: 50 Out-of-This-World Kale Recipes - The Roasted Root
Pingback: 26 Totally Awesome Ways to Make Guacamole Even More Delicious
Pingback: Guacamole Recipe Round-Up | curiouser & curiouser
Pingback: How To Make Guacamole 2015: Best Cinco De Mayo Avocado Recipes, From … – International Business Times | Grocery Send
Pingback: Follow These Tips to Master the Perfect Guac - FabFitFun
Pingback: 3 HEALTHY GUACAMOLE RECIPES TO UP YOUR CINCO DE MAYO GAME | Flywheel Blog
Pingback: 25 Delicious Guacamole Recipes for Every Occasion - Hello Creative Family
Pingback: Sick of Kale? Then Try These 25 Kale Recipes! – Juicy Encounter
Pingback: 26 Guacamole Recipes That Make the Classic Dip Even More Delicious (If You Can Believe It) - google healths
Pingback: Curried Avocado with Garlic and Green Chiles (26 CURRIES) – Tamil Business Community
Pingback: UPGRADE Your Favorite Guacamole Recipe With KALE
Pingback: 40+ Scrumptious Ways with Kale | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
Pingback: 10 Must-Try Guacamole Recipes! - Bob Brady Honda
I love avocado and guacamole, I try to eat one (avocado) every day. Quick question, I grow my own beets and radishes, are the greens from those as healthy as kale or if I don’t have kale on hand?
They’re definitely as nutritious as kale but they might be a little bit more bitter. You could try chopping up a little of the beet or radish greens and mashing it with avocado and lime or lemon juice to get a preview of how they taste together! :)
Pingback: 28 Smart Party Food Ideas To Please A Crowd - Whimsy & Spice