Taco Tuesday, Sunday football and potluck parties make creamy guacamole a standby recipe for every household. Whether you like your guacamole simple -- with just salt and lime juice -- or embellished with herbs, tomatoes, onion and olives is up to you. What you don't want is guacamole that has its buttery goodness overwhelmed with the taste of salt. If you've mixed a batch that's a salt lick, you've got options for saving the dip.
Why It's Too Salty
Adding too much salt is just one, obvious, reason you might end up with a salty dip. If you jazzed up your guacamole with ingredients, such as black olives, a jar of salsa or salted pumpkin seeds, after adjusting the seasoning, your guacamole may be a tad too salty. Guacamole that has the correct amount of seasoning for plain crudite could also be too salty for a seasoned corn chip.
Easiest Fix
If you have an extra avocado on hand, add more to the dip to dilute the salt. Mash in another half or whole fruit, taste and season accordingly. You probably won't need to adjust any other ingredients except for a squeeze or two more of lime or lemon juice.
Increased Acid
An extra teaspoon or two of lime or lemon juice can help reduce the saltiness of guacamole. Be careful not to add too much citrus juice, though, as it can make the dip too tart and watery. Chopped tomato, another acidic ingredient, will also absorb some of the salt flavor and balance your guacamole's flavor. Fresh chopped tomato will not water down your guacamole or make you over-pucker if you add too much.
Onion or Heat
Another 2 to 3 tablespoons of minced onion adds a bite that mitigates a salty guacamole. A bit more heat can also mellow out a salty dip. Add a half or whole minced jalapeno pepper or, if your palate can take it, a tablespoon or two of chopped serrano pepper. The heat numbs your palate to the salty taste.