Tips

• Sugar amount: depends on the berries. My suggestion is to add 4 tablespoons of sugar first, cook it for a few minutes, and then taste the sauce. If you like it sweeter, add a few tablespoons more, if you like it more sour keep it as it is. 
• Good to know! When you cook lingonberry sauce you don’t need to use any preservatives because these berries contain benzoic acid which is a natural preservative. 

Lingonberries Substitute

If you don’t have lingonberries, then a very close alternative are cranberries.

Simply use cranberries instead of lingonberries for this recipe. But, something to keep in mind: lingonberries naturally have a more sour taste than cranberries, so you might want to decrease/increase the sugar amount in the sauce. Personal preference, really.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

• Leftover Turkey Cranberry Wrap
• Cranberry Sauce With Mandarin Oranges
• Millionaire Cranberry Salad Recipe
• Roasted Butternut Squash Casserole
• Easy Creamy Corn Casserole
• Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
• Cajun Roasted Turkey Breasts

Ingredients For Pickled Cabbage

Instructions

The best part is that this quick-pickled cabbage doesn't require fermentation and can be ready to eat in as little as 24 hours (though for optimal flavor, refrigerate for 2 days before serving).

Prepare the cabbage and beets. Remove the outer leaves and with a sharp knife cut out the core.

Divide the cabbage into 4 wedges and chop each roughly into about 1 ½ inches slices.

How To Sterilize Jars For Pickling

• Wash the mason jars and lids thoroughly with hot, soapy water, making sure to rinse off any soap residue.
• Submerge the washed jars in a large pot of boiling water, ensuring they are fully immersed. Boil the jars for approximately 10 minutes to effectively sterilize them.
• In a separate pot, boil the lids and bands (if using) for about 5 minutes.
• Carefully remove the jars, lids, and bands from the boiling water using jar tongs or a clean towel. Place them on a clean, dry surface, allowing them to air dry completely before using for pickling.

Tips

• If you prefer a sweeter pickled purple cabbage, add a bit more sugar to the boiling liquid. But I didn’t find it necessary in this recipe to add more!
• For your crunchy cabbage to last longer: allow the jars to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Avoid putting them in the fridge while they are still hot.
• While you can eat the cabbage after 12-24 hours, letting it sit longer in the fridge will intensify its delicious taste (2-3 days is even better).
• Pickling brine without sugar - The addition of sugar to pickling brine is often used to add sweetness and balance out the acidity from the vinegar. However, if you prefer a brine without sugar or are looking to reduce your sugar intake, you can simply omit it from the recipe. But be ready for some soury pungent kick!

Is Pickled Cabbage Healthy?

While raw cabbage itself is highly nutritious, quick pickled cabbage typically uses vinegar, sugar and salt as the pickling agents, which means it may have a higher sodium content due to the salt.

However, you can control the amount of salt used in the pickling process to make it more suitable for your dietary needs.

While it may not provide the same gut health and probiotic benefits as fermented sauerkraut, refrigerator pickles still retain many of the nutrients present in raw cabbage. 

What To Do With Pickled Cabbage

The pickled cabbage not only has a tangy flavor but also adds a beautiful bright red color to your plate. It's a delicious condiment or side dish that goes with almost any dish.

How and what to eat with cabbage:

• As a topping - for hot dogs, burgers (try the cabbage instead of carrots in this chickpea burger), sandwiches, and lettuce wraps. You may need to slice it thinly if you want to add it as a topping.
• Nutritious topping - for veggie Buddha bowls/grain bowls, udon or soba noodles, ramen.
• As a filling - for spring Rolls and salads!
• As a side dish - for main courses such as pork chops or tenderloin + mashed potatoes (my favorite combo), rump steak, mushroom chicken thighs.
• For sharing - add it to the Charcuterie Board and epic taco board.
• For Breakfast - with scrambled eggs, poached eggs or frittata.
• Pickled Cabbage for tacos - it's great ‘’slaw’’ for tacos! Our favorite tacos to serve pickled cabbage with: cauliflower chickpea tacos, steak tacos, carnitas, and blackened fish tacos.

Freezing And Storing Instructions

Variations

• More veggies - you can add different vegetables to the cabbage, such as large grated carrots or thin sticks, thinly sliced bell peppers, sliced onions, shallots, or small cauliflower florets.
• Pickled cabbage slaw Mexican style - try Curtido! 
• Korean pickled cabbage - try traditional napa cabbage Kimchi!
• Japanese - try sweet and sour flavors of red cabbage.

Customize The Brine

Ingredients like cabbage, beets and vinegar + water can’t be changed but when it comes to spices and seasonings you have loads of options: 

• Use any vinegar you prefer, like apple cider vinegar for a tangy and fruity taste, or white, rice, or red wine vinegar for a softer flavor. 
• Add extra flavor with ingredients such as curry leaves, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, coriander seeds, or lime/lemon juice. Or use a homemade or store-bought pickling spice.
• To kick up the heat, incorporate chile peppers, jalapeno, red chili pepper, red pepper flakes, or sliced ginger for some spiciness. 
• For a herbal twist, throw in a few sprigs of oregano, dill, thyme, chives, or rosemary.

More Pickled Veggie Recipes

Love Pickles? Try my pickled daikon radish and pickled asparagus where I’ve used the same quick pickling method and these are ready to enjoy after 24 hours!

More Delicious Cabbage Recipes

Why It's Yummy

• Homemade is always better and healthier. And let me tell you, it’s super easy to make ahead to use in MULTIPLE recipes such as pastas, casseroles, soups, stews, sauces. 
• It's gluten free and it should work with most of gluten free blend out there (Measure to Measure, Bobs Red Mill.)
• This recipe will be ready in 15 minutes!

Instructions

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.

Serving

• Add this delicious soup to your favorite casseroles, soups, pasta, and others.
• Make a double batch and keep refrigerated in a mason jar or similar for up to a week (freeze for up to 4 months).
• The mixture will separate slightly but after reheating and thoroughly whisking will return the initial texture. Add a little milk along the way if needed.

Tips

• The cream of chicken soup will further thicken once cooled, so don't worry if it is not as thick as you expect while making it.
• Broth - preferably a low sodium version, bouillon cubes, vegetable stock powder, or make your own at home (make a large batch of the broth and freeze it, thaw before use in the fridge or kitchen counter). Vegetarian option - Veggie stock can be also used as a substitute.
• Flour - the recipe will work with most of the gluten-free blends out there. In Europe, you can find a variety of Schar products which I love and in the US a great alternatives are Measure to Measure, Bobs Red Mill.
• Seasonings - add salt and pepper to taste, I wouldn't add anything at all if using bouillon cubes. Mix things up by adding dried herbs, flavored salts, flavored black pepper, onion powder.

Gluten Free Sauces and Condiment Recipes

• 15-minute Enchilada Sauce
• Quick Marinara Sauce Recipe
• Greek Yogurt Herb Dressing (5-minute dressing!)

Why You'll Love This

• Today, we are going to prepare a super simple guacamole recipe from scratch with only 3 ingredients + salt and pepper and without tomatoes. I love to make avocado toast with it, use it in burgers, with tacos, or eat with chips + nacho cheese.   
• If you only have 10 or fewer minutes and craving some creamy avocado dip then this quick guac is a perfect choice for you.  

How To Choose Ripe Avocado

The main ingredient for guacamole - is choosing a perfectly ripe avocado.

When shopping for avocados make sure you choose avocados with stems attached. Because if there is no stem anymore, then it's more likely that your avocado will have brown spots inside.

Next, do a so-called press test. Gently press your thumb into the skin around the avocado. If the avocado yields to firm gentle pressure, it means it’s ripe and you’re good to go.

Storing Instructions

I don't recommend to freeze guacamole or avocados in general. The guacamole may turn brown after freezing, even if you add lots of lime juice.

The taste will not be the freshest too. The best option is to make it fresh or another way is to freeze the whole avocados separately. For thawing, place the avocados in cold water for at least 30 minutes or thaw overnight in the fridge.

• How To Store Guacamole - In case you do have some leftover guacamole, spoon it into an airtight container, pour cold water on top, close the lid, and refrigerate. Water will help the guacamole to remain fresh and green without turning brown. When ready to use, carefully pour the water out and stir the guacamole. It is ready for use.

Can I substitute lemon juice for lime juice in guacamole?

Absolutely. Guacamole is traditionally made using lime juice but If you like the lemon taste more, you can do that instead. Or what I like to do sometimes, is to mix lemon and lime juice 50:50 and add it to my homemade guacamole. These two citrus fruit juices combined result in even better final result.

Serving Suggestions

Guacamole and other Mexican side dishes are great to be served with tacos, taquitos, burritos and so much more. If you are looking to make it a meal, we have a delicious collection of roundup on what to serve with taquitos.

We also love to serve guacamole super simple:

• On toast - egg or salmon avocado toast (or with Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale!) is my favorite!
• Sandwiches, burgers
• Add sour cream to your guacamole and you have a perfect avocado dip/sauce.
• Salad dressings
• Loaded potatoes

Appetizers and Condiments

• Easy Pico De Gallo
• Mango Habanero Salsa
• Strawberry Salsa
• 15-minute Enchilada Sauce
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Trending Mexican Recipes

• Beef Enchilada Casserole
• Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Tacos
• Crockpot Chicken Enchilada
• Creamy Chicken Tacos
• Lime Cilantro Rice

How Long Does Guacamole Last?

SHORT ANSWER: Properly stored refrigerated guacamole will last for 2-3 days and is still edible even if slightly brown.

Why Does Guacamole Turn Brown?

Once guacamole has been made, an enzyme in the flesh of the avocado that is exposed to oxygen reacts and turns that layer a brownish color.

This process is known as oxidation and is exactly the same reaction occurring in apple slices, bananas exposed to oxygen. 

Is It OK to Eat Avocado That Has Turned Brown?

Brown guacamole may not look appealing, but it's still safe to eat. If your guacamole is refrigerated and within three days old, it is still safe to eat.

The same rule applies to brown avocados. While different methods listed below can slow down browning, they won't stop it entirely.

How to Tell If Guacamole Is Bad

Bad guacamole - freshly made guacamole doesn't like warmer temperatures and is prone to quickly developing mold and bacteria inside. In addition, if not handled properly it can lead to foodborne illnesses.

• An easy way to tell that avocados are gone bad is when they are too soft to touch. It is a sure sign that the avocado you are holding is overripe and potentially bad inside. 
• Once opening the avocado, it’ll soon become clear that avocado is no longer suitable for consumption if the flesh is mostly discolored, if there is mold present, or if the avocado has a rancid, sour or weird bad smell.
• What happens if you eat bad guacamole? Can old guacamole make you sick? It may be a sign of mold present and is unhealthy for consumption.

Finish with a layer of plastic wrap over the top so that there is no contact with any air in the storage container or bowl. Keep refrigerated. This way your guacamole will remain green (a very few brown spots may still occur but is mostly rare compared to other methods) for longer.

Be sure to make a taste test before digging in. No more brown guacamole!

2. Guacamole with lime juice

Lime or lemon juice, rich in ascorbic acid, fights the browning process. This method is great but will work best with smaller portions in shallow containers. The only issue here is that your guac may taste too tart and the ratios may be off. However, you can remove the top layer before serving and this should help drastically with the flavor.

To store take an airtight container and rub it generously with lime and place the guacamole inside. Drizzle more lime juice on top of the guac, which will help to fight brown spots occuring. Refrigerate.

3. Guacamole in an airtight container

Even when stored in an airtight container, guacamole is exposed to oxygen, resulting in the top layer turning brown within a day. You'll see a substantial puddle of brown liquid on top. To minimize oxygen exposure, I recommend using a reusable silicone freezer bag or a Ziploc bag.

4. Guacamole in an airtight container with plastic wrap

To shield the chunky mashed avocado, use at least two layers of plastic wrap, as regular cling wrap can be somewhat porous. Transfer to an airtight container. This will indeed result in less browning compared to simply storing guacamole in an airtight container, however, you'll see some notable degree of discoloration.

Which Approach To Choose

Guacamole stored with water is the best to prevent browning. Storing guacamole with lime juice is second best and gives a slightly brighter top compared to any other methods, however, the flavor avo-lime ratios may be off. Water is more cost-effective, making it my preferred choice.

The Best Way to Store Guacamole In The Fridge

Keep homemade or store-bought guacamole fresh in the fridge for up to three days while preserving its vibrant green color.

• Pack the guacamole tightly into an airtight container, eliminating air pockets by using the back of a spoon.
• Smooth the guacamole's surface with the spoon to ensure even coverage and less water.
• Gently pour a one-inch deep layer of water over the guacamole, being careful not to disturb its smooth surface.
• Seal the container and refrigerate for up to three days.
• When ready to enjoy, pour off the water layer, and gently stir the guacamole with a fork to incorporate any remaining moisture.

How To Freeze Guacamole

In case you have some leftover guacamole you can freeze it. However I don't recommend this option due to the loss of nutrients and possibly a change of texture after thawing.

• Guacamole can be stored in an airtight container, Ziploc bag, or even in ice cube trays, for up to 3-4 months. 
• Make sure to squeeze all excess air from the Ziploc or freezer bags used to store the guacamole.
• A light drizzle of olive oil on top prevents ice crystals from forming, which can lead to overly watery guacamole.
• Proceed to secure the container with a sealable lid or wrap the ice cube tray with additional plastic wrap. 

How Long Avocados Last Unrefrigerated

An unripe avocado will last for about 3-5 days before maturing at which point it will last for another few days but is best stored in the refrigerator at the time of ripening. 

If your avocados are already ripe then they will only last at room temperature for 2-3 days before use. 

How To Thaw Guacamole

Frozen guacamole should be thawed in the refrigerator prior to use but if you are in a rush, simply place the sealed Ziploc bag, container, or ice cube tray into a bowl of cold water for about 30-40 minutes. 

For food safety reasons, do not allow the frozen guacamole to thaw at room temperature without the aid of a bowl of cold water. 

Best Tips To Extend The Shelf Life Of Guacamole

To avoid foodborne illnesses and to ensure your guacamole remains safe and fresh follow these simple steps:

• Wash avocados before slicing to prevent bacterial contamination from the skin.
• Keep your hands clean while handling food.
• Avoid cross-contamination by separating guacamole ingredients from raw meat or unwashed vegetables.
• Use clean containers for storage.
• Refrigerate promptly, as guacamole can spoil and promote the growth of harmful microbes when left at room temperature.
• When refrigerating your guacamole, it is best to make a simple avocado mash with some lime salt and black pepper. If you add mix-ins like sour cream, tomatoes, onions,  your guacamole will have a significantly shorter shelf life.

What Types Of Avocado Is Best For Guacamole

While you can make guacamole with any type of avocado, most will agree that ripe avocados and particularly Hass avocado variety is the best for making guacamole since it has an intense flavor and the flesh is ultra-creamy. Hass avocado is one of the most widely grown avocado varieties and has great health benefits.

If you don’t have Hass avocado available, another way to ensure that you get the best avocados for your homemade guacamole is to carry out a few simple inspections:

• When shopping for avocados make sure you choose them with stems attached. Because if there is no stem anymore and the avocado seems soft, then it's more likely that your avocado will have brown spots inside. These are the two easiest first signs of spoilage that you can spot right away.
• Press gently on the outer skin of an avocado. The flesh of a ripe avocado will give way slightly. If it doesn’t then the avocado is unripe. If it’s too soft then it’s overripe. 
• A ripe avocado will have a darker skin color while an unripe avocado will be a bright green. The skin color should be predominantly dark green with a little black. 
• Check the integrity of the avocado skin. If an avocado appears to be split or have any lumps, or odd markings then it’s best to skip past and select another avocado.
• Avoid too soft avocados, as this means they are overripe and the browning process has already started.

Does keeping the pit in an avocado keep it fresh?

Once you open the avocado, the browning process will start as the flesh is exposed to oxygen.
If you're not planning to consume the entire avocado right away, then one way to keep it fresh for longer is to leave the avocado pit inside. The flesh underneath the pit will remain fresh for longer with only a few black spots.

For best results, drizzle some lime juice on top and tightly wrap the remaining avocado half in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

What Do You Do With Guacamole

How and What to serve with guacamole:

• On toast - egg or salmon avocado toast with creamy guacamole are my favorite! (or with Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale) 
• Sandwiches, burgers
• Add sour cream to your guacamole and you have a perfect avocado dip for your nachos. Don't forget the Nacho cheese sauce!
• Salad dressings
• Loaded potatoes - especially with sweet potatoes!

What Are The Benefits Of Eating Guacamole

What is guacamole good for in your body?

Avocado is a super nutrient-rich fresh food! They are delicious and a great source of monounsaturated fat, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. 

• Loaded with fiber, which helps you to feel full for longer
• Contains more potassium than bananas
• Good source of B vitamin which helps to fight off the diseases
• Contains Vitamin C and E
• Contains natural plant chemicals that may help to prevent cancer

Bottom Line

Homemade guacamole stays fresh in the fridge for two to three days. For proper storage, pack it tightly in an airtight container, smooth the surface, and add a thin water layer. You can also freeze simple guacamole without mix-ins for three to four months.

Ingredients

• Best Tomatoes for pico de gallo - high quality, ripe red tomatoes are best to use here. The ones which come with a strong aroma when you smell them. Heirloom, beefsteak, or even Roma tomatoes (plum) are a great choice. 
• Seasonings - Lime juice, salt, and cracked black pepper. A little seasoning goes a long way with this easy tomato dip. For the lime juice, use fresh limes, try to avoid the store-bought as the taste will be quite different.
• Cilantro - the essential ingredient in most Mexican recipes. I know many people don't like it, and in this recipe, you can feel the flavor a lot. You can always leave it out, but pico de gallo will not be the same without it. Another alternative would be fresh parsley, oregano, or tarragon.
• Jalapeno & Serrano peppers - you can always adjust the amount to suit your preferences. If you like your tomato salsa to be extra hot, add a bigger jalapeno and double the amount of serrano pepper. For an even spicier version, try habanero peppers. If you’re a true spicy food lover, go for it!
• Red onion - onion is essential for flavor base in most of my dishes, especially Mexican-style recipes. Chopped red onion is a popular choice but to mix things up you can use brown onion and sweeter onions as an alternative.

• Lemon juice - freshly squeezed and not from the bottle. We also like to add lemon zest for an extra lemony aroma. Don’t have a lemon? Use lime or orange. 
• Olive oil - extra virgin, and of a good quality. Not every olive oil is created equal. It really does matter for the taste. Olive oil should not be bitter and have a pleasant flavor and aroma.
• Greek yogurt - full fat is preferred, especially if you are making a dip without cream cheese. For green goddess salad dressing, you can use low-fat yogurt or add a couple of tablespoons of water, or olive oil to make your dip more runny. Alternatively, a healthy dip, sour cream, or plant-based yogurts (coconut yogurt), will taste delicious too.
• Capers - are optional. They add a sharp savory flavor to the dip, alternatively, you can substitute capers with green olives, Dijon mustard or a more classic ingredient for this dip: anchovy paste. 
• Garlic - for a little zing use freshly minced garlic, garlic powder could work but will taste too bland here.
• Spinach - I used baby spinach but any spinach will work here. You can substitute spinach with arugula (more bitter, earthy flavors), or with watercress.
• Herbs - essentially, you can use a combination of herbs that you are comfortable with. The idea is to have multiple different flavor combinations that will give incredible flavor and a boost of nutrition. Oregano, chives, green onions, dill, basil, thyme, parsley, cilantro, mint, marjoram, tarragon - all are great here. If you’ll be using other combinations that are stated in my recipe, there will be some experimenting involved as you’ll need to find the right amount of herbs to suit your personal taste. 
• Salt - use kosher salt or sea salt for the best natural flavor. If you have more time, my homemade celery salt which is an excellent addition to healthy salads and dips.
• Sweetener - I wanted to keep it light and natural so you won't find any added sugar here. When you mix all the ingredients and taste the dip, you'll know if you need to adjust anything or add sweeteners such as agave nectar or liquid honey.

What Does the Green Goddess Dressing Taste Like?

Green goddess salad dressing typically consists of creamy and tangy ingredients such as lemon juice, yogurt, herbs, garlic, and olive oil.

Tips

• You can easily customize the consistency of the dressing to your liking. To make it thinner, simply add a bit of water or extra lemon juice. If you prefer a thicker dressing, increase the amount of yogurt or reduce the olive oil.
• Keep it fresh. If using this dip as a salad dressing don’t mix everything together if you’re not planning to serve it right away. Storing the salad and dressing separately will prevent the salad from becoming wilted or soggy. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve this dip as a tasty low-carb salad dressing instead. Greek yogurt has very few carbs and the addition of fresh herbs only adds great nutritional value without extra calorie-rich ingredients such as sugars or fats.

How To Serve this Low-Carb Green dip?

• As a salad dressing - you don’t necessarily have to serve it with the viral tiktok green goddess salad. We also love it with our Cobb salad, Kale salad, Potato salad, Cabbage salad, or Radish salad instead of the creamy dressing. 
• Or build your own salad from scratch - you can build your own salad with any combination of the following: lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes, roasted chickpeas, onions, snow peas, dried fruit, feta or goat cheese and a mix of favorite nuts and seeds.
• As a dip - with tasty crudites boards and favorite dippers: fresh veggies (carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, radishes or any crunch vegetables), pita chips, pita bread, potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, crackers, kale chips.
• As a dipping sauce for sweet potato fries, roasted pumpkin, smashed potatoes, chicken legs, brussels sprouts, fritters, patties. To make your dip even more thicker, you can add ½-1 cup of shredded cheese (we like parmesan cheese, in this case, you may need to adjust the amount of salt) or cream cheese.
• As a burger or sandwich sauce for Salmon (it tastes excellent with fish!), Shrimp tacos, or drizzle over low carb lettuce wraps.
• As a sauce for roasted vegetables - drizzle creamy sauce over veggie sheet pan dinner, butternut squash, beets.
• Add to rice bowls (try our sweet potato buddha bowl for this), or top your baked sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas.

Storing Instructions

Variations

• Greek yogurt - I like the light texture that Greek yogurt creates, however, feel free to switch up the creamy elements to low-fat options if needed. The classic version of the green goddess dressing/dip was initially made with a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream. For added creaminess, you can mix in cream cheese as well. Or for dairy-free and vegan options use plant-based yogurt. Coconut cream and yogurt will be the best for creating a luxurious creamy texture.
• Herbs - this dip consists of plenty of herbs but it doesn't have to. You can make it with fewer herbs and use your favorite herb combinations. We like cilantro and oregano, basil and parsley, or whatever you use, I recommend including at least 2 different herbs for this dip.

How to Make a Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

In a blender or using an immersion blender blend all dressing ingredients except poppyseeds and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the seeds and let stand in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.

Tips & Variations

• Add more apple cider vinegar (about 1-2 tablespoon extra if you like the taste). It may taste very strong when you taste-tested but once added to the salad it all comes together and balances the flavors.
• Sweetener - Sugar or sweetener is optional in this recipe but it creates a good balance between sour, salty and sweet. I usually try to avoid granulated white sugar and love to use muscovado or coconut sugar instead, not only it is a healthier choice but thanks to the texture, it dissolves in the food or drinks much better. The food simply tastes better with a light caramel flavor (depends on the amount you’ll be adding of course). Alternatively add your favorite sweetener, stevia, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, or else. 
• Don’t throw away the strawberry tops! Here’s what you can do:

Where to use Strawberry Vinaigrette

Well, this Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad Dressing is perfect not only for salads but for many other dishes as well.

Here are a few of my tried and favorite foods to enjoy with the creamy dressing:

• Fresh green salads of any kinds
• Roasted vegetables like carrot, Brussels sprouts, beetroot, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli
• Avocado
• In a combination of a variety of cheeses like cream cheese, feta, goat, and cheddar cheeses
• Fruits like apples, pears

More Dressings and Sauces

• Quick Sweet and Spicy Tahini Dressing (Vegan)
• Greek Yogurt Herb Dressing (5-minute dressing!)
• Homemade Sweet Balsamic Glaze