Dig in with this creamy and delicious avocado guasacaca recipe, Venezuelan wasakaka, a spicy, vegan avocado sauce with fresh herbs, green bell pepper, and no added oil, made in 15 minutes.
Guasacaca is a Venezuelan green sauce that is delicious for dipping with crispy tortilla chips and the perfect condiment for sweet potato three-bean chili, one-pot pinto beans and rice, creamy chipotle black beans, spicy tempeh tacos, or vegan taco meat with walnuts and lentils. The options are limitless!
Think of guasacaca (wah-s-ca-ca) as Venezuela’s version of guacamole, only better. The herbs, pepper, vinegar, and fresh lime juice create a zesty and refreshing flavor.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients that you can buy at the grocery store.
- This lighter version of guasacaca has no added oil.
- Like avocado green goddess dressing, guasacaca takes minutes to make in a blender or food processor.
Recipe Ingredients
Avocados. Guasacaca starts with an avocado base. You'll need 2 ripe avocados or use the equivalent of frozen avocado (not prepared guacamole).
Onion. Use half a small yellow onion. Substitute with green onions (white and stalks), red onion, or shallots.
Jalapenos. If you like spicy food, split and quarter the jalapeno. Otherwise, remove the seeds and yellow core.
Cilantro (coriander). Use the leaves and tender stems of your cilantro. I like lots of cilantro, so I usually Pile it into a measuring cup if you don’t feel comfortable eyeballing how much 1 cup is.
Parsley. Parsley adds a fresh, peppery flavor. I used flat-leaf parsley because it has a slightly less bold flavor than curly. Either will be fine.
Rice vinegar. Smooth, subtle rice vinegar is slightly sweeter than other types of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is the best substitute. Or use white wine, not plain white vinegar.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
Make a less spicy version of this recipe by cutting the hot peppers and using a few drops of hot sauce. If you use extra chili powder, your sauce might not be bright green, similar to my avocado chipotle salad dressing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Step 2: Process until smooth.
Pro Tips
- Layer the ingredients from hardest to softest so the processor blade hits the biggest pieces first.
- Whenever you make a blender sauce like sun-dried tomato pesto or homemade date paste, it's always best to start blending at a slow speed, gradually increasing as the ingredients break down.
- Guasacaca benefits from having 5-10 minutes to set before serving. With that yummy bowl in front of you, it's a lot to ask, but time allows the flavors to build.
Serving Suggestions
Serve guasacaca at room temperature as a dip or sauce. My favorite is dipping chips into this sauce, with slathering it on potato tortillas a close second. I try to keep it a little lighter using homemade corn tortillas.
It pairs well with creamy vegan sour cream, traditional jalapeno and tomato salsa fresca, or fresh mango pico de gallo for a festive taco bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guasacaca is at its freshest a few minutes after making it. But you can keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Stir and add a little bit of lime juice to freshen it up.
Hard avocados should ripen within 4-5 days. You can speed up the process by storing them in a brown bag. You can also try adding an apple or banana to the bag. Be sure to check the avocados daily. You want to use them 2-3 days after they ripen.
Guasacaca has a different flavor than traditional Mexican guacamole. The infusion of vinegar, green pepper, parsley, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro often used in guacamole gives it a more complex taste. Both dishes highlight the rich buttery flavor of avocados but have contrasting ingredients and flavor profiles.
Hard avocados should ripen within 4-5 days. You can speed up the process by storing them in a brown bag. You can also try adding an apple or banana to the bag. Be sure to check the avocados daily. You want to use them 2-3 days after they ripen.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Avocado Guasacaca Recipe (Venezuelan Wasakaka)
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Ingredients
- 2 large avocados
- ½ medium onion - quartered
- 1 small green bell pepper - quartered with seeds removed
- 1-2 medium jalapeno chilis - cut in half (remove the seeds to reduce the heat)
- 1 cup cilantro - leaves, and tender stems
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley - leaves, and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pits, and scoop out the avocado flesh into a blender or food processor.
- Add the onion, green pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, parsley, rice vinegar, and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
- Taste, then add salt and pepper if desired.
- Let the sauce rest for 5-10 minutes so that the flavors have time to build.
Notes
- Look for ripe avocados that are soft but not mushy when you place them in your palm and squeeze lightly.
- If you want the sauce on the chunky side, small dice the onion, pepper, and jalapeno, and chop the cilantro and parsley.
- Guasacaca is at its freshest immediately after making it; however, it keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days. Be sure to keep it in a tightly sealed container and give it a stir before serving. You may want to add a little lime juice to freshen it up.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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