The 6 Best Things To Eat With Guacamole

Rejoice, my fellow guac lovers — Sept. 16 is National Guacamole Day. I didn't fully appreciate the versatility and diplomatic nature of guacamole until I moved to California. Since then, I've created and experienced the refreshing and creamy avocado dip in countless contexts. And, just like with wines and cheeses, there are some things that just belong with guacamole, side by side in holy culinary matrimony. Some of the best things to pair with guacamole are unexpected, some are old friends. Either way, it's all delicious.

The avocado is basically the Madeleine Albright of the food world. It works ridiculously well with others, acting as a pleasant foil to foods that are spicy, providing a healthy alternative to fatty creams and cheeses, and serving as the one and only canvas upon which we create guacamole. And though guacamole is Mexican in origin (or Aztec, to be more specific), adventurous fusion chefs all over the world have embraced the "salad of the alligator pear" and its many applications.

In 2015, the Hass Avocado Board projected Americans would eat nearly 80 million pounds of guacamole on Super Bowl Sunday alone, largely in the form of guacamole. So how can we best embrace the affability of the greenest delicacy of them all? Here are the best food and beverage pairings to serve with your guacamole.

1. Bacon

Bacon and guacamole, I recently learned, are basically a perfect match. Crunchy and creamy, the savory bacon goes oh so well with the bright flavor of lime juice in the guacamole. Nom Nom Paleo gets right to the point with these bacon and guac mini sandwiches. Kinda makes your boring old tortilla chips look like child's play, am I right?

2. Tequila

Of course, tequila and guacamole have been served in close proximity to one another since the invention of tequila and guacamole — they were both invented around the same time and place by Aztec people in the 17th century. If you think these cocktails look good (spoiler: they are so good), jump over to one of my favorite food blogs, Muy Bueno Cookbook, and check out the recipe for frozen sunrise margaritas.

3. Baby Carrots

Baby carrots aren't just for dipping in hummus, ladies and gents. The antioxidant-packed root vegetable makes a great alternative for tortilla chips if you're looking for something a little healthier to employ as your guacamole delivery mechanism.

4. Beet Chips

And speaking of alternatives to tortilla chips, these oven-baked beet chips from A Spicy Perspective are a fun and colorful way to scoop your favorite guacamole. Just think about how cute they'd look together as an appetizer at your next cook-out or dinner party.

5. Noodles

You can make creamy pasta without any cream at all. Just coat your noodles (or spiralized zucchini) in your favorite guacamole recipe, and add vegetables to your heart's content. I recommend throwing in some fire roasted red peppers, pico de gallo, and soyrizo for a healthy Mexican-inspired dish. Here's a more Italian-style recipe from Damn Delicious for you to check out, and build upon.

6. Eggs

Eggs and guac are another California-fabulous combination. Adding guacamole to your deviled eggs is a revelation, and Closet Cooking shows you exactly how to do it right. Guacamole and eggs also make excellent bedfellows in a breakfast burrito, an omelet, or even an egg salad. Brunch just got instantly more delicious.

Looking for more amazing ways to eat guacamole? Check out our deep-fried guac recipe below, and visit Bustle on YouTube!

Images: Closet Cooking (2); Nom Nom Paleo; Jessica Learish; vibrant_art/Flickr; A Spicy Perspective; Damn Delicious