Name: Avocado Salsa
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Ingredients: 1 ripe avocado (, halved, pitted, and flesh scooped out); 1 fresh jalapeno (, cut into quarters); 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 3 ⁄4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (, minced); 2 tablespoons onions (, diced)

Years ago, I started dating a drummer when I was in college at University of Alabama. He was another student, of course, but was much more serious about music.. I’m still not sure what he thought he’d do at college, but nonetheless. Said musician then joined a band which got a record deal with a major label and moved out to LA. Let’s jump into a long-distance relationship, shall we? Shall we!

When I visited, we’d always, always, always treat our whiskey-soaked hangovers to authentic burritos and a plate of salsas at a little taqueria-in-the-wall off Santa Monica and La Brea called Las Ranas. I dream of this place, you guys, and it’s a for-sure when we visit LA again. The salsa that used to haunt me, however, was a smooth avocado salsa–not too spicy but with a little kick. Not too much cilantro; not too bland; not too creamy.. just perfect. It was years before I found a recipe that did this salsa justice, and I have my incessant Googling to thank!

This smooth avocado salsa is just perfect. So simple but full of flavor, so easy and perfect to go with almost anything Latin-inspired. 5 ingredients, a couple minutes, and a blender, you guys. The white vinegar is a surprising ingredient but don’t skip it! It really adds a very, very subtle but rounding bit of acidity and keeps the salsa green in the frigo. And as the warmer weather creeps in, you need a batch of this in the fridge at all times.