Creamy Guacamole Salsa: The Famous Mama Ninfa’s Green Sauce Inspired Avocado Dip

Discover the secret to a vibrant, creamy guacamole salsa that expertly blends the best of guacamole with the zesty kick of salsa verde. This unique dip is a perfected take on Mama Ninfa’s legendary green sauce, enhanced for an unparalleled flavor experience!

The Legend of Mama Ninfa’s Green Sauce

For those familiar with the vibrant Tex-Mex culinary scene, Mama Ninfa Laurenzo is a name synonymous with innovation and deliciousness. Her groundbreaking contributions to Mexican cuisine, particularly in Houston, Texas, are legendary. While she’s most celebrated for popularizing sizzling fajitas, her “green sauce” holds a special place in the hearts of locals. This isn’t just any dip; it’s a creamy, tangy, and subtly spicy concoction that has graced countless tables and become an iconic staple in Tex-Mex restaurants across the region. Mama Ninfa herself simply called it “green sauce,” but its rich, avocado-forward profile often leads people to describe it as a creamy guacamole salsa.

There’s a reason why Houstonians often boast about their city’s incredible food scene, and this beloved avocado dip is definitely a key part of that pride. It embodies the fresh, bold flavors that define Tex-Mex cuisine, making it an irresistible accompaniment to almost any meal. Our version aims to capture that authentic essence while giving it an extra “flavor punch” – a little more zest and brightness to truly make your taste buds sing.

Why Call It Guacamole Salsa? The Perfect Mashup Explained

While the original creator referred to it as a “green sauce,” we’ve opted for the more descriptive and universally understood “guacamole salsa” to convey its true nature. After all, outside of Houston, the idea of serving a “green sauce” with tortilla chips might raise a few eyebrows! But don’t let the name confuse you; this isn’t just a runny guacamole, nor is it a traditional chunky salsa. It’s a brilliant fusion that brings together the best attributes of both. Think of it as a creamy salsa verde meeting a smooth, luscious guacamole.

Have you ever noticed those bottles of electric-lime-green crema in the salsa aisle of your local grocery store? While they might promise a similar experience, a quick glance at their ingredient list often reveals a disheartening number of unpronounceable additives. Our homemade guacamole salsa, on the other hand, relies on fresh, wholesome ingredients, ensuring a superior taste and a healthier option. It’s truly a game-changer – a creamy, yet distinctly punchy dip that carries a 100% chance of developing a delicious addiction! Once you try this easy avocado dip, you’ll understand why it’s so revered and versatile.

The Wholesome Ingredients Behind This Irresistible Dip

One of the best things about this creamy avocado dip is how many healthy components it contains. While we certainly won’t judge if you enjoy it with copious amounts of tortilla chips and margaritas (it’s Cinco de Mayo somewhere, right?), the dip itself is packed with fresh, nutritious ingredients. Aside from a modest addition of sour cream to achieve that signature silky texture, most of what goes into this guacamole salsa is genuinely good for you. And for those seeking an even lighter alternative, Greek yogurt can be effortlessly substituted for the sour cream, maintaining that delightful creaminess without compromise.

Key Ingredients and Their Flavor Contributions:

Tomatillos & Green Tomatoes: This dynamic duo forms the tangy base of our salsa. Tomatillos, with their slightly tart and earthy flavor, are essential for any authentic salsa verde. Green tomatoes, while less tart, add a fresh, vibrant note and a subtle sweetness that balances the overall profile. Using a 50/50 split gives the best of both worlds, but you can certainly use all tomatillos or all green tomatoes if one is harder to find.
Jalapeños: These peppers provide the perfect amount of heat. For a milder guacamole salsa, remove the seeds and membranes. If you love a fiery kick, leave some or all of them in. The jalapeños also contribute a fresh, peppery aroma that is crucial to the dip’s character.
Garlic: A few cloves of fresh garlic are non-negotiable. When cooked slightly, the garlic mellows, infusing the salsa with a deep, savory foundation that ties all the flavors together.
Avocados: The star of the show! Ripe, creamy avocados transform the cooked salsa verde base into a luxurious, smooth dip. They provide the signature richness and texture that makes this a true guacamole salsa. Ensure your avocados are perfectly ripe for the best results – they should yield slightly to gentle pressure.
Cilantro: This fresh herb adds a bright, herbaceous lift, contributing to the dip’s vibrant green color and signature Tex-Mex flavor. Don’t be shy with the cilantro; its fresh notes are essential.
Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt): This is where the magic happens for that ultra-creamy consistency. A generous dollop of sour cream smooths out the texture, making it wonderfully decadent. As mentioned, Greek yogurt is a fantastic healthy alternative that provides similar creaminess with a slight tang.
Lime Juice: The secret weapon for that extra “flavor punch”! Fresh lime juice brightens all the flavors, cutting through the richness of the avocado and sour cream with a zesty, irresistible tang. This is one of our key tweaks to Mama Ninfa’s original, ensuring a more vibrant, “woke up” taste.
Salt: Essential for seasoning, salt enhances all the other flavors, bringing them into perfect harmony. Don’t forget to taste and adjust!

Crafting Your Perfect Creamy Guacamole Salsa: Step-by-Step

Making this homemade guacamole salsa is surprisingly simple, yielding approximately 3 ½ cups, enough to feed five to six people. Be warned: it has a mysterious way of disappearing within minutes! The process begins by gently cooking a handful of key ingredients to unlock their full flavor potential. This essential step sets our recipe apart, creating a depth of flavor that raw salsa simply can’t achieve.

The Cooking Stage: Softening and Intensifying Flavors

We start by roughly chopping your chosen green tomatoes and tomatillos. While you can opt for one or the other, a 50/50 split often provides the most balanced flavor profile, combining the tartness of tomatillos with the mild sweetness of green tomatoes. These are then joined by fresh garlic cloves and one or two jalapeños. Remember, removing the seeds from the jalapeños will result in a milder dip, while leaving them in will increase the heat significantly. Toss all these vibrant ingredients into a medium saucepan with a generous pinch of salt. The salt is crucial here; it not only seasons but also helps to draw out moisture from the vegetables, intensifying their flavors as they simmer.

Let this mixture gently cook over medium-low heat for about 12-15 minutes, or until the tomatillos and green tomatoes have softened considerably. Keep an eye on the liquid; if you notice a lot remaining around the 10-minute mark, increase the heat to medium-high for a few minutes to help evaporate it, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. This ensures a concentrated flavor rather than a watery salsa. Once cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the tomatillo mixture to cool for at least 20 minutes before proceeding. This cooling period is important for preserving the fresh avocado and sour cream flavors when they are added.

The Blending Stage: Achieving Silky Smooth Perfection

Once your cooked tomatillo mixture has cooled to a warm or room temperature, it’s time to bring everything together. Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add your perfectly ripe avocados and a generous handful of fresh cilantro leaves and stems. Pulse these ingredients until they form a mostly smooth consistency. The beauty of a food processor is that it effortlessly creates that desirable creamy texture, far smoother than a traditional chunky guacamole.

Next, introduce the sour cream. As mentioned, feel free to swap in creamy Greek yogurt for a lighter alternative; the end result will still be wonderfully smooth and delicious. Continue to blend until the guacamole salsa reaches an ultra-creamy, velvety consistency. This is the moment where our recipe truly diverges from a standard Mama Ninfa’s green sauce, as we fine-tune the flavor profile to deliver an extra punch.

For that irresistible brightness and tang, drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of fresh lime juice. Pulse again to incorporate. Now for the crucial step: taste and adjust! This is your opportunity to truly personalize your creamy guacamole salsa. Does it need more tang? Add another tablespoon of lime juice. Does it need more salt to awaken the flavors? Add a pinch more. Want more heat? A dash of hot sauce or a tiny bit more jalapeño can do the trick. Once you’ve achieved your perfect balance, pour the guacamole salsa into a bowl, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld and deepen, transforming it into an even more complex and delicious dip.

Serving Suggestions and Storage Tips

This creamy guacamole salsa is so versatile, you’ll find yourself drizzling it on just about everything! Its creamy, spicy, tangy, and garlicky profile makes it incredibly addictive, much like a gourmet French onion dip – all self-control tends to fly out the window. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this incredible dip:

Versatile Ways to Enjoy Your Guacamole Salsa:

With Chips: The classic pairing! Scoop generously with your favorite tortilla chips.
On Tacos: Elevate any taco night! It’s fantastic with blackened salmon, shredded chicken, beef, or even vegetarian tacos.
As a Topping for Ropa Vieja: The freshness cuts through the richness of slow-cooked meats beautifully.
Breakfast Booster: Dollop it onto breakfast tacos, scrambled eggs, or a breakfast burrito for a vibrant start to your day.
Quick Slaw: Toss with shredded cabbage for an instant, flavorful slaw that pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or fish.
Bowl Upgrade: Add a generous spoonful to grain bowls, burrito bowls, or even a simple rice and bean dish.
On Grilled Meats: Serve alongside grilled steak, chicken, or shrimp for a burst of fresh flavor.
Sandwich & Wrap Spread: Use it instead of mayonnaise or other condiments in sandwiches and wraps for a zesty twist.
Salad Dressing: Thin it out slightly with a little extra lime juice or water, and you have an incredible creamy salad dressing.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:

This avocado dip is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be made ahead. The chilling time in the refrigerator is essential for the flavors to fully develop, making it even more delicious after a few hours. To store, keep the guacamole salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The lime juice and the cooking process help to prevent excessive browning of the avocado, but you might notice a slight color change over time. Giving it a good stir before serving will typically refresh its appearance and texture.

Considering how quickly this dip disappears, you might want to double the batch right from the start (as we often do!). Trust us, you’ll be glad you did. Make dip. Serve. Scoop with copious amounts of chips. Repeat often. Enjoy every creamy, tangy, and delightful bite of this homemade Mama Ninfa’s inspired green sauce!

Yield: ~3 ½ cups

Creamy Guacamole Salsa (Mama Ninfa’s Style)

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
15 minutes

Additional Time
3 hours

Total Time
3 hours 25 minutes

A creamy guacamole salsa that’s a mashup of guacamole and salsa verde. This is the famous Mama Ninfa’s green sauce recipe tweaked to give it more of a flavor punch!

Creamy Guacamole Salsa (like Mama Ninfa's)

Ingredients

For Cooking:

½ lb. green tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ lb. tomatillos, husk removed and roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic
1-2 jalapenos (seeds removed for a milder flavor)

For Blending:

2 medium avocados, ripe
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
2-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (to taste)

Instructions

Cook the Base: Add the chopped green tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapenos to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a big pinch of salt and stir to combine. Once you hear it begin to sizzle, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 12-15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are softened. If, around the 10-minute mark, there’s a lot of liquid left in the pan, increase the heat to medium-high to help evaporate it, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Allow the mixture to cool completely for at least 20 minutes before proceeding.
Blend to Creaminess: Transfer the cooled tomatillo mixture to a food processor. Add the ripe avocados and fresh cilantro. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth. Incorporate the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and continue to blend until a creamy, smooth consistency is achieved. Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of fresh lime juice and pulse to combine. Taste the guacamole salsa and adjust with additional lime juice and salt as desired to achieve your perfect flavor balance.
Chill and Serve: Pour the creamy guacamole salsa into a serving bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. This crucial chilling period allows the flavors to meld and deepen. Serve cold with tortilla chips, as a topping for tacos, or alongside your favorite Tex-Mex dishes.

Notes

Ingredient Swap: If you can’t find both green tomatoes and tomatillos, you can use a full pound of either ingredient (e.g., 1 lb green tomatoes or 1 lb tomatillos).
Yield & Scaling: This recipe comfortably serves about 5-6 people and yields approximately 3 ½ cups. It can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd or if you want extra to keep on hand!
Spice Level: For a spicier dip, leave some or all of the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños. For a milder version, remove them entirely.
Storage: Store leftover guacamole salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Have you made this recipe?

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