Ajua! Summer is the perfect excuse to eat all the guac you can handle. If you’re in the market for a fun twist on the classic avocado dip, you’ve got to try my Bacon Pineapple Guacamole al Pastor!

With a perfect balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and creamy flavors and just the right amount of chunkiness, you’ll want to plunge your chips into this taco-inspired dip over and over again.

woman's hand dipping a homemade tortilla chip into a molcajete of guacamole al pastor.

About This Recipe

I’m a traditional guacamole kinda girl, but after tasting this exotic guacamole I just might have a change of heart. The flavor combination is inspired by my favorite tacos al pastor; bacon and pineapple and avocados, oh my! This guacamole is so delicioso, I can promise that you won’t be able to stop at just one bite.

In this fun new riff on guacamole, I’ve added in some chargrilled pineapples for sweetness and acidity, a smoky, spicy chipotle sauce, and crispy bits of salty bacon. It’s honestly good enough to eat with a spoon!

While the basic prep for this pineapple guacamole is the same as in the classic recipe, you will need to allot an extra 20-30 minutes for charring the pineapple and cooking the bacon. I promise it is worth every second of extra effort, which is quite minimal when you get down to it.

Not only is this pineapple bacon guacamole great for serving with chips, but it has also become our favorite topping for El Paso Turkey Burgers, Ranchero Burgers Stuffed with Enchilado Cheese, and Green Chile Cheeseburgers. It’s also quite welcome on Cod Fish Tacos for a tasty tropical twist!

So, go purchase a fresh pineapple and grill it, cook up strips of bacon smothered in chipotle sauce, and add some creamy avocados. You’ll thank me later.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Making my bacon-y pineapple guacamole doesn’t require much. Here’s your shopping list:

  • Bacon – Thick or thin-cut, applewood or hickory smoked… the choice is yours! Pick your favorite bacon and run with it. For a sweet hint, try this recipe with candied bacon.
  • Chipotle Sauce – Purchase a can of chipotles in adobo sauce and use the sauce, or select your favorite bottle of chipotle hot sauce.
  • Vegetable Oil – Any neutral flavored, high smoke point oil will work here. Canola, corn, peanut, grapeseed, or avocado oil are all great choices.
  • Pineapple – I highly recommend fresh pineapple that you peel and core yourself.
  • Avocados – Perfect avocados should have just a bit of give when you squeeze them with your thumb. You can also test by flicking off the stem nub. If it comes off easily and is green underneath, your avocado is good to go. If it hangs on for dear life, the fruit needs more time to mature. Is it brown underneath? Chances are it isn’t a great avocado.
  • Orange Juice – Fresh is always best when it comes to citrus juice. One orange should be more than enough for this recipe. To get the most juice from it, give it a firm roll on the countertop for 10-15 seconds before cutting it open.
  • Jalapeño Pepper – While this is technically an optional ingredient, I always put jalapeño in my guacamole. If you are not a fan of heat, just remove the stems and seeds prior to mincing as they hold the majority of the capsaicin.
  • Red Onion – I love the color and sweet taste of red onion the best for raw applications, but you can feel free to swap in either a sweet onion or a shallot instead.
  • Cilantro – If you’re someone who thinks it tastes soapy, try using flat leaf parsley instead.
  • Salt – Don’t forget your seasoning! Just remember to start slowly; you can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away.

How To Make Bacon Pineapple Guacamole Al Pastor

This simple recipe for guacamole al pastor will come together in no time. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Cook Bacon. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush chipotle sauce on both sides. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and chop.

chopping grilled pineapple on a wooden cutting board.

Step 2: Grill Pineapple. Lightly brush both sides of pineapple rings with vegetable oil and grill them, turning once, until lightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Let cool and chop.

Step 3: Pit the Avocado. Cut the avocado in half. Twist to pull apart and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh. Place on a cutting board and roughly chop and place in a large bowl.

Step 4: Mash Lightly. Add the orange juice and mash the avocado with a fork leaving some chunks.

halved avocado.

Step 5: Add Mix-Ins. Add pineapple, bacon, jalapeño (optional), onion, cilantro, salt, and give everything a gentle stir, but don’t overdo it.

More of a visual learner? Here is my latest video showing you how easy it really is. As the saying goes…Everything tastes better with bacon.

Expert Tips

My pineapple bacon guacamole is pretty simple to make, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to share with you:

  • Don’t want to heat up the house? Grill using a cast-iron skillet!
  • The easiest way to cut a pineapple is by using a pineapple corer, which I demonstrate here.
  • If you want to learn how to pick a good pineapple and cut it without a pineapple corer, check out this post.
  • Leave some chunks! I know that some of us have OCD tendencies and want to make everything just perfect. I hear you, I see you, I’m one of you. BUT, remember that the best guacamole isn’t a smooth paste! It is much tastier when there are actual pieces of whole avocado floating around in the mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make pineapple guacamole in advance?

Avocado oxidizes (turns brown) when exposed to oxygen for too long. Prep any of the ingredients as early as you like, but leave the avocado mashing until the last minute. 

Can I make a vegan guacamole al pastor? What should I use in place of bacon?

Absolutely! There are lots of vegan bacon bits on the market, so feel free to use those and just mash the avocados with the chipotle sauce. You can also purchase or make vegan bacon strips, or simply omit them altogether.

Can I use canned pineapple?

Yep! I suggest canned pineapple rings so they don’t fall through the grates. Also, be sure to opt for pineapple packed in 100% juice rather than syrup to avoid an overly sweet fruit experience.

Can I use frozen avocado?

While frozen avocado is awesome for tossing into smoothies or cold, blended soups, it sadly undergoes a change in texture when exposed to extreme cold. As such, I don’t recommend using frozen avocado for making any type of guacamole.

What is the difference between guacamole and avocado salsa?

The primary difference is that avocado salsa has either tomatoes or tomatillos in the mix, and is often a bit thinner than guacamole. Aside from that, they have very similar ingredient profiles and recipe instructions.

More Guacamole Recipes

Still have a hankering for avocado-based dips? I don’t blame you! Here are some of my other favorites:

If you tried this recipe for Bacon Pineapple Guacamole al Pastor, please be sure to let me know how it turned out by rating it or commenting below.

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Guacamole al Pastor

3.67 (3 ratings)
Bacon and pineapple and avocados, oh my! This guacamole is so delicioso. The flavor combination is inspired from my favorite tacos: tacos al pastor.

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 strips bacon
  • ¼ cup chipotle sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 rings pineapple, chopped
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)
  • ¼ cup minced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Arrange bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush chipotle sauce on both sides. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and chop.
  • Lightly brush both sides of pineapple rings with vegetable oil and grill them, turning once, until lightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Let cool and chop.
  • Cut the avocado in half. Twist to pull apart and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh. Place on a cutting board and roughly chop and place in a large bowl.
  • Add the orange juice and mash the avocado with a fork leaving some chunks.
  • Add pineapple, bacon, jalapeño (optional), onion, cilantro, salt, and give everything a gentle stir, but don’t overdo it.

Video

Notes

  • Serve with tortilla chips. 
  • Make ahead tip: Avocado oxidizes (turns brown) when exposed to oxygen for too long. Prep any of the ingredients as early as you like, but leave the avocado mashing until the last minute. 
Calories: 278.2kcal, Carbohydrates: 10.16g, Protein: 4.91g, Fat: 25.82g, Saturated Fat: 6.97g, Cholesterol: 14.52mg, Sodium: 936.16mg, Potassium: 540.72mg, Fiber: 6.98g, Sugar: 1.42g, Vitamin A: 203.13IU, Vitamin C: 15.2mg, Calcium: 12.06mg, Iron: 0.64mg

Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: May 2015.Â