The Unexpected Ingredient That Will Punch Up Your Guacamole

Head to almost any sports-themed party and you'll most likely find tortilla chips, salsa, queso, and if you're lucky, guacamole. This rich, lavish cousin of the other party dips is usually a crowd favorite — and for good reason. It's typically made by combining fresh avocados, salt, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeños, and red onions, and may be enhanced with chopped tomatoes, radishes, or sliced jicama as well, per Simply Recipes.

The flavors of guacamole are bright, fresh, and oh-so savory from the buttery, salted chunks of avocado, which pair exceedingly well with sweet fruits, acidity, and spices. And if you're feeling really creative, you can add bacon bits, sun-dried tomatoes, or toasted pumpkin seeds, via Brit + Co.

But there's one unexpected ingredient that takes guacamole to a whole new level, and for this, we must venture off to Germany, where this "sour cabbage" is considered a superfood, per German Foods.

What do Reuben sandwiches, kapustas, and Choucroute Garnie à l'Alsacienne all have in common? They're all made with sauerkraut, which is akin to other types of fermented cabbages, like kimchi in Korea (per BBC Good Food) or pikliz in Haiti (via Revolution Fermentation).

Sauerkraut, according to BBC Good Food, is often eaten as is or incorporated into other dishes, and is comprised of cabbage and salt, which allows a lactic-acid fermentation process to take place. Many home cooks also add in dill, caraway, dukkah (a type of Egyptian spice), and cardamom seeds for flavorful variations, per Make Sauerkraut.

Cleveland Kitchen believes that sauerkraut is a tasty addition to guacamole, and suggests mixing some into your mashed avocados. This pairing works well because sauerkraut will add some hints of saltiness and sourness (per Allrecipes) to the guacamole, which means you can ease up on the lime juice and added salt for a creative spin on this traditional dip. Purely Flourish also recommends adding this sauerkraut guacamole dip to tacos and scrambled eggs, but you can certainly incorporate this in almost any dish you like, even German food.