Guacamole is a beloved Mexican dip that is wildly popular in the US and something I make at home all the time! My simple guacamole recipe is made with fresh, simple ingredients for the best flavor, and is ready in a flash. You’ll love the combination of buttery, perfectly ripe avocado, puckery lime juice, juicy tomato, and crunchy diced onion! Serve guacamole with chips for an incredibly satisfying snack, or add it as a topping or side to other Mexican food.
You can make this guacamole your own in several ways! Leave it a bit chunky, or mash the avocado until totally smooth. Add ground spices like cumin for an earthy element. Bulk it up with sour cream. There are loads of options for customizing this guacamole recipe, and I have plenty of ideas for you in this post! For more Mexican recipes, try my elote, mango salsa, and pico de gallo.
Ingredients
These are the key ingredients to make the best guacamole. You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card!
Avocados — ripe avocados are a must for creamy guacamole. Haas variety is my favorite for guacamole dip!
Red onion — diced red onion adds textural interest and a mild bite to the guac. You can use white onion if you prefer.
Limes — fresh lime juice adds brightness and also helps prevent the avocado from turning brown too quickly. Don’t replace this with bottled juice–fresh limes make a big difference in flavor.
Garlic — I consider garlic an essential ingredient for guacamole! Be sure to use fresh minced garlic if possible. In a pinch, sub a ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for a clove.
Tomatoes — Roma tomatoes add freshness, sweetness, and a pop of color. You can leave these out if you like a smoother dip.
Cilantro — chopped fresh cilantro adds a lovely herbal element and a hint of peppery flavor. If you don’t like cilantro, replace it with chopped parsley or chives.
Jalapeño — a seeded and diced jalapeño pepper adds a very subtle heat. If you are sensitive to spice, feel free to omit it.
Guacamole Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large avocados ripe
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
Instructions
- Add the red onion, lime juice, garlic, and salt to a large bowl.
- Halve, pit, and scoop the avocado flesh out of the skins and place it in the bowl with the onions. Mash gently with a fork until the avocado is as smooth or chunky as you prefer.
- Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño, and stir together until well combined. Taste and add more lime juice or salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use a fork or potato masher to mash the avocados to the consistency you like (chunky or smooth). The potato masher is great if you want a really smooth dip. Use a fork for chunkier guacamole.
- If your avocados are on the small side and you don’t seem to have enough, you can add a little sour cream to bulk it up.
- Marinate the onions and garlic with the lime juice first! This takes a little bit of the bite out of the fresh onions and imparts a great mellow flavor. Simply mix the onions, garlic, lime juice, and salt together in the bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes before adding in the avocado and mashing.
Nutrition
How To Make Guacamole
1. Chop up lots of fresh cilantro and set aside.
2. Add the diced red onion and garlic to a large bowl and squeeze lime juice over the top. I like to set this aside for 10 minutes, but that is optional.
3. Scoop the avocado flesh and add it to the bowl.
4. Mash with a fork until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
5. Add the diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and jalapeno. Stir to combine.
6. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if necessary.
How To Pick Out Avocados
Picking good avocados doesn’t need to be tricky! I typically choose Hass avocados, which are rich and buttery. Here are some easy tips to pick the best avocados for a delicious guacamole:
- Look for avocados with darker green skin that feel heavy for their size. The skin starts off bright green and is typically shiny, and it darkens as it ripens.
- The skin should feel firm but flexible, not hard or wrinkled. The skin dries out as they get older, and this often means the inside is brown or very mushy and overripe.
- Choose avocados that do not have mushy or brown spots. This means the flesh inside is bruised or overripe.
To tell when an avocado is ripe: Gently press near the stem end, and it should give slightly. The skin will also be dark green in color.
How To Keep Guacamole From Turning Brown
Guacamole is best enjoyed shortly after you make it because avocados oxidize (turn brown) fairly quickly. But there are a few simple ways to slow down that process:
- Don’t be stingy with the lime juice. Its acidity slows the browning process. You can also squeeze extra on top of leftover guacamole before storing it. Lemon juice will also work.
- Use plastic wrap. Since oxidation occurs when the avocado is exposed to air, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to prevent air from reaching it. The top may still discolor slightly, but it will be much less brown.
- Add an avocado pit or two to the serving bowl and in the storage container if you have leftovers. This is the least effective of the three methods– lime juice and plastic wrap are my go-tos– but I do find the pits help slow the browning down some, so give this a try as well!
How To Store Leftovers
Place leftover guacamole in an airtight container and add lime juice or cover with plastic wrap as described above. It will keep well for a day or two but will start browning and becoming more watery as time passes.
Variations
- Add spices like cumin, paprika, or cayenne pepper.
- Use diced bell pepper instead of jalapeño. This is a great option if you want to avoid the spice but still want extra texture.
- Add fruit. Diced mango or pineapple introduces even more color and an incredible sweet element.
- Mix the easy guacamole recipe with hummus for a delicious alternative dip.
- Make guacamole salsa (also called salsa de guacamole or avocado salsa) by mixing guacamole with salsa verde.
- Use it as a filling for deviled eggs! You can skip the yolks or mash them into the guacamole, then pipe or spoon the dip into the egg white halves.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Cut an avocado safely: Never hold an avocado in your hand while removing the pit or making the slices! Check out my avocado toast recipe for the steps on how to cut an avocado safely.
Shop for avocados ahead of time. Avocados aren’t typically ripe when you buy them from the grocery store. If they ripen faster than you’ll use them, store them in the fridge. Chilling ripe avocados extends their shelf life by about a week!
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite way to enjoy this authentic guacamole recipe is alongside homemade salsa, queso, and a big bag of chips! But I also love serving it as a topping for nachos, brie quesadillas, chicken enchiladas, shrimp tacos, and chicken fajitas. Don’t forget an ice-cold margarita to wash it all down!
You can slightly speed up the ripening process by placing the avocados in a paper bag with bananas. See my post about how to ripen bananas for the paper bag method details! Unlike bananas, this method won’t work very quickly for avocados. The best way to go about it is to plan ahead and buy your avocados a few days in advance, so they have time to ripen at their own pace.
Yes! If you plan to freeze homemade guacamole, leave out the tomatoes and stir them in after you thaw it out. The tomatoes can become very watery and mushy when thawed. Store guacamole in a freezer bag and squeeze as much air as you can from the bag. It will freeze well for up to 3 months.
If you’ve tried this guacamole recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
