Guacamole
This easy guacamole recipe is simple to make and gives you the best homemade guac to serve alongside tortilla chips or to use as a topping for snacks and meals. The most authentic guacamole uses fresh ingredients like avocado, onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and jalapeño for those who want a little heat. Just follow the easy steps and video below!
Whether you use this strictly as a dip or on your favorite tacos, burritos, or fajitas, the classic zesty taste of guacamole is a must have for summer and beyond (and don’t forget to pair it with a good margarita).
Ingredients for Guacamole:
- Avocado: You’ll want to pick ripe avocados for your guacamole to get the most buttery and flavorful taste (tips for that below!).
- Tomato: Try using something like a roma tomato as they are less watery, but any ripe tomato will do.
- Onion: White and yellow onion are popular choices for guacamole with their sweet and mild flavor, but you can also use red onion for a bigger punch of flavor.
- Cilantro: The earthy fresh taste of cilantro adds a wonderful tangy taste to guacamole, but you can skip it if you’re one of those people who hates cilantro.
- Lime Juice: A healthy serving of lime juice adds a tart zest to your guac and it also helps preserve it if you have leftovers to store in the fridge.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder or minced raw garlic, so whichever you have on hand will do.
- Jalapeño (optional): If you want to add some heat to your guac, jalapeño peppers add the perfect amount of spice.
How do you pick ripe avocados?
When picking ripe avocados, you want to:
- Check firmness: When you gently squeeze the avocado, you’ll want to feel your fingers make a slight indent into the flesh. If it’s hard, it’s not ripe, and if it’s very soft and mushy, then it’s too ripe.
- Look at color: Most ripe avocados are dark green to almost black in color. A light green avocado that feels hard to the touch is definitely not ripe yet, but color can vary with ripe avocado so the firmness test is actually your best indicator.
- Check the stem: Some people have you remove the stem to check the color for ripeness, but look for a stem that’s intact as the avocado can start to brown on the inside if the stem was removed while at the store.
How to make guacamole
Use a knife to slice the ripe avocados in half. Remove the pit and scoop into a bowl.
Use a fork or potato masher to mash the avocado as chunky or as smooth as you like.
Add the rest of your ingredients and stir well. Add more salt or lime juice to taste.
Serve immediately or store in fridge until ready to eat.
Tip: Use fresh lime juice whenever possible for guacamole—it’s so much better than the bottled versions.
Tips for Making Guacamole Ahead of Time:
Guacamole is always best fresh, but you can make it a few hours ahead of time if you follow these rules:
- Choose an airtight container: Make sure you store it in an airtight container when placing it in the fridge as oxygen is not your friend when it comes to browning guacamole.
- Add the pits: Save the avocado pits and place them back into the guacamole when you store it in the fridge.
- Use extra lime: Lime helps preserve the guac, so add a little extra lime than you normally would to help keep it fresh in the fridge.
- Cover with plastic wrap: Before adding your lid onto your container, place a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper onto the top of the guacamole. That creates a barrier between the guac and the extra air in your container to keep it from oxidizing faster.
Tip: Plan ahead when buying avocados to make guacamole. Ripe avocados are not always available in the store when you need them that day, so you may want to buy some unripe ones a few days ahead of time to ensure they are ripe when you need them.
Guacamole recipe variations:
To change up the traditional guacamole taste, you can add in:
- Sour cream
- Cotija cheese
- Mango or pineapple
- Black beans
- Corn
- Bacon crumbles
- Cayenne pepper
