The BEST guacamole recipe! It's easy to make with simple, fresh ingredients like ripe avocados, onion, and lime juice. Great with chips, tacos, and more!
If you don’t already have a go-to guacamole recipe, let me introduce you to mine.
- This guacamole recipe is easy to make. You can whip it up in 10 minutes or less!
- It calls for simple, fresh ingredients. Think ripe avocados, onion, cilantro, and lime.
- It’s DELICIOUS. This homemade guacamole is creamy, zesty, and bright.
I developed the recipe while I was living in Austin, Texas. The city has incredible Tex Mex and Mexican food, and I ate a TON of great guac at local restaurants there. It inspired me to learn how to make guacamole at home. With a little trial and error (and lots of lime juice), I worked out this simple guacamole recipe, which rivals any I’ve had out to eat. It’s been a hit at countless parties and taco nights over the years—I think you’re going to love it!
Guacamole Ingredients
To make this guacamole recipe, you’ll need these simple ingredients:
- Ripe avocados – Emphasis on ripe! If your avocados are too firm, they won’t mash into a smooth and creamy guac. See the tip below!
- Red onion – For crunch and savory bite. Diced white onions work here too.
- Fresh cilantro – I love the refreshing kick it adds to this guacamole recipe, but you can skip it if you’re not a fan.
- Fresh lime juice and zest – They make the guacamole zesty and bright.
- Jalapeño – For heat. Feel free to omit it if you’re sensitive to spice. A serrano pepper would work here too!
- Ground cumin – Optional, but delicious. It adds earthy depth of flavor.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Tip
Buy the avocados ahead of time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to the grocery store planning to make this guacamole recipe…only to discover that all the avocados are rocks!
If you can, shop a few days in advance. Store unripe avocados at room temperature until they’re soft to the touch. Then, transfer them to the fridge until you’re ready to make guac.
Wondering if you can speed up the ripening process? I’ve tried every trick there is (putting the avocados in a paper bag, baking them, etc.) with zero success. Planning ahead is the best way to ensure you’ll have perfectly ripe avocados for this recipe!
How to Make Guacamole
You can find the complete guacamole recipe with measurements below, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how to make guacamole:
Starting by prepping the ingredients. Peel and pit the avocados, and finely dice the onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Zest the limes.
Place the avocados, onion, cilantro, lime zest, peppers, salt, and cumin, if using, in a large bowl. Squeeze in the lime juice.
Next, mash. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the guacamole together. The final texture is up to you. Mash less if you like your guac a little chunky. Mash more if you like it smoother!
Finally, season to taste. Add more salt, lime, cumin, etc. as desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
This classic guacamole recipe is delicious as written, but feel free to change it up! If you like, stir in mix-ins such as these:
- Diced roma tomatoes
- Grated garlic
- Cotija cheese
- Diced fresh mango or pineapple
Let me know what variations you try!
How to Serve Guacamole
My favorite way to serve this easy guacamole recipe is as a dip with tortilla chips. It’s such a crowd-pleasing appetizer!
For a full party spread, I like to pair it with margaritas to drink and a homemade salsa. It goes well with any of these salsa recipes:
Homemade guacamole is also a great accompaniment to Mexican-inspired meals. Add a scoop to veggie tacos or a breakfast burrito, or spoon it onto your next burrito bowl. Find more Mexican-inspired recipes below.
How to Store Leftovers
Like bananas and apples, avocados oxidize, or turn brown, after you slice them open. This browning won’t change how the guac tastes, but it doesn’t look super appealing. For this reason, I like to mix up this recipe right before serving.
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To prevent leftover guac from browning, squeeze a little lemon juice or lime juice over its surface before sealing the container. You could also press a layer of plastic wrap over the top of the guacamole before placing on the lid.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you loved learning how to make guacamole, try one of these Mexican-inspired recipes next:
Best Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 avocados, ripe
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, diced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, optional
- optional: 1 to 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the avocados, onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, jalapeño, salt, and cumin, if using. Mash until the ingredients are combined but still a bit chunky.
- Fold in the tomatoes, if using.
- Season to taste and serve.
Very close to my recipe…
I suggest adding some Sazonador (by Goya, but Badia makes one also).
It doesn’t take much, but really kicks up the flavor.
Also, I don’t use a fork, I use one of those meat masher/chopper tools. Works like a charm!
Where is the epazote?
A small chopped leaf for every avocado used.
Hi Chester, feel free to add some! Epazote isn’t widely available where we live, but I’d love to try it in this recipe.
THE “trick” to ripen avocados is to put in paper bag loosely folded closed with a fresh spring onion or garden onion WITH the leaves still on. It’s simply science. It’ll even work if you put them next to one another on the counter….crazy–that’s how I found out and researched it. Oddly enough, a slice of onion when put in your guac container, will keep it from oxidizing. Prepare extra vegetables-voila! You have pico de gallo!!
I don’t think this will work with spring onions. It might with a mature onion. But it works best using bananas in a bag with the avocadoes. It’s the ethylene gas produced by the fruit that accelerates the ripening process. As you say “It’s simply science.”
Love it my go to when entertaining,
I’m so happy to hear!
I had a clubhouse sandwich at a restaurant, they used guacamole instead of mayo, the sandwich tasted awesome, best one I’ve ever had; this is just to let ppl know it can be used anytime as a mayo replacement
I had a clubhouse sandwich at a restaurant, they used guacamole instead of mayo, the sandwich tasted awesome, best one I e ever had; this is just to let ppl know it can be used anytime as a mayo replacement
So true!
Sandwiches, deviled eggs, canned tuna… you can use guac for so many things!
Same. Make sure you have large avocados, or reduce lime. I used smaller ones and it had a very strong lime flavor.
Very citrus forward, Maybe our avocados are too small and limes too big? Next time will use half of what is called for
Perfection! It tasted a bit salty to me when I first made it, but it was perfect after sitting in the fridge for a couple hours.
So glad you enjoyed it, Alf!
I made this guacamole for a family picnic we were hosting. My sister, who’s a chef, took one bite and immediately said…”did you make this?” I said yes, why…she said, “it’s the best quacamole I have ever had! That’s a true compliment from my sister! (She became a chef because I couldn’t cook!??♀️). So…thanks! Oh, she insisted that I send her the recipe!
Ha ha, I’m so glad it impressed!
I can’t eat lemon or limes can I use a little vinegar in it place?
Hi Eia, I would try rice vinegar because it has a lighter vinegar flavor than others.
verygood
So glad you enjoyed it, John!
I just made this and used a red jalapeno pepper as that is all the store had. I removed about 1/2 of the seeds and it was the perfect kick. I added a Roma tomato and adding Cumin made this over-the-top! It’s a keeper!
So glad you loved it, Nylah!