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The best Guacamole recipe is simple – just ripe avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, lime and salt. It’s fresh and healthy and takes just 10 minutes to make!

Avocados show up in lots of recipes around here! You should try my Avocado Egg Salad and Tomato Avocado Salad next!

guacamoles and avocados
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Why This Recipe Works

  • Only 7 Ingredients – Just 7 fresh ingredients (plus salt) make this easy guacamole recipe a must-make for any gathering or just for late-night snacking.
  • Simple and Fresh – Authentic guacamole doesn’t need a bunch of fancy ingredients. You just need avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, cilantro, limes, and salt.
  • Make a Lot or a Little – You can use a few avocados and make a quick snack just for yourself, or use a whole bag of them and share with your friends!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The best guacamole starts with the freshest ingredients. Make sure to buy the freshest produce you can and plan to use it right away.

  • Ripe Avocados – Test them to make sure they are ripe, and if they’re not and you have time you can ripen them in a brown paper bag on your kitchen counter. I’m sharing my tips for picking the best avocados below.
  • Lime, for juicing – Use the palm of your hand to roll the lime on the counter to release the juices before slicing.
  • Roma Tomatoes – Seeds and membranes removed.
  • Cilantro – One small bunch, minced to about half a cup.
  • Jalapenos – Seeds and membranes removed for a more mild guac, or left in for a spicy dip. For extra heat try serranos.
  • Red Onion – Peeled and diced.
  • Kosher Salt – This will bring all the flavors together.

How To Pick Ripe Avocados

You want to look for ripe avocados that are ripe, but still firm. No one wants a mushy avocado in their guac. There are 3 main things to look for when choosing ripe avocados.

  • Check the Stem End. Remove the woody brown cap at the top of the avocado. If it’s green, it’s not quite ready and was picked before its time. If it’s brown, it’s ripe, or at least was picked at its peak.
  • Give it a Squeeze. If you’re still not sure it’s ripe, hold it in the palm of your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. It should have a slight give when gentle, firm pressure is applied. If it feels mushy, it’s overripe.
  • Observe the Skin. A ripe avocado will have a dark green to black skin.

How To Make Guacamole

See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions

Bowl of avocados with the skins peeled and seeds removed.
Bowl of mashed avocado with a fork.

Mash Avocados – Slice the avocados in half and remove the large seed. Using a spoon, scoop out the avocado flesh and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt and squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocado and mash with a fork. Hot Tip – Try using a potato masher instead of a for to mash your avocados!

Bowl of mashed avocado, diced tomato, chopped cilantro and diced onion.

Add Other Ingredients – Add red onion, cilantro, jalapeno and diced tomato to the bowl and gently stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavors, like salt and lime.

guacamole with a tortilla chip

Serve – Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

Serving Suggestions

  • Use it as a dip for tortilla chips or Fritos, raw veggies, or crackers.
  • Top tacos, nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas or burritos.
  • Mix it into Deviled Eggs.
  • Use as a spread on sandwiches and wraps instead of mayo or dressings.

How To Keep Guacamole From Turning Brown

Like apples, avocados turn brown when air touches the flesh (oxidation), which is why it’s best to consume them right away. I do have one trick I use to extend the life of my dip as it sits.

As soon as you start mashing the avocados and before you’ve added the other ingredients, sprinkle the salt and lime juice over the avocado. This will ensure that the avocado is mixed with the salt and lime really well, at least for the time it sits out.

Another trick that I’ve had limited success with is to keep a couple of the avocado seeds and plop them right into the guacamole.

How To Store Guacamole

Guacamole dip can turn brown pretty quickly and is best used fresh. But if you store it right, you can keep your guac fresh for several days. The key is to keep the top from being exposed to air. I’ve got two great methods.

  • Add Water – the less air, the better. Use the back of a spoon and smooth the top, packing it down and making sure there are no air bubbles. Pour some water on top, enough to fully cover the top, and seal. Pour off the water before stirring.
  • Cover with Plastic Wrap Grab a piece of plastic wrap that is about twice the size of the opening of the bowl. Place it over the bowl, and gently press down so the plastic wrap is touching every bit of the surface of the dip all the way to the edges – no air bubbles. Place the lid on the bowl and refrigerate.

Either of these storage methods should keep your guac fresh for up to 3 days. Guacamole can still be eaten even after it’s started to turn brown. If there is any discoloration on top, just scrape it off and discard it. Stir the remaining dip together and serve.

Freezing Avocados

Yes and no. Avocados freeze quite well but watery ingredients like tomatoes and onions, do not. The trick is to freeze just the mashed avocado.

  • Slice avocado, then peel and seed them. Mash the avocados with the juice from half of a lemon or lime, then place mashed chunks into a freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze your guacamole starter for up to four months.
  • If you want to freeze whole chunks of avocado, slice, seed, and peel them. Brush each avocado half with lemon or lime juice, then wrap individually and tightly with plastic wrap. Place each half in a large ziploc bag and freeze for up to six months.

Expert Tips

  • Know your avocados. Look for ripe Haas avocados by gently squeezing them in your hand at the store. They should feel slightly soft but not mushy. If they’re too hard, put them in a paper bag for a few days to ripen faster.
  • Texture is important. Cut the avocados in half, take out the pit, and scoop the flesh into a big bowl. Mash the avocado gently with a fork until it’s slightly chunky for texture. Finely chop the onion, cilantro, and jalapenos so they blend nicely with the avocado. No one wants to bite into a big chunk of onion in their guac.
  • Be a Pro. For the ultimate avocado lover, get an avocado slicer – one of my favorite kitchen tool! It cuts through the skin, removes the pit, and slices the flesh, all in one handy gadget. It’s a steal at about $10!
  • To tomato or not to tomato. I love adding sweet, ripe tomato chunks to my guac; it enhances the flavor, adds a pop of acidity, and looks beautiful! But if you’re not a fan of tomatoes or can’t find ripe ones, feel free to skip them.
  • Lime it up to prevent browning. To prevent browning, squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocados right after cutting them. Finding the perfect lime-to-avocado ratio may require some experimentation, but it’s worth it!
  • Keep your guac fresh and prevent browning. Avocados start browning quickly after being cut due to oxidation when exposed to air, similar to apples. To prevent guacamole from browning, my favorite method is to press plastic wrap tightly over the guac, ensuring it touches all of it. You can add water on top of the plastic to keep it in place. For serving, keep guac green by placing an avocado pit or a large piece of onion in it.
a hand holding a chip with guacamole

More Mexican-Inspired Favorites

A creamy bowl of delicious guac is essential for a successful Mexican night, served with our favorites like Chicken TacosTen Minute Oven Baked Tostadas, or Homemade Taquitos.

Need more inspiration? Try these:

Recipe

Guacamole Recipe

5
The best Guacamole is simple, flavorful and easy to make with just 6 fresh ingredients. This easy guacamole recipe is a must for taco night!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Large ripe Avocados
  • 1 Lime
  • 2 Roma tomatoes Seeds remove, diced
  • 1/4 cup Minced cilantro
  • 2 Jalapenos
  • ½ cup Diced red onion
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
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Instructions
 

  • Slice avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Squeeze juice of half of the lime over the avocado and sprinkle with salt. Mash with a fork or a potato masher to your desired texture.
  • Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds so just the firmer flesh remains. Cut into strips, then dice. Add to the bowl of avocado.
  • Add diced onion, diced jalapenos, minced cilantro and remaining lime juice to the bowl. Stir gently with a spoon or spatula.
  • Season with salt, black pepper to taste and stir to combine well.
  • Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, burritos and more.

Notes

To prevent browning, squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocados right after cutting them.

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 16mgPotassium: 1046mgFiber: 14gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 498IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Sharon Wyatt says:

    Needs more lime. Great recipe.

  2. Maggie Unzueta says:

    Yum! I could eat that.

  3. Kristin Michels says:

    What’s the lemon for? I don’t see it mentioned except for in ingredient list! Thanks!

    1. Kristin says:

      Good catch – it’s added with the lime juice at the end.