By This is my easy homemade guacamole recipe. It’s creamy, fresh, and packed with flavor from ripe avocados, lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and a little jalapeño. It takes just 10 minutes and one bowl. You will love it!
What Is Guacamole?
Guacamole is a dip or spread typically made with mashed avocado, lime juice, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño, seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s perfect as a party dip or a topping for tacos, carne asada, burgers, chips, and even nyama choma, one of my favorite East African grilled meats!
My recipe is easy to follow and uses simple ingredients that blend together perfectly to create a delightful taste, and it’s always the first thing to disappear at parties.
I absolutely love guacamole! It’s such a versatile dish that goes well with many different foods and flavors. The creaminess, tanginess, and savory taste make it so delicious.
Even better, it’s so healthy! Guacamole is packed with healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a nutrient-rich option. Plus, it’s so easy to make!
How to Pick Ripe Avocados for Guacamole
Ripe avocados are the key to creamy, flavorful guacamole. Here’s how to pick the best ones at the store.
Look for avocados that are ripe but not too ripe. When selecting avocados, look for those that are slightly soft but not squishy or too mushy. They should give slightly when you gently press them and have uniformly colored skin, indicating they are ready to use. The skin should be dark green and not too shiny. If it’s too hard, it’s underripe; if it’s too soft, it’s overripe (and you might find brown spots inside).
Guacamole Ingredients
- Avocados: The star of the show! Use high-quality, ripe avocados for the best-textured guacamole.
- Lime: Adding lime juice helps to slow down the browning process of the avocados and helps it stay green and fresh.
- Red onion: Finely chopped red onion adds crunch and slight sweetness to the guacamole, rounding out its flavor profile.
- Roma tomatoes, finely diced: As part of a traditional guacamole recipe, finely diced Roma tomatoes add a juicy, succulent element to the mix.
- Jalapeño: This adds a spicy kick to the flavor profile of the dip. You can substitute this with chili.
- Garlic: Minced garlic cloves add a delightful savory depth to the guacamole, enhancing the overall flavor of the dip.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds an unmistakable aroma and a hint of citrusy flavor, giving our guacamole a lively, refreshing quality.
- Cumin: Although this is not a traditional ingredient, a dash of ground cumin adds a warm, earthy element to the mix, balancing the other fresh ingredients.
- Salt and pepper: A simple seasoning of salt and pepper enhances the diverse flavors of our guacamole recipe and brings everything together.
How to Make Guacamole
1. Scoop the avocados: Halve and pit the avocados, then scoop the flesh into a bowl.
2. Mash with lime: Add the lime juice and mash with a fork or potato masher until it’s as chunky or smooth as you like.
3. Stir in the mix-ins: Fold in the red onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, tomato, and cumin.
4. Season: Add salt and pepper to taste, plus a little more lime juice if you like it tangier.
5. Rest and serve: Press plastic wrap onto the surface and let it sit for 5 minutes so the flavors meld. Give it a final stir and serve.
Tips for the Best Guacamole
- Use ripe avocados: They should give slightly when pressed. Underripe avocados won’t mash smoothly, and overripe ones can taste bitter.
- Add the lime first: Mashing the avocado with lime juice right away keeps it bright green and fresh-tasting.
- Don’t over-mash: Leave a little texture for that classic, chunky guacamole.
- Control the heat: Remove the jalapeño seeds for a mild guacamole, or leave them in if you like it spicy.
- Seed the tomato: Scooping out the seeds keeps your guacamole from turning watery.
- Season to taste: Avocados vary, so taste and adjust the salt and lime before serving.
Guacamole FAQs
What is in guacamole?
Guacamole usually contains avocado, lime juice, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños. Salt and pepper are used for taste.
What else can I serve with guacamole?
Guacamole pairs well with so many foods. Besides traditional tortilla chips, you can serve it with veggies like celery, carrots, and cucumber, burgers, French fries, pizza, scrambled eggs, roasted veggies, rice and beans, sandwiches, baked potatoes, plantain chips, chickpea salad, and more. Grilled chicken or shrimp also make a great protein-packed side dish to serve with guacamole.
You can also use it as a dip for fresh-baked breads like pita or crostini, mix it into your deviled eggs, and even use it as a topping on keto-friendly foods like radishes.
For a full chips-and-dip spread, serve it alongside my restaurant-style salsa and fresh pico de gallo.
What does guacamole taste like?
Guacamole tastes rich, creamy, and buttery from the avocado, with bright tang from the lime, a little bite from the onion and garlic, and fresh, herby notes from the cilantro.
How do you keep guacamole from turning brown?
Avocados turn brown when they’re exposed to air. To slow it down, mix in plenty of lime juice and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole. You can also smooth the top and cover it with a thin layer of water or lime juice, then pour it off before serving.
Can I make guacamole ahead of time?
Yes, up to a few hours ahead. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate it. For the freshest flavor, stir in the tomato and cilantro just before serving.
How to Store Guacamole
Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, or cover it with a thin layer of water or lime juice. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the top turns a little brown, just scrape it off or stir it in.
To freeze guacamole, pack it into an airtight container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and leave a little room at the top. Freeze it for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Thawed guacamole is softer, so stir it with a squeeze of fresh lime and use it as a spread or topping.
More Dips and Sauces to Try
- Taco Sauce Recipe – How To Make Taco Sauce
- Easy Spicy Peri Peri Sauce
- Fry Sauce – Sweet, tangy, and Creamy
- Easy All Purpose Barbecue Sauce
- Jamaican Browning Sauce
- Fish Taco Sauce – Fresh And Delicious!
- Quick and Easy Chimichurri Sauce
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce—Quick and easy
Planning a Cinco de Mayo party? Browse Our Favorite Cinco de Mayo Recipes for more ideas.
Easy Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and finely chopped (optional for a spicier guacamole)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 small roma tomato seeded and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop out the flesh using a spoon and place it into a bowl.
- Add the lime juice to the bowl with the avocados. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the avocados until you achieve your desired consistency (chunky or creamy).
- Now, mix in the chopped red onion, jalapeño (if using), minced garlic, chopped cilantro, chopped tomato, and ground cumin into the mashed avocados.
- Season the guacamole with salt and pepper to taste. You may also adjust the lime juice and other ingredients as per your preference.
- Cover the guacamole with plastic wrap, pressing it down directly onto the surface of the dip to prevent browning. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Give the guacamole one last stir before serving. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or use as a topping on tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes.
Notes
- Use avocados that give slightly when pressed. Underripe avocados won’t mash smoothly.
- For mild guacamole, remove the jalapeño seeds and ribs, or leave the jalapeño out.
- Seed the tomato so the guacamole doesn’t turn watery.
- Store leftovers with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface for up to 2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Let’s Connect! You can find me on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. I love keeping in touch with all of you!
Made it? Leave a review
Your star rating helps other cooks — and Lola reads every comment.