This guacamole recipe is the kind of dip that makes people gather around the bowl before dinner even starts. The article describes it as an authentic version that can rival what you order at Mexican restaurants and at Chipotle, and the reason comes down to two things: the freshest ingredients and the correct ratio of lime juice, kosher salt, and cilantro.
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Serve it as an appetizer with homemade baked tortilla chips, or set it out with whatever chips you love. From start to finish it takes about 10 minutes, which means it fits easily into a busy party day.
Here is what makes this dip worth repeating all season long.
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It tastes authentic. The article describes it as guacamole in the style you find in Mexico.
It leans on fresh ingredients. Real produce, nothing fussy, and flavor that tastes like it was made today.
It is fast. You can have it ready in 10 minutes or less.
It is a healthy dip. Creamy avocado does the heavy lifting, and there is no cooking step at all.
It is versatile. Enjoy it on its own with chips or next to your favorite Mexican food.
Ingredients You Need
The best guacamole starts with the best ingredients. The exact measurements live in the recipe card, but here is your shopping list and what each piece brings to the bowl.
Ingredient
Amount
Why it matters
Ripe avocados
3
Ripest with a little give but still firm. Medium Hass avocados are preferred.
Diced yellow onion
1/4 cup
Sweet yellow onion, diced small. White onion is listed, and red onion works too but has a stronger bite.
Roma tomato
1, diced
Recommended because it is less watery than other tomatoes.
Garlic
2 cloves, minced
Fresh minced garlic makes a big difference with just a little flavor.
Lime
1, juiced (2 Tablespoons)
Freshly squeezed lime juice is a must.
Kosher salt or flaky sea salt
1/2 teaspoon
More or less to taste. This is the finish that wakes everything up.
Cilantro
1/4 cup, finely chopped
Leaves and stems both. A favorite herb and a staple in Mexican cooking.
Jalapeno pepper
1, finely diced
Optional. Leave it out for less spice or swap in serrano pepper for more heat.
On the avocados. Pick the ripest ones you can find, with a little give but still firm. Medium Hass avocados are the preferred choice here because they mash into that creamy, scoopable texture.
On the onion. Sweet yellow onion, diced small, keeps the bite gentle and sweet. Red onion works as a substitute, but expect a more pronounced onion flavor.
On the tomato. Roma tomatoes are recommended because they are less watery, so the dip stays thick instead of turning soupy.
On the cilantro. Fresh cilantro is a staple in Mexican cooking and one of the flavors people notice most. Store it properly and you can make several batches without a second trip to the store.
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On the garlic. A little fresh minced garlic goes a long way. It is the quiet background note that makes people ask what you did differently.
On the lime. Freshly squeezed juice is a must. Choose limes that are green all over and give slightly when you squeeze them, which means more juice in your bowl.
On the jalapeno. This one is optional. Omit it for a mild batch, or use serrano pepper when you want more heat.
On the salt. Kosher salt or flaky sea salt at the end is what pulls the whole thing together. The article’s go to tip is simple: sea salt, fresh lime juice, and cilantro make a noticeable difference.
Pick Ripe Avocados for the Best Guacamole Recipe
The best guacamole starts with the freshest ingredients, and the avocado matters most. If you get this part right, the rest of the bowl practically takes care of itself.
Look for firm with a little give. Rock hard avocados will not mash easily, and soft, mushy ones will already be brown inside.
Check the stem. At the store, choose avocados with the stem still attached, since they are less likely to have brown spots inside.
Press gently. Feel the end of the avocado for slight give without any mushiness.
Speed up ripening. To ripen an avocado quickly, place it in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple.
Buy a couple extra. Ripe avocados are the one ingredient you cannot fake, and having a spare means you are never stuck with a hard one on party day.
How to Make Guacamole
This is a no cook recipe, so there is nothing to turn on and nothing to watch. Everything happens in one bowl.
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Peel the avocado and mash it in a medium bowl with a fork, or an authentic molcajete, leaving some chunks.
Add the lime juice, onion, tomatoes, garlic, salt, cilantro, and jalapeno. Mix well to combine without overly mashing the avocado. You want a mixture that is creamy and chunky at the same time. Taste and adjust the salt, lime juice, or cilantro as needed.
Garnish with more cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.
If you like to handle the avocado step by step, slice 3 ripe avocados in half, remove the pits, then peel the skin away from the flesh or scoop it out with a spoon. From there, the fork does the work.
Taste at the very end and adjust the lime juice, cilantro, or salt. Keep in mind that the chips you serve alongside are already salty, so season the guacamole with that in mind.
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Per serving, based on 6 servings, the source lists the following nutrition: 143 calories, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 169 mg sodium, and 0 mg cholesterol.
Quick Tips
These small habits are what separate good guacamole from the bowl everyone talks about later.
Shop for avocados ahead of time. Choose unripe avocados and let them soften in the pantry at room temperature. Once they are ready, move them to the fridge until you make the guacamole.
Leave some chunks. Perfect guacamole is a little chunky and creamy at the same time.
Do not over mash at first. Use a fork and stop early, because the avocado breaks down more once you stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Skip the potato masher. It is not recommended, though it still works if that is what you have.
Always use tomato. Roma tomatoes have less juice, but other tomatoes on hand also work well.
Use fresh cilantro. Chop both the leaves and the stems to save time.
Store leftover cilantro in water. It keeps the herb fresh for other Mexican recipes.
The equipment list is short: a sharp knife and cutting board, a medium bowl, and a fork for mashing. That is genuinely all you need.
Recipe Variations
This is an authentic guacamole recipe at its core, and these mix ins let you change it up without starting over. Add one or two, taste, and adjust.
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Cotija cheese for a salty, crumbly finish
Fresh mango or pineapple for a sweet tropical twist
Pico de gallo or a sweet salsa such as mango salsa or fruit salsa
Roasted corn for little pops of sweetness
Ground cumin or black pepper for a warmer, earthier note
Mexican pickled onions for tang and crunch
Serrano peppers, chili peppers, or hot sauce when you want real heat
If you like the idea of corn in your dip, our easy corn guacamole recipe is a great next batch to try. For a more traditional comparison, this authentic guacamole recipe is worth a look too.
How to Serve Guacamole
The classic pairing is homemade tortilla chips, or restaurant style chips if you are buying them. That salty crunch against the creamy dip is the whole point.
For a lighter option, serve it with celery, sliced bell peppers, carrots, or tomatoes. It also works as a topping rather than a dip, spooned over burgers, grilled chicken, salmon with mango salsa, birria tacos, or healthy chicken enchiladas.
Set it out in a wide, shallow bowl so everyone can reach it, and keep a small spoon nearby for people who want to add a scoop to their plate. If you are feeding a crowd, make a double batch, because this bowl empties fast.
For a slightly different spin on the classic, our best guacamole ever made is another version to keep in your back pocket.
Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown
Leftovers happen, and brown guacamole is avoidable with a little care.
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Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container.
Squeeze extra lime juice or lemon juice over the top.
Press a piece of plastic wrap flat against the surface, pushing out any air bubbles.
Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.
There is also a water method mentioned as an untried alternative: cover the guacamole with a layer of cold water before storing it in the fridge, then pour off the water, mix, and serve. Either way, the goal is the same, which is keeping air away from the surface.
Finish Your Mexican Spread
For a Cinco de Mayo party or a simple taco night, a few extra recipes round out the table nicely. The article points to pork tenderloin tacos, crispy chorizo tacos, authentic carne asada tacos, a copycat Chipotle corn salsa, peach mango salsa, mango margaritas, and skinny spicy margaritas.
Pick two or three and you have a spread that feels planned without turning your kitchen into a production line. The guacamole is the fastest piece of the puzzle, so make it last, right before everyone sits down.
Recipe by Molly Thompson of What Molly Made, with photography by Sierra Inn. This article is adapted from the original guacamole recipe.
FAQs
What ingredients are in authentic guacamole?
Authentic guacamole requires 3 ripe avocados, 1/4 cup diced yellow onion, 1 roma tomato diced, 2 garlic cloves minced, the juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt, and 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro. An optional jalapeno pepper finely diced can be added for heat.
How do you pick ripe avocados for guacamole?
Select avocados that are firm but yield slightly to gentle pressure, with dark, pebbly skin. Avoid avocados with large sunken soft spots, which indicate bruising. To speed up ripening at home, place them in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple overnight.
How do you keep guacamole from turning brown?
Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container. Squeeze extra lime juice on top, then press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface to eliminate air before sealing. An alternate method is covering the guacamole with a thin layer of cold water; dump the water and stir before serving.
How long does homemade guacamole last in the fridge?
Homemade guacamole is best consumed within one to two days when stored properly in an airtight container. Even with careful storage, the color may darken slightly due to oxidation, but the dip will remain safe to eat if kept refrigerated.
Guacamole Recipe This guacamole recipe is the kind of dip that makes people gather around the bowl before dinner even starts. The article describes it as an authentic version that can rival what you order at Mexican restaurants and at Chipotle, and the reason comes down to two things: the freshest ingredients and the correct ratio of lime juice, kosher salt, and cilantro.
Total Time:10 min
Yield:6 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients 3 ripe avocados 1/4 cup diced yellow onion, diced 1 roma tomato, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lime, juiced (2 Tablespoons) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, finely chopped, leaves and stems 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
Instructions
Instructions 1-Peel the avocado and mash it in: Peel the avocado and mash it in a medium bowl with a fork, or an authentic molcajete, leaving some chunks. 2-Add in the lime juice, onion, tomatoes,: Add in the lime juice, onion, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, salt, cilantro, and jalapeno. Mix well to combine, without overly mashing the avocado. You want it to be a mixture of creamy and chunky. Taste and adjust the salt, lime juice, or cilantro as needed. 3-Garnish with more cilantro and serve with: Garnish with more cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.
Last Step:
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