Learn to make guacamole, a delicious Mexican dip with mashed avocado, lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, and salt.

It’s a nutritious and delicious recipe you can enjoy with tortilla chips, on salads, grain bowls, wraps, or as a spread on toast and sandwiches.

Here, we show you how to make our best homemade guac with simple everyday ingredients.

Guacamole with tomatoes served in a bowl

What is guacamole?

Guacamole is a Mexican avocado-based dip, sometimes served as a spread or salad.

The name comes from the Aztec language “ฤhuacamลlli, which means ‘avocado sauce,’ from ฤhuacatl ‘avocado’ and mลlli ‘sauce.’

guacamole spread on sourdough bread

Guacamole is traditionally done in a molcajete, the Mexican equivalent of a mortar and pestle, but here we’ll show you how to make it with a fork in a bowl.

This heavenly dip is packed with healthy fats, fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, so go ahead, make a bowl, and indulge without guilt. It’s delicious and good for you!

Ingredients for guacamole

Guacamole ingredients

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Avocado

Ripe avocados are the main ingredients in guacamole.

See the chapter below to learn how to pick the best avocados.

Salt

You can use sea salt, kosher salt, or flakey salt.

Lime

Freshly squeezed lime juice helps keep the color of mashed avocados green and bright.

The acidity of lime also fits perfectly with the creamy, fatty texture of avocados. If you can’t find lime, substitute lemon juice.

Onion

Red onion or any other onion, including shallots and spring onions.

Cilantro

Cilantro or fresh coriander is not always added to the original recipe, especially if not in season.

If you can’t stand cilantro’s taste, please leave it out or replace it with flat-leaf parsley.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are optional in guacamole, but we think they are a match made in heaven with avocados, so you can add some to make the best guacamole.

Use ripe tomatoes that are not watery or discard their water if they are.

Jalapeรฑos

Fresh or pickled jalapeรฑos are another optional ingredient.

If you like your guac a little spicy and tangy, add some chopped jalapeรฑos or chili peppers like serrano peppers; you’ll love them in this simple guacamole recipe.

guacamole in a bowl

How to make guacamole

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and slice the avocado flesh into squares with a paring knife.

Scoop out the avocado from its shell with a spoon and add it to a bowl.

Tip: Make sure to scrape every bit of flesh that’s under the peel. That’s the healthiest part of the avocado, with the most nutrients.

homemade guacamole step pictures

Add fresh lime juice and salt, then mash the avocado with a fork. You don’t have to smash it completely.

Add onion, tomatoes, jalapeรฑos, and cilantro, all chopped.

Stir well, taste, and adjust for salt and lime juice.

Tip: If the tomatoes are watery, discard their water before adding them to the avocado.

guacamole with tomatoes and jalapenos in a bowl

How to pick the best avocados?

Here are five tips that will help you pick perfectly ripe avocados:

1. Stem: It’s generally better if the avocado has the stem still on. This way, it will stay fresh for longer after buying it.

2. Color: Ripe avocados are generally darker than unripe ones. So try to find ones that are dark green, almost black.

3. Shine: Ripe avocadoes generally have a dull, matte peel. Shiny avocados usually are unripe.

Ripe avocado with stone

4. Bruises: If you see apparent bruises soft to the touch, that’s not good. I wouldn’t recommend buying those, even if they are on offer. There’s not much you can do with bruised, overripe avocado.

5. Consistency: If the avocado yields to firm, gentle pressure, you know it’s ready to eat. To feel the avocado, pick it up in the palm of your hand and apply gentle pressure with the whole hand. Do not squeeze with your fingertips, as you might damage the avocado.

If the avocado feels mushy, it could be overripe. On the other hand, if the avocado feels hard (it does not yield to gentle pressure), you can still buy it and let it ripen at home for a couple of days.

To speed up the ripening process, put the avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana for a few days.

Questions

How to eat guacamole?

Guacamole can be eaten as a dip with tortilla chips, as a spread in sandwiches, filling or topping in burritos, fajitas, tacos, poke bowls, grain bowls, baked potatoes, and stuffed veggies.

You can serve guacamole (in separate bowls) with salsa, salsa verde, sour cream, pico de Gallo, dairy-free cheese, sautรฉed red peppers, corn, and other vegetables to eat with tacos or fajitas.

Mix them up to get an incredible combination of colors and flavors.

Is guacamole vegan?

Homemade guacamole is vegan.

Is guacamole gluten-free?

Homemade guacamole contains no gluten.

Is guacamole healthy?

Homemade guacamole is healthy. Avocados are good for you; they have many health benefits and are packed with nutrition (potassium, folate, vitamin B6, C, E, and more).

guacamole in a bowl with bread on the side

Storage

Make ahead: We don’t recommend making guacamole more than 30 minutes ahead of time because the avocados start turning brown once they are out of their shell.

Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in the fridge for a day. To prevent guac from turning brown, squeeze lemon or lime juice on top, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Press down the wrap to touch the guacamole to prevent the air from touching it. This will only slow down browning for a few hours.

Freezer: To freeze guacamole, put it in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Similar recipes

MEXICAN INSPIRED:ย Refried beans,ย black bean burger,ย quinoa salad,ย sweet potato chili,ย black bean soup,ย pico de Gallo, tostadas,ย corn tortillas, black bean salad,ย lentil chili,ย vegetarian chili,ย breakfast burrito,ย sweet potato hash,ย how to cook black beans.

AVOCADO: Some of our favorite recipes with avocados are black bean salad with cilantro lime dressing, a delicious lentil chili, easy chickpea salad, creamy avocado spread, and avocado salad.

Guacamole with tomatoes and red onions in a blue bowl

Guacamole

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 4 votes
Learn to make guacamole, a delicious Mexican dip with mashed avocado, lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, and salt.
Itโ€™s a nutritious and delicious recipe you can enjoy with tortilla chips, on salads, grain bowls, wraps, or as a spread on toast and sandwiches.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Snack, Starter
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients 

  • 2 large avocados ripe
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 ripe tomato chopped (optional)
  • 2 jalapeรฑos chopped (optional)

Instructions 

  • Cut 2 large avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and slice their flesh into squares with a paring knife.
    Scoop out the avocado from its shell with a spoon and add it to a bowl.
    homemade guacamole step pictures
  • Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and ยฝ teaspoon salt, then mash the avocado with a fork.
    Add 3 tablespoons red onion, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1 ripe tomato, and 2 jalapeรฑos, all chopped.
    Stir well, taste, and adjust for salt and lime juice.
    guacamole with tomatoes and jalapenos in a bowl

Video

Easy Guacamole Recipe

Notes

Nutrition information is for one serving of guacamole out of four.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Lime juice:ย Substitute lemon juice.
Red Onion:ย Substitute shallot, green onion, or white onion.
Cilantro:ย Substitute flat-leaf parsley.
Tomatoes:ย Substitute red bell peppers.
Jalapeรฑos:ย Substitute serrano chilis.
STORAGE
Make ahead: We donโ€™t recommend making guacamole more than 30 minutes ahead of time because the avocados start turning brown once they are out of their shell.
Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in the fridge for a day. To prevent guac from turning brown, squeeze lemon or lime juice on top, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Press down the wrap to touch the guacamole to prevent the air from touching it. This will only slow down browning for a few hours.
Freezer: To freeze guacamole, put it in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 424mg, Potassium: 523mg, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 294IU, Vitamin B6: 0.3mg, Vitamin C: 14mg, Vitamin E: 2mg, Vitamin K: 23ยตg, Calcium: 17mg, Folate: 85ยตg, Iron: 1mg, Manganese: 0.2mg, Magnesium: 32mg, Zinc: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @nicoandlouise on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

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Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

Easy right?

5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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