Best Guacamole Recipe
Only ripe avocados and a few tasty add-ins make the tastiest guacamole. It’s great as a dip or on tacos.
Best Guacamole Recipe
Guacamole! The U.S. consumes over 2 billion pounds of avocados annually. Google it. Over 7 pounds each individual. Guacamole, America’s favorite dip, probably uses most of those avocados.
Mexican Guacamole
Guacamole comes from Mexico, where avocados have been grown for millennia. The name comes from ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce).
Simple Guacamole Ingredients
Guacamole only requires ripe avocados and salt. Following that, lime or lemon juice will cut the avocado’s richness. Add chopped cilantro, chilis, onion, or tomato.
Picking Exquisite Avocados
Using perfectly ripe avocados makes perfect guacamole. Unripe avocados are hard and tasteless. Tastes bad if overripe.
Press the avocado’s skin to check ripeness. A ripe avocado gives. Ripe avocados give slightly. A soft avocado may be overripe. Taste before using.
Cutting Avocados
Cut and twist an avocado to open it. Pit on one side. To remove it, carefully tap your chef’s knife against the pit and twist to dislodge it, or cut the avocado into quarters and remove the pit with your fingers or a spoon.
Other Guacamole Uses
Guacamole has many uses in the kitchen. It’s delicious on nachos, enchiladas, tacos, grilled salmon, and oven-baked chicken.
Guacamole is great in food. Add some to your next tuna sandwich or deviled eggs.
Guacamole Storage
Guacamole tastes best fresh. After cutting, avocados oxidize and brown like apples. Guacamole’s lime juice acid slows that process. For a party, you may make guacamole a few hours ahead if you store it carefully.
Avoiding air keeps guacamole green! Place it in a container, cover with plastic wrap, and press down to remove air pockets. Make sure any exposed guacamole is touching plastic wrap, not air. This reduces browning.
Guacamole may be refrigerated this way for three days. If the guacamole becomes brown, scrape it off and discard or mix it in before serving.
Guacamole Variations
After mastering guacamole, try adding strawberries, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, or watermelon. Pomegranate seeds and peaches are in a traditional Mexican guacamole (a Diana Kennedy favorite). Create your own guacamole!
Basic guacamole simply mashed avocados with salt. Make guacamole without extra ingredients.
Quick guacamole: Mix 1/4 cup salsa with mashed avocados for fast guacamole.
Lack avocados? Sour cream or cottage cheese in guacamole may stretch avocados. What if purists are appalled? Still delicious.
Best Guacamole Recipe
PREP TIME
10 mins
TOTAL TIME
10-minute servings
2–4 servings
Handle chilis carefully! Use food-safe gloves. If gloves are not available, wash your hands well after handling and do not touch your eyes or eye region for many hours.
Ingredients
2 avocados
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime/lemon juice
2–4 tablespoons chopped red or green onion
1–2 serrano (or jalapeño) chilis, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro (leaves and delicate stems).
Grind black pepper.
chopped tomato (optional)
Red radish or jicama slices for garnish (optional)
Serve tortilla chips
Method
Cut avocados:
Halve avocados. Remove it. Score the avocado and scoop out the flesh. See Avocado Cutting and Peeling. Bowl it.
Avocado mash:
Fork-mash the avocado. (Don’t overdo! Guacamole should be thick.
Taste the rest:
Salt and lime juice. Lime juice will counteract the avocado’s creaminess and prevent browning.
Add chopped onion, cilantro, black pepper, and chilis. Chili peppers vary in heat. Start with half a chili pepper and add more until the guacamole is spicy enough.
Because fresh ingredients vary, this is mostly done to taste. Adjust this recipe to taste.
Serve immediately: If cooking a few hours ahead, cover the guacamole with plastic wrap and press firmly to keep air out. (Oxidation from air turns guacamole brown.)
Red radish or jigama strips are garnishes. Serve with tortilla chips—store-bought or homemade.
Refrigerate guacamole for 3 days.
Tomatoes lose taste when chilled. Add chopped tomato to guacamole shortly before serving.