Simple Guacamole: mash ripe avocados with lime juice, salt, onion, garlic & cilantro-bright, authentic flavor in just minutes!
This guacamole is perfect for taco nights or social gatherings. All you need is just a few minutes and simple ingredients like avocados, lime juice, cilantro, and onion for the best-tasting guacamole.
This Simple Guacamole recipe makes a delicious appetizer or snack and you can make it anytime.
Jump to:
- Why This is The Best Guacamole Recipe!
- Ingredient Notes
- Which Type of Onion Should I Use?
- Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Simple Guacamole
- My Top Tip
- How to Tell if an Avocado is Ripe
- How to Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Guacamole for a Crowd
- More Recipes for a Delicious Fiesta
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why This is The Best Guacamole Recipe!
I don't think there is anything quite like the flavorful and clean taste of freshly made guacamole. With a few crisp and salty tortilla chips, it is a perfect appetizer that not only pairs with classic margaritas but also with crisp white wines and cold Corona beer.
The simplest guacamole recipes contain just 3 ingredients: avocado, lime juice, and salt. But just a few aromatics like cilantro, onion, and garlic elevate guacamole to irresistible, savory heights.
This easy guacamole recipe easily makes 2 to 8 servings. As a snack, I would say it is two servings and as an appetizer, I would estimate it to be 8 servings.
What I love the most about this homemade guacamole recipe is that it is easily scaled by simply doubling or tripling the quantities without the worry that the aromatic flavor makers will become overwhelming.
So, let's make some guac!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need for this simple guacamole recipe:
- Hass Avocados - You will need ripe avocados. The Hass avocado from California has a rich buttery flavor with a nuttiness that makes it unforgettable. The texture is never stringy or fibrous. It is the easiest avocado to know when it is ripe since the skin changes color from green, to black and green with purple tones. As you hold it in your hand the avocado gives a little.
- Limes - Lime juice is essential to turn avocados into guacamole. The flavor of the lime juice with its bright acidity is key. Fresh is best, but choose bottled lime juice over buying a fresh lemon as a substitute.
- Salt - Is there any dish that doesn't benefit from salt? I use ordinary table salt, specifically Morton's. Their salt is consistent in the size of the grain, so I know I'm using the right amount. But if you want to use a different salt, Morton's has an exceptional salt conversion chart. Start with using a smaller amount, like ¼ of a teaspoon, and then taste and add more if needed. Generally, ½ teaspoon is a good amount for fine-grain salts.
- Onion - Any onion variety will add savory notes but my favorite to use is a red onion. See the notes below on which onion is the best for you to use.
- Garlic - You only need one garlic clove to make this guac go from Yum! to Wow!
- Cilantro (Optional) - Poor cilantro is one ingredient that has a love-hate following. Some people absolutely love cilantro and the smell and taste of soft herbal and flowery notes. Other people absolutely hate it and say it tastes like soap. I personally love cilantro and add it to many of my Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes.
Which Type of Onion Should I Use?
Not all onions taste exactly the same. Some onions are mild and sweet, and others are sharper and more piquant. I personally like red onions for this recipe, but you might like a milder flavor. Here are the main characteristics of red, yellow, and green onions to help you decide which one you might like best:
- Red Onion - The red onion is sharp and piquant. This onion will be the most aromatic of the three listed here.
- Yellow Onion - All yellow onions are milder than red onions and some may be "sweet" depending on where they are farmed. The best choices for sweet yellow onions are from Maui and Georgia.
- Green Onion - Also called scallions, green onions are the mildest onion flavor of these three onions.
Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Simple Guacamole
Safely Halve and Pit. Halve and pit each avocado by placing each avocado on a cutting board. Place a knife in the middle of the roundest portion of the avocado and cut down to the pit.
Turn the avocado on the board and continue to cut around the pit until the avocado is cut in half at its equator.
Twist apart the two halves of the avocado and squeeze out the pit.
Using a spoon, scoop the avocado into a small bowl.
Add the Aromatics. Add the salt, minced garlic, minced onions, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime juice.
Mix. Mix the guacamole with a fork to break up the avocado into a mixture of smoother and chunkier pieces of avocado. For a smoother texture use the fork to mash the avocado well.
Refrigerate. Although you could serve the guacamole immediately, the flavors of the ingredients will improve with some time. So, I like to make guacamole about 1 hour before serving it.
My Top Tip
♡ When storing guacamole, cover the surface of the guac with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap must come into direct contact and touch the guacamole, and follow up and over the edge of the container.
How to Tell if an Avocado is Ripe
- Check the color. Haas avocados are picked green and, as they ripen, become brown.
- Gentle Squeeze. Hold the avocado in your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. A perfectly ripe avocado will slightly give.
- Check the Stem. The stem of a ripe avocado will easily pull away from the fruit, and the area under the stem will be green. If that area is brown, the avocado most likely is over-ripe.
How to Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown
Cut avocados and guacamole will begin to brown immediately when they are exposed to air. Over the years I've heard and tried many tips to keep guac from browning. Saving the avocado seed and putting it in the center of the guac does not work. Nor do I recommend simply pouring a thin layer of water on top of the guac. These two methods just don't work.
What does work is to put any leftover guacamole in an airtight container, smoothing the top of the guacamole with a spoon. Then cover the surface of the guac with plastic wrap.
You must press the plastic wrap onto the entire exposed surface of the guacamole to keep it fresh and looking green. Then seal the container and store the guacamole in the fridge.
Substitutions & Variations
Everyone wants that perfect bite of a salty chip piled with delicious guacamole and the best guacamole recipe is very subjective as to what you like. So start with my simple recipe and add any of the following to find your favorite combination.
- Substitute Lemon Juice. Instead of lime juice, you can use lemon in a pinch.
- Add Cumin. Ground cumin is a distinctive warm spice that can add depth to the flavor of guacamole.
Make a fully loaded guacamole by adding the following:
- Add Tomato. Finely chopped and well-drained fresh tomatoes are delicious and visually appealing.
- Add Jalapeños. Love a little heat? Add a teaspoon of seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers. Add more for more heat.
- Add Black Beans. Black beans are visually distinctive and add a small amount of protein.
- Add Corn. Blanched fresh corn or frozen corn kernels add small pops of sweetness.
How to Make Guacamole for a Crowd
Are you having a party and need a lot of fresh guacamole? Just follow these simple steps to make it easy and perfect every time!
- Prep and measure everything except the avocados in advance. Mince the onions and the garlic. Squeeze the lime juice. Chop the cilantro.
- In a glass bowl add everything except the cilantro and the avocados: add the minced onions, minced garlic, lime juice, and salt. Stir well, cover tightly, and refrigerate these flavor makers until an hour before the party.
- One hour before the party, pit, peel, and mash the avocados. A potato masher will make it easier to mash the avocados. Stir in those lovely refrigerated flavor makers and add the chopped cilantro. One hour later the guac is ready!
Don't wait for Cinco de Mayo to try this delicious guac. You can make any day a fiesta when you serve this easy guacamole to family and friends.
More Recipes for a Delicious Fiesta
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📖 Recipe
Simple Guacamole
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Ingredients
- 2 Ripe Hass Avocados
- 1 Garlic Clove, Peeled and Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Red, Yellow, or Green Onion
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Finely Chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
Instructions
- Safely Halve and Pit. Halve and pit each avocado by placing each avocado on a cutting board. Place a knife in the middle of the roundest portion of the avocado and cut down to the pit. Turn the avocado on the board and continue to cut around the pit until the avocado is cut in half at its equator.Twist apart the two halves of the avocado and squeeze out the pit. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado into a small bowl.2 Ripe Hass Avocados
- Add the Aromatics. Add the minced garlic, chopped onions, chopped fresh cilantro, salt, and lime juice to the avocado.1 Garlic Clove, 2 Tablespoons Minced Red, Yellow, or Green Onion, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, ½ Teaspoon Salt, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
- Mix. Mix the guacamole with a fork to break up the avocado into a mixture of smoother and chunkier pieces of avocado. For a smoother texture use the fork to mash the avocado well.
- Refrigerate. For the best flavor refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. To prevent the guacamole from turning brown, cover the guacamole with plastic wrap, being sure the plastic wrap comes in full contact with the guacamole.When ready to serve transfer the guacamole to a small serving bowl and serve with crisp tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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