The Best Homemade Guacamole Recipe

I’m sharing my Authentic Guacamole Recipe, a silky blend of ripe avocados, fresh tomatoes, onions, chiles, cilantro and lime with a little secret that makes it irresistibly flavorful.

I never thought a handful of simple things could steal the show, but this is the Best Guacamole Recipe I keep bringing to every get together. I love how ripe Hass avocados turn silky yet a little chunky, and when a sneaky jalapeño shows up it’s like the whole bowl wakes up.

It’s an Authentic Guacamole Recipe that feels honest and a bit daring, not the watered down stuff you see everywhere. I swear there’s a tiny trick that makes it taste brighter, you’ll notice, even if you can’t say why.

Try it once any night and you’ll be hooked.

Ingredients

• Avocados: creamy, full of healthy fats and fiber, gives potassium and rich mouthfeel
• Lime: bright acidic kick, lots of vitamin C, makes flavors pop and cut richness
• Red onion: sharp, crunchy bite, adds sulfur compounds and antioxidants, balances creaminess
• Tomato: juicy, mild sweetness and acidity, adds fresh texture and extra vitamin C
• Jalapeño: green heat and brightness, capsaicin gives spice, heat varies with seeds
• Cilantro: herbal, bright, gives citrusy notes and vitamin K, some people dislike its soapiness
• Garlic: pungent aroma, contains allicin, boosts savory depth and possible immune benefits

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 ripe Hass avocados, about 1 1/2 lb total
• 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons fresh juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more if needed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 medium)
• 1 small Roma tomato, seeds removed and diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and minced, or serrano if you like it hotter
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced, optional
• Pinch ground cumin, optional
• Freshly ground black pepper, pinch, optional

How to Make this

1. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Pour the lime juice over the avocado and sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, toss a bit so the lime coats everything, this helps stop browning.

2. Mash the avocado with a fork to your preferred texture, leave some chunks for texture, dont overwork it into a puree.

3. Add the finely chopped red onion, diced Roma tomato with seeds removed, minced jalapeño (seeds removed if you want milder heat), chopped cilantro, and the minced garlic if using. Sprinkle the pinch of ground cumin and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper if you like.

4. Fold everything together gently so the tomato and onion stay a bit chunky and you dont mash them into the avocado.

5. Taste and adjust: add more sea salt or extra lime juice if it needs brightness, add more jalapeño if you want it hotter, cilantro for herbiness.

6. Let the guacamole rest at room temperature about 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors marry, if you can wait it really gets better.

7. To store and keep it green press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole so no air touches it, or place an avocado pit on top and seal in an airtight container, refrigerate up to about 24 hours.

8. Serve with tortilla chips, on tacos, or with whatever you’re craving. Enjoy, its simple but so good.

Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board, for chopping the onion, tomato and slicing the avocados
2. Sharp chef’s knife, to halve avocados, remove pits and dice veggies
3. Tablespoon or regular spoon, to scoop the avocado flesh out
4. Medium mixing bowl, where you’ll mash and fold everything together
5. Fork, to mash the avocado to your preferred texture (dont overwork it)
6. Citrus juicer or reamer, to get about 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
7. Measuring spoons, for the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and a pinch of cumin if using
8. Rubber spatula or large spoon, to fold gently and transfer to serving bowl
9. Plastic wrap or an airtight container, to press onto the surface and store so it stays green

FAQ

The Best Homemade Guacamole Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Avocado: mashed cooked green peas or shelled edamame work best if you need a substitute. Use about the same volume as the avocados, press a little olive oil in for richness, it wont be identical but the color and creaminess are close.
• Lime juice: swap 1:1 with fresh lemon juice, or in a pinch use a splash of white wine or apple cider vinegar for acidity, but use less vinegar so it doesnt overpower the flavor.
• Red onion: finely chopped shallot for a milder, sweeter bite, or thinly sliced green onion (scallion) if you want something gentler and fresher.
• Cilantro: flat leaf parsley is the easiest substitute if cilantro tastes soapy to you, or try a mix of parsley plus a few chopped mint leaves for bright freshness.

Pro Tips

1) Pick the avocados by feel not color. They should give slightly when you press the skin with your palm, but not feel squishy. If theyre too firm, toss them in a paper bag with a banana or apple overnight to speed ripening. If one avocado is a little overripe scoop it into a bowl and use it first so the whole batch doesnt get mushy.

2) Keep the tomato and onion from turning your guac into a watery mess. Seed the tomato and drain it well, and if your red onion is too sharp soak the chopped pieces in cold water for 5 minutes then drain before adding. Also if you need to make guac ahead, leave the tomato out and fold it in right before serving.

3) Texture matters more than exact technique. Aim for chunks not puree. Mash gently and stop early, taste as you go and add salt and lime in small increments so you dont overdo either. A tiny pinch of ground cumin can be nice but add it last so it doesnt overpower the avocado.

4) Best ways to keep it green: press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface so no air touches it, or pour a thin layer of water over the top then pour the water off when youre ready to serve. Either trick beats just sticking the pit on top. Also let the guac sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the flavors mellow and marry, it really does taste better.