The Easy Guacamole Recipe that wins every time! This simple guacamole recipe comes together in only a few minutes and makes for an amazing dip, spread, or topping for just about anything!
I’m going to be frank here. The amount of guacamole I would allow myself to eat in one sitting if left to my own devices is fairly astonishing.
While we all have our own approach to guacamole recipes, I’ve found the simple recipe I’m sharing here is not only remarkably easy, but it people absolutely love it!
And for a number of reasons.
In general, most folks love the combination of lime juice and garlic in any guacamole recipe; however, not everyone enjoys the addition of onion, cilantro, and/or tomatoes or salsa like pico de gallo.
For this reason, my personal opinion is the best guacamole recipe is that which flaunts the avocado with a splash of lime juice and the perfect amount of fresh minced garlic and salt.
So that’s what we’re getting into here today. The most bare bones yet delicious guacamole that aims to please everyone. If you like lots of lime juice or plenty of garlic, feel free to scale the ingredients up to your personal preferences.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for the best guacamole.
Ingredients for Guacamole:
At a minimum, we need three main ingredients: ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, and fresh garlic cloves.
We also add sea salt to our personal taste, as everyone has a different level of saltiness they find tastes best.
Be sure to use avocados that have a little give when gently squeezed but are still relatively firm. Perfectly ripe avocados is what makes for the best guacamole, as the creamy texture and buttery flavor nail make our senses sing.
While it’s perfectly fine to use overripe avocados in guacamole, mushy avocados aren’t my personal preference because the flavor turns a bit wonky, which doesn’t make for a good guacamole in my opinion.
In addition, avocados that aren’t ripe enough and are too firm are difficult to mash and don’t produce the same creamy flavor as ripe avocados. To speed up the ripening process, place any hard unripe avocados in a brown paper bag and store them on the counter at room temperature until they have ripened.
For the best results, use fresh lime juice instead of pre-squeezed bottles of lime juice and fresh cloves of garlic instead of garlic powder.
Here are some ways you can customize your perfect guacamole.
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you love fresh cilantro in your guacamole, add one loosely packed cup of chopped cilantro.
- Love the zing of red onion? Add ½ cup to ⅔ cup of finely chopped red onion (yellow onion and white onion work too).
- For those who enjoy tomatoes in their guac, mix in one heaping cup of halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes or chopped roma tomatoes.
- If you have a homemade or store-bought tomato based red salsa that you love adding to guacamole recipes, mix in ½ cup to 1 cup.
- Lemon juice works as a replacement for lime juice as it is nice and acidic, though an authentic guacamole recipe uses lime.
- Mix in 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sour cream to make a smooth guacamole dip.
Now that we’re familiar with the fresh ingredients for the most amazing homemade guacamole recipe, let’s make it!
How to Make Guacamole:
Cut open the avocados, remove the pits and transfer the avocado flesh to a large mixing bowl. Use a citrus squeezer to juice 2 to 3 limes (for a total of ¼ cup or 4 tablespoons) into the bowl with the avocado. Finely mince the garlic cloves and add them into the mixing bowl as well, along with the sea salt.
Use a fork or a potato masher to mash all of the ingredients together until the guacamole reaches your desired consistency. I like to make mine fairly creamy, but chunky guacamole is great too.
Note: If your avocados are very firm, use a sharp knife to chop them into small chunks before attempting to mash them with a fork. This will make them easier to mash.
Taste the guacamole for flavor and add more garlic, lime juice, kosher salt or black pepper to your personal taste.
If you have any additions, such as fresh cilantro, onions, jalapeno pepper or chili peppers, salsa, sour cream, or fresh tomatoes, stir them in until well combined.
Use this traditional guacamole recipe on everything from tacos, burrito bowls, burgers, salads, tostadas, grilled chicken, and more. You can also serve it with tortilla chips for a chips and dip appetizer everyone will go crazy over.
How to Store Guacamole:
Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The best way to slow down the oxidation process is to lay a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the surface of the guacamole in addition to covering the container with a lid to avoid air pockets.
Guacamole is best when eaten within the first 48 hours, but it can last several days longer in the refrigerator. You can also place one or two of the avocado pits inside of the guacamole to keep it fresher.
You can freeze guacamole in ice cube trays in the freezer. Once frozen, you can pop out the frozen guacamole cubes from the trays and store them in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.
And that’s it! The easiest guacamole recipe everyone loves to love! This is the perfect way of using up lots of avocados while impressing your friends and family. A bowl of guacamole is the easiest way to illicit smiles to any gathering.
All it takes is a few simple steps to prepare your favorite appetizer.
Here are some of my favorite recipes on which I include guacamole.
Where to Put Guacamole:
- Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
- Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Shredded Beef Taco Salad
- Crock Pot Carnitas Burrito Bowls
- Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole with Corn Tortillas
- Barbacoa Beef Burrito Bowls
- Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Chile Verde Burrito Bowls
Let me know where you put your guacamole in the comments below!
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe avocados, about 23 ounces
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
Optional Additions:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped and loosely packed
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
- Note: If your avocados are very firm, use a sharp knife to chop them into small chunks before attempting to mash them with a fork. This will make them easier to mash.
- If you have any additions, such as fresh cilantro, onions, jalapeno pepper or chili peppers, salsa, sour cream, or fresh tomatoes, stir them in until well combined.
- Use this traditional guacamole recipe on everything from tacos, burrito bowls, burgers, salads, tostadas, grilled chicken, and more. You can also serve it with tortilla chips for a chips and dip appetizer everyone will go crazy over.
Notes
How to Store Guacamole:
Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The best way to slow down the oxidation process is to lay a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the surface of the guacamole in addition to covering the container with a lid to avoid air pockets. Guacamole is best when eaten within the first 48 hours, but it can last several days longer in the refrigerator. You can also place one or two of the avocado pits inside of the guacamole to keep it fresher. You can freeze guacamole in ice cube trays in the freezer. Once frozen, you can pop out the frozen guacamole cubes from the trays and store them in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.Nutrition
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Hawk
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Seems a bit boring without cilantro, finely chopped tomatoes, and red onion.
Might just taste like avocados all mashed up
Julia
Friday 23rd of June 2023
Thanks for the stream of consciousness comment, Hawk but perhaps you should try a recipe before determining what it would taste like.