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This is the best guacamole recipe you will ever have. This authentic guacamole rivals Mexican restaurants and even Chipotle. The secret is to use the freshest ingredients with the right ratio of lime juice, kosher salt, and cilantro.
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A great guacamole is always a crowd-pleaser and disappears so fast. But there is nothing worse than a flavorless guac, right?
The key to the most flavorful guacamole is just he right amount of salt, lime juice and cilantro. If you’ve got all of those flavors right (plus some garlic), you’re golden.
After tasting guacamole many times in Mexico, watching countless hours of Mexican cooking on Masterclass, and testing batch after batch, I’ve decided that there are several factors that make a guacamole truly delicious and authentic.
But it’s supposed to be simple, so although this is such a delicious appetizer, it’s also easy. Two of my favorite things in a recipe!
Ingredients You Need
The best guacamole starts with the best ingredients. Here’s what you need to make restaurant quality guac at home. Skip to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Avocados: pick the ripest avocados that have a little give, but are still firm (see more tips below!). I like medium hass avocados.
- White onion: I use sweet yellow onion in this recipe and dice it small. I tested this with red onion and it works, but has a bit more bite to the onion flavor.
- Tomatoes: always go with a roma tomato for guacamole because it’s less watery.
- Cilantro: It’s my absolute favorite herb and a staple in Mexican recipes. Store it correctly to make multiple batches.
- Garlic: I think garlic makes a big difference with just a little flavor.
- Limes: Fresh squeezed lime juice is a must. Choose a lime that’s green all around the skin and gives a little when you squeeze it. These give you the most lime juice!
- Jalapeño: omit this if you don’t like spicy guacamole, or turn up the heat with a serrano pepper.
- Salt: Kosher salt or flaky sea salt make all the difference at the end.
My go-to tip for delicious guacamole: use sea salt, fresh lime juice, and cilantro. It makes a huge difference!
Pick Ripe Avocados for the Best Guacamole Recipe
The best guacamole starts with the most freshest ingredients, especially the avocado. Look for firm avocados that are firm, but have a little give. Rock hard avocados won’t mash easily and soft and mushy avocado will be brown.
How to pick ripe avocados at the store: Grab avocados that still have the stem attached—they’re less likely to have brown spots on the insides. Press gently on the end to feel for a little give, without being mushy.
Want to ripen avocado quickly? The best way is to put it in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple to speed up the ripening process.
How to Make Guacamole
Here are the step-by-step instructions to make this easy guacamole recipe. Jump to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Slice three ripe avocados in half, remove the pit. Peel back the avocado skin from the avocado flesh and gently mash them in a large bowl with the back of a fork to your desired level of smooth or chunky guac. You could also scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir together with a spoon. Serve with chips for the most easy and delicious guacamole!
Success tip: always taste your guacamole at the end and adjust any lime juice, cilantro, or salt to your taste. Remember you’ll be serving with salty chips!
Quick Tips
Here are my tried and true tips for the best homemade guacamole recipe. Follow these and you can’t go wrong!
- Shop for avocados ahead of time. I hate when I head to the grocery store to make guacamole that day and they only have rock hard avocados. Choose unripe avocados and let them soften in the pantry at room temperature. Transfer them to the fridge until you’re ready to the guacamole.
- Leave some chunks. Perfect guacamole is a little chunky and creamy. Use a fork to mash the avocado, but don’t overdo it right away. This is why I don’t recommend a potato masher (but it still works). It will break down more as you stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Always use tomato for the best guacamole. Roma tomatoes have less juice, but I’ve made this countless times with whatever tomatoes I’ve had on hand and it works well.
- Use fresh cilantro. It’s a go-to for guacamole. You can chop both the leaves and stems of the cilantro plant to save time. Buy a big bunch near the lettuce then store any leftovers in water for more Mexican recipes.
Recipe Variations
This is an authentic guacamole recipe, the way I like it, but you can get creative with these creative mix-ins:
- Cotija cheese
- Fresh mango or pineapples
- Pico de gallo or sweet salsa like mango salsa or fruit salsa
- Roasted corn
- Ground cumin or black pepper
- Mexican pickled onions
- Serrano peppers, chili peppers, or hot sauce
How to Serve Guacamole
My favorite way to serve this guacamole is with homemade tortilla chips. Try to get your hands on restaurant-style chips if you buy them at the store.
For a lighter option, try serving them with celery, sliced bell peppers, carrots, or tomatoes.
I also love it on top of burgers, grilled chicken, salmon with mango salsa, birria tacos, or with healthy chicken enchiladas.
Need a margarita recipe? Try this skinny spicy margarita, cucumber margarita, or pineapple jalapeno margarita.
Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown
Store leftover guacamole in an airtight container. Squeeze more lime juice or lemon juice on top then press a piece of plastic wrap on top, so it’s laying flat against the surface of the guacamole. Make sure there aren’t any air bubbles!
I’ve not tried this, but you can also cover guacamole with a layer of cold water before storing it in the fridge. Dump the water, mix, and serve.
Guacamole Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion red onion works too
- 1 roma tomato diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lime juiced (2 Tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt more or less to taste
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
Instructions
- Peel the avocado and mash it in a medium bowl with a fork, leaving some chunks.3 ripe avocados
- Add in the lime juice, onion, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, salt, cilantro, and jalapeno. Mix well to combine, without overly mashing the avocado. You want it to be a mixture of creamy and chunky. Taste and adjust the salt, lime juice, or cilantro as needed.1/4 cup diced yellow onion, 1 roma tomato, 2 garlic cloves, 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1 jalapeno pepper
- Garnish with more cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Equipment
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- medium bowl
- Fork for mashing
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Sierra Inn
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It is so true…the right amount of sea salt, lime juice and cilantro can really make or break a GREAT guacamole…love this recipe
Thanks, Albert!