How To Make Guacamole

Last Updated April 24th, 2024 at 09:12 pm by Lisa

Guacamole starts with the best simple ingredients like perfectly ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, grated onion (one of my top secrets), chopped tomato, good hot sauce, and spices. Over the years, many friends have asked how to make it the traditional way as there are lots of variations!

Skip those packages of expensive premade store-bought guacamoles and don't be tempted to buy a seasoning blend packet. Use quality ingredients and these tips to make a real guacamole recipe...

Easy Guacamole Recipe

A perfect guacamole has just a little bit of chunky and dreamy creaminess. This homemade spicy guacamole recipe is one I have made for many years and shared countless times and is an authentic Mexican guacamole recipe. American versions use ingredients like mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, paprika, seasoning packets, and other ingredients.

My parents were from the Midwest, and it took them years to learn to love guacamole. I remember eating it at my Uncle Russ's home. He lived just an hour north of Mexico in Southern California and was a great culinary influence in my life. He spoke fluent Spanish and had many talents in the kitchen.  As a young girl, it the first time I ate this "green stuff" on a chip and it was love at the first crunch of this perfect dip. So this family recipe dates back many years.

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Making Guacamole

Guacamole can be made in a molcajete (a traditional ancient cooking tool aka mortar and pestle) or in any bowl with just a couple of forks.

First, start with perfectly ripe avocados, there are lot's of tips below on how to know if your avocados are ripe!

Slice the long way around the avocado pit. Carefully tap the avocado with a sharp blade of a chef's knife and pull the seed out. Slice into long rows (use a butter knife and not a sharp knife) and then across and into cubes. Scoop out the avocado into a mixing bowl or Molcajete with a spoon. The small pieces are a little easier to get an evenly mashed avocado in guacamole for the right texture.

Squeeze the lime juice over the avocado to prevent browning.

Grate the onion into the bowl, this helps give onion flavor without the strong bite of onion heat. Use a fine grater.

Add diced red tomatoes, seeds removed. Dashes of Tabasco or a hot Mexican sauce you like. Then sea salt, cracked pepper, and garlic powder.

Mash with a fork in the bowl (or Molcajete) until a chunky thicker consistency. You can also use a potato masher to make the mashed avocado, and give it a good stir.

Serve with tortilla chips and drinks.

PRO TIPS: Guacamole is best to serve right away. To prevent oxidation and browning, drizzle lime juice all over on top of the guacamole. Then press a piece of plastic wrap down on the entire surface of the mix. Keep chilled in the refrigerator for up to a couple of hours.

Fresh Guacamole Ingredients

avocados: Hass avocados are best, but any avocado variety will work just fine. Be sure your fresh avocados are ripe the day you want to use them.

lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice keeps your guacamole from turning brown and adds brightness. Lemon juice will work in a pinch, but limes are amazing!

diced tomato: removing the water and seeds is nice because there is no flavor in them, and plus it has an unappealing texture. Use any ripe beautiful colored or red tomatoes, or even green tomato, you can also choose to leave them out altogether.

grated onion: try red onion or sweet onion (not green onions), use a fine grater or Microplane, this gets the onion flavor into the guacamole but avoids the strong overwhelming taste from pieces of onion. You can also add in some onion powder, but fresh onion gives that fresh bite you really want.

hot sauce: Tabasco is great, any hot sauce like Cholula or Tapatio is a great choice and adds a lot of flavors.

sea salt (kosher salt), cracked pepper, and garlic powder: homemade guacamole seasonings of coarse sea salt (not table salt-it's too salty), fresh cracked pepper, and garlic powder will make a huge difference in the flavor of your guacamole mix.

Spicy Guacamole Recipe Ideas

Ingredient Notes

• jalapeño peppers: Grate in or finely dice a couple of teaspoons of jalapeno peppers or serrano pepper. Remove the seeds and white ribs inside the chili pepper. They hold all the heat, and all peppers can vary in level of heat. Cut a tiny piece off and give it a taste before adding in too much!
• flavors of garlic: Add in more granulated garlic powder or use some fresh finely diced or grated garlic to add to the flavor of guacamole.
• hot sauce: Add a dash of hot sauce you love, I typically use a classic one like Tabasco or a Mexican brand like Cholula or Tapatio.
• hot salsa: Some people love to add their own favorite hot salsa or mild salsa into guacamole.
• spicy seasonings: In a pinch, you can add a tiny bit of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to raise up the heat level too. Commercial guacamole spice mix packets like the signature blend of McCormick spices have salt, garlic, cumin, jalapeno, onion, chili powder, red bell peppers, powdered milk, and sour cream plus shelf-stable preservatives. I don't recommend those if you want the best guacamole recipe.
• pico de gallo: Is made from onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno. It is chunky in texture and can vary in heat. You can add it but will get that heat and bite from the onion and jalapeno chile.

More Fresh Ingredients And Additions

Add any of these classic additions to your favorite guacamole recipe...

• fresh cilantro: some people add in fresh cilantro. I think it overpowers guac, but you can certainly add some in!
• ripe chopped tomato: use good ripe tomatoes, just use the tomato flesh and not the watery seeds, they don't add flavor and can add too much liquid to your homemade guacamole.
• grated onion: grating onion is the secret! Chopped onion still has a stronger bite, the grating mellows out the strong flavor, even white onions!
• black beans & corn: add 1 can (8 ¾ oz.) whole kernel corn, drained, and 1 cup each of canned black beans, drained and rinsed. Or cut some fresh kernels off grilled corn on the cob would be delicious!

What To Serve With Guacamole Dip

Use it as a side with your favorite Mexican food taco night, Cinco de Mayo, the big game, your next party, or a barbecue cookout.

Besides chip and dip, put together a snack board! Cut veggies into small sticks, display them in neat piles, or display them in small cups.

• good tortilla chips or strips
• baby carrots
• celery sticks
• cauliflower pieces
• jicama sticks
• corn chips
• pretzels
• broccoli

How To Store Guacamole

The shelf life of guacamole is very limited, and it begins to turn brown due to oxidation within just an hour of remaining out in the air at room temperature.

When you make your own guacamole, make it just about an hour before serving and keep guacamole chilled in the fridge covered.

If you buy guacamole from the refrigerated section of the supermarket, go by the use-by date and keep the lid sealed with plastic wrap pressed into the uneaten dip.

Ways To Use Leftovers

Eat any leftovers within 1-2 days, here are some great ways to use this delicious dip.

• Pile it on Grilled Burgers, or a large deli sub sandwich.
• Spread onto Avocado Toast for breakfast or a snack.
• Use With Nachos: your leftover guac on a sheet pan of nachos or Tachos which are tater tot nachos! Use any tortilla chips left from your party, spread on different cheeses, and load on the refried beans, olives plus other toppings. Then put on a dollop of guacamole and sour cream.
• Freeze It! So what's the best way to freeze guacamole? Pack the guacamole into zip-top freezer bags and squeeze all of the air out. Or pack in freezer containers and press some plastic wrap onto the exposed surface of the guacamole to protect it from freezer burn. You can also try ice cube trays, but those are harder to seal the air from the top of the trays.

How To Dice Avocados

1. Slice all the way around the avocado, the long way around the seed.
2. Carefully tap the avocado with a sharp blade and pop the seed out.
3. Slice the avocado flesh into long rows. Hold the avocado half in the palm of your hand. Use a butter knife and not a sharp knife and then across and into cubes.
4. Scoop out the avocado into a bowl or Molcajete. The small pieces are a little easier to mash into guacamole.

Ripe Avocados FAQ

How do you keep guacamole green?

Squeeze lemon or lime juice over the guacamole to form a layer from the air which will turn it brown. Then, cover the dish with plastic wrap, push the wrap, so it is in contact with the guacamole, and refrigerate. 

This stops the oxygen in the air from turning the guacamole brown. Another option is to put the guacamole in a sealed container with a layer of lemon or lime juice on top.

Another way to keep sliced avocado halves green is to place them face down in a container filled with water so it keeps air from the avocado.

Mexican Cuisine: Avocado Salsa vs. Guacamole

Two of the most popular condiments and Mexican dips loaded with creaminess of the avocado as the main ingredient have similar ingredients but many main differences between them like different textures.

Traditional Guacamole and Avocado Salsa recipes are both served on Mexican foods like tacos, burritos, and taquitos, or served with tortilla chips as a dip. But there are some key differences and different ways they are made.

Although the word guacamole translates to "avocado sauce", the whole avocado salsa guacamole terminology is a bit confusing! And then there are Tomatillo Avocado Salsa Recipes which are also called taco sauce, salsa de aguacate, salsa verde, guacamole salsa, or green salsa. By the way there is also, salsa roja which translates to a red salsa, and a popular quality restaurant salsa.

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Why Not Buy It?

Store-Bought prepackaged guacamoles and bottled avocado salsa are available all over the United States in local grocery stores. But, they have lots of additional ingredients to keep them shelf stable, and in a liquid state like a salad dressing. Some taste okay, but nothing beats the fresh flavor of making it at home!

Yes, the first items and primary ingredient will be avocados, white onions, chili peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and sometimes tomatillos, but common additions include sugar, vinegar, soybean oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, corn starch, whey protein concentrate, and artificial colors.

So with good reason, skip all the additives, and enjoy the great taste of real guacamole and fresh salsa recipes.

What Mexican Food And Drinks Go Well With Guacamole?

Is there any better party food than guac and a big bowl of tortilla chips? Scoop up your amazing guacamole with crunchy tortilla chips, or dollup on Mexican dishes like tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, pork carnitas, enchiladas, and taquitos...

A big scoop of this layered onto different dishes like a Chicken Enchilada Casserole defines cozy, yummy, comfort food. What makes this a great recipe, is you can cook the filling on the stovetop or simmer it in a slow cooker all day and then serve it with your favorite side dishes.

Serve drinks like these Easy Margaritas great to serve for large parties or serve super fun CoronaRita Margaritas! Taco Salad is great with guacamole, and Avocado Salsa with all those crunchy tortilla chips.

Mexican Pickled Red Onions are an easy recipe with no canning skills needed. Ready in 30 minutes to top hamburgers, salads, tacos, tostadas, and pulled pork. Crunchy Mini Tacos are loaded with refried beans, cheese, black olives, taco filling, pickled jalapeños and drizzled with a Mexican Crema sauce. Tomatillo Salsa is made in 20 minutes. Homemade salsa is so good, and has 6 ingredients; chiles, onion, tomatillos, tomato, salt, and garlic. CoronaRita Margaritas have a mini “Coronita” turned upside down into a slushy margarita. Perfect when you can’t decide between a margarita and an icy cold Corona...