Authentic Guacamole Recipe (2024)

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By Shawn Williams

4.67 from 3 votes

Apr 20, 2020, Updated Apr 24, 2023

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This homemade guacamole recipe has a subtle spicy kick and a delicious citrusy kick thanks to plenty of fresh lime juice. Learn how to make the best guacamole with fresh ingredients that will keep you coming back for more and more!

It’s hard to beat chips and guac, but this recipe goes especially well with my flank steak fajitas, carne asada tacos, chicken enchiladas, and my stuffed peppers recipe!

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients
  • Tips for Making Guacamole
  • More Recipes You’ll Love
  • Authentic Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients

  • Perfectly ripe avocados. You want to be able to manipulate the avocado with firm but gentle pressure without being overly soft.
  • Fresh lime juice (I use 2 limes for lots of citrusy flavor)
  • yellow or white onion
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Fresh cilantro (I love cilantro and think it takes avocado up a notch in terms of flavor
  • Fresh minced garlic or garlic powder. Garlic powder is easier, fresh garlic tastes better.
  • Salt and pepper, to taste. Bland guac can be dressed up with a pinch of salt.
  • Fresh chopped jalapeno or hot sauce. Fresh jalapeno is the BEST. I usually exclude the seeds and mince them into very small pieces. A few teaspoons are prob the amount to shoot for but always test the jalapeno before adding.

Tips for Making Guacamole

  • Mash avocados until creamy with small chunks — you don’t want a paste. A potato masher or pastry cutter works really well at mashing avocados if you don’t have a mortar and pestle because who does?
  • finely chopped or diced onions and tomatoes are better than larger chopped ones. You don’t want massive chunks of onion and tomato in your guac. The smaller pieces will also spread throughout more evenly.
  • Wait and add tomatoesat the very end and fold them into the guac. Otherwise, they will turn to mush when mashing your avocados.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Baked Chicken Chimichangas Recipe

Carne Asada Tacos Recipe

Blackened Salmon Tacos Recipe

Skillet Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & areview in the comments!

4.67 from 3 votes

Authentic Guacamole Recipe

By: Shawn Williams

Servings: 8

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Save

Authentic Guacamole Recipe (8)

Our favorite authentic guacamole recipe made with a subtle spicy kick and a profound lime twist.

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 2 limes, squeezed
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1 cup tomato, diced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Instructions

  • Cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pits and scoop into a bowl. Mash until creamy and smooth. Add all ingredients except for the tomatoes and mix well.

  • Fold in tomatoes last until mixed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Be sure to get avocados to desired texture before adding tomatoes. Otherwise they will turn to mush.

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 12.2gProtein: 2.4gFat: 19.7gSaturated Fat: 4.1gSodium: 171mgFiber: 7.7gSugar: 1.8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenswagger or tag #kitchenswagger!

About Shawn Williams

My name is Shawn, author behind Kitchen Swagger. I'm a food & drink enthusiast bringing you my own simple and delicious restaurant-inspired recipes.

Read More About Me

17 Comments

  1. Nice recipe but I prefer jalapeños to hot sauce. Also – key to really good
    Guac is to mash onion (and garlic if using) with jalapeños and a little cilantro to make a paste before you add the avocado. The Mexicans use a molcahete (which is a mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock) to do this. Then you mix in Avocado, lime, salt and tomatoes. My kids love guacamole and I make it all the time.

    Reply

  2. Yum! Made this today. It was so good, even without the cilantro n

    Reply

  3. If you need to make your guacamole the day before just put water on it and take water off before serving it. Your guacamole will be perfect. It was something on the food network. They tested all these methods of keeping the guacamole green this was the best. Just my two cents.

    Reply

    1. What do you mean by putting the water “on” it?

      Reply

  4. Authentic Guacamole Recipe (10)
    a friend swears by putting the pit of the avocado back inside your container with the leftover guac. when you store it. she says it helps keep the avocado fresh.

    Reply

    1. Yep – that works

      Reply

  5. I prefer fresh minced garlic and chopped jalapeño. I always try to make this a day ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap, to allow time for the flavors to meld. Tips: go easy on the salt, cilantro and jalapeño, adding more to taste. I often keep one avocado out just in case I overdid something and need to dilute the flavor.

    Reply

  6. Authentic Guacamole Recipe (11)
    easy and delicious!

    Reply

  7. What kind of hot sauce is your favorite?

    Reply

    1. I usually use Franks Red Hot or regular Tabasco.

      Reply

  8. How long does it last in the fridge before it goes bad?

    Reply

    1. I would make it fresh to serve. Avocados brown very easily once cut. If you must store for a day, squeeze a little extra lime juice on top and seal very tight with plastic wrap. I usually make it air tight by pressing it right up against the guacamole so there is no air exposure.

      Reply

      1. a friend swears by putting the pit of the avocado back inside your container with the leftover guac. when you store it. she says it helps keep the avocado fresh.

        Reply

  9. Spent the weekend here a few years ago. Stumbled upon Papagayo’s by accident. So thankful for this recipe! Now, if I could just recreate those fabulous margaritas we had…….❤️

    Reply

    1. I’ll work on that 😉

      Reply

  10. I love classic guacamole anytime and I am loving the addition of hot sauce here!! Sounds divine!

    Reply

    1. Excellent! Let me know how it comes out!

      Reply

Authentic Guacamole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional guacamole made of? ›

Here's all you need for traditional guacamole: ripe avocados, coriander/cilantro, red onions, jalapeño or Serrano chilli, lime and salt. Avoid unnecessary fillers such as sour cream and cream cheese. They only dilute flavour. Popular optional extras include: garlic, tomato, cumin powder.

What is the secret to good guacamole? ›

The perfect guacamole should be a cross between creamy and chunky. You'll want a mix of avocado chunks and creamy mashed avocado. My tip is to use a fork to mash the avocado but avoid over-mixing the first time around, this will create too much creaminess and be more like avocado puree rather than guacamole.

Do Mexicans put tomatoes in guacamole? ›

The basic basic of Guacamole is Avocado, Tomatoes, Onion with salt to taste. General rule leave the guac under salted as Chips served with it are salted which you do not want an overly salty guac. Juice of a lemon or lime can be used to slow down the browning process.

How do Mexican restaurants keep guacamole from turning brown? ›

Pour a thin but visible layer of water or lemon/lime juice over the guacamole to form a barrier with the air. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap, so it is flush with the guacamole to prevent air pockets, or put the guacamole in a sealed tub.

Why you should leave the lime out of guacamole? ›

Diana Kennedy all but forbids it in The Art Of Mexican Cooking, saying it “spoils the balance of flavors.” In Hugo Ortega's Street Foods Of Mexico, Ortega writes, “the secret to a good guacamole is to respect the avocado flavor and not drown it in lime juice” (he adds a scant 1/4 teaspoon for two large avocados).

Why do people put mayo in guacamole? ›

Blending just a little bit of mayo into your guacamole will help make it extra creamy and silky smooth for dipping or spreading.

Why do people put sour cream in guacamole? ›

Sour cream is a simple addition to your favorite guacamole recipe. Just a few tablespoons to a small batch recipe will do it. The sour cream adds a nice tang without being too overbearing and it also creates a creamy, silky mouthfeel. A fabulous contrast to the crunch of tortilla chips.

Does cumin belong in guacamole? ›

Fine sea salt: A critical ingredient to bring out all of those good flavors! Ground cumin: I've always added a dash to my homemade guacamole, and I'm convinced it's the secret ingredient that rounds out all of those flavors and makes people love it so much.

What do Mexicans eat guacamole with? ›

This treat is usually served with chips at local Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants, such as Moe's or Chipotle, but is also a popular ingredient on tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and more.

What's better in guacamole, lemon or lime? ›

I like the flavor better with lemon juice, but lime works too. If you're out of fresh lemons or limes, try using bottled lime or lemon juice. Although, freshly squeezed juice is definitely the best! Salt: Salt enhances the flavors and brings it all together.

Can you put too much lemon juice in guacamole? ›

Typically the recipe is 3 to 4 avocados, 1 to 2 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 1 to 2 hot peppers, 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, 1 garlic clove (optional), and salt and pepper to taste. Adding too much lemon or lime juice can cause a very watery guacamole.

Why put olive oil in guacamole? ›

Olive oil is rich in healthy fats and imparts a subtle richness to guacamole that makes it even more satisfying. In addition, it can help to prevent the avocado from turning brown too quickly by forming a barrier between the surface of the guacamole and the air.

What is guacamole in Mexican culture? ›

Guacamole History: A Mexican Food? The history of this tasty treat dates back to the Aztec Empire in Central America during the 1500s. Avocados were a favorite fruit in the area, and the Aztecs loved their “ahuaca-mulli” or avocado-mixture.

What are the ingredients in store bought guacamole? ›

WHOLLY® GUACAMOLE Chunky Guacamole Bowl Chunky

Hass Avocados, Tomatoes, Onions, Cilantro, Contains 2% Or Less Of Lime Juice, Garlic, Salt, Serrano Peppers.

What is the difference between a Hass avocado and a regular avocado? ›

The biggest nutritional difference between California and Florida avocados is their fat content. For each golf ball-sized portion (two tablespoons, or two to three thin slices), a California avocado such as Hass contains 4.6 grams of fat and the same portion of a Florida avocado averages 3 grams of fat.

Why is restaurant guacamole so green? ›

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.

References

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