This is the best guacamole recipe as it’s simple to make and uses fresh, high-quality ingredients. Authentic guacamole doesn’t contain fillers and unnecessary ingredients. All you need is avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, and salt. Easy and delicious!

Guacamole in a bowl with a chip dipping in.

I’m not one for hyperbole, but this really is the best guacamole recipe. When it comes to crowd-raving guacamole the key is to not get too fancy or try to be too unique. Guacamole is meant to be easy to make and delicious. Plain and simple. It’s a blend of a few high quality ingredients with flavors that meld together beautifully.

After numerous trips to Mexico and working alongside Mexican chefs, I can confirm that this guacamole is the real deal. Fresh, easy, and authentic! Just as you would enjoy it in Mexico.

Ingredients for making guacamole on a counter.

Guacamole Ingredients

With just eight simple ingredients you can make one of the all-time-best dip recipes.

  • Avocados: Want to know how to pick the best, most ripe avocados? See my tips below!
  • Onion: I’m using yellow onion which is most often used in Mexico, but you could use red onion as well.
  • Tomatoes: Choose Roma tomatoes which are less juicy. No one wants a watery guac.
  • Cilantro: One of my favorite herbs and a staple in Mexican cuisine.
  • Jalapeno: You can also use serrano pepper for a little extra heat.
  • Garlic: Some people like their guac with garlic, others like it without. I love just a little.
  • Lime: Freshly squeezed lime is a must. Don’t use jarred lime juice as the flavor is muted.
  • Salt: A pinch of flaky salt brings it all together.

Pick Ripe Avocados for the Best Guacamole

The best guacamole starts with the freshest ingredients. Look for avocados that are ripe, but firm. You definitely don’t want soft and mushy avocados.

So how do you pick good, ripe avocados? First, grab avocados that still have the stem attached. If the stem has been removed in the store, it’s more likely to have brown spots on the inside. Then, gently press on one end. It should be firm, but have a slight give to it.

Guacamole recipe ingredients in a bowl ready to be mixed.

How Do You Make Guacamole?

Slice three ripe avocados in half, remove the pit and scoop them into a mixing bowl. Then use a fork to gently mash them to your desired level of chunky or smooth. Add the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, garlic, lime juice and salt and stir everything together. That’s it. The most delicious, easy guacamole.

A bowl of fresh, authentic guacamole next to tortilla chips.

How to Store Leftovers (and Keep it Green!)

Guacamole oxidizes and turns brown pretty darn quick. The lime juice helps to slow this process, but it’s inevitable that leftover guacamole will eventually start to brown.

Now, I’ve tried every kitchen hack imaginable to keep guacamole green (I eat a lot of guacamole). So what doesn’t work? Well, let’s start with leaving the pit in the guacamole. This does nothing to prevent browning and there’s no scientific justification for it. Consider it an old wives tale.

Next, many say to add lemon juice. And this helps a bit, but I don’t like that it changes the flavor profile of my beloved guacamole.

The most common guacamole preservation hack is placing plastic wrap directly on the guacamole to prevent oxidation. And this may work for a day or two. But I’m striving to reduce my plastic consumption and just don’t love this method.

So in my quest to keep my guacamole green I stumbled on this hack – and it’s brilliant.

Here’s how to keep guacamole green:

  • Place your leftover guacamole in a storage container and pat it down firmly with a spoon so it’s nice and flat on top.
  • Add about 1/2 inch of water on top (I used cold water).
  • Place the lid on the storage container and store it in the fridge. That’s it!
  • When you want to enjoy the guacamole, drain the water off the top, give it a stir and you’re good to go.

I tested this method for three full days and it worked like a charm. It stays perfectly fresh and delicious. Though I will admit by the third day it does start to get a little more watery. But who has guacamole last that long anyway?

A scoop of guacamole on a tortilla chip.

Watch My Guacamole Recipe Video

While this recipe is easy to make, I have some tips for making the best guacamole recipe you’ve ever tasted. Watch my step-by-step tutorial video below!

More Delicious Mexican Inspired Recipes

For all my Mexican food lovers, give these reader favorite recipes a try:

And you can wash all of those down with my Mango Margarita, Strawberry Margarita or Classic Margarita. Or my Agua Fresca for a non-alcoholic option.

For tasty guacamole variations, try my festive Pomegranate Guacamole, tasty BLT Guacamole, and bite-sized Guacamole Stuffed Tomatoes!

Guacamole recipe in a bowl next to tortilla chips.

Best Ever Guacamole (Fresh, Easy & Authentic)

Author: Lisa Bryan
4.96 from 726 votes
Read 1377 Comments
Serves 4 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
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Description

A tried and true guacamole recipe that's easy to make, uses fresh ingredients and is loaded with flavor. It's the best guacamole dip hands down. Watch the video below to see how quickly it comes together!

Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 3 avocados, ripe
  • ½ small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions 

  • Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop into a mixing bowl. 
    Scooped avocado in a mixing bowl.
  • Mash the avocado with a fork and make it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Give it a taste test and add a pinch more salt or lime juice if needed.
  • Serve the guacamole with tortilla chips.
    Guacamole in a serving bowl next to tortilla chips.

Lisa’s Tips

  • Look for large avocados for this recipe. If you can only find small avocados, feel free to add one more!
  • Definitely use fresh limes rather than lime juice in a bottle. The flavor difference is worth it. And speaking of limes, I’m using Mexican limes which give about 1 to 2 tablespoons of juice. 
  • Make sure to read my tips above for keeping leftover guacamole green and fresh. It’s truly amazing! And I store the leftover guacamole in these food storage containers.

Nutrition

Calories: 184.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 2.5g | Fat: 15.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 305.5mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 1.7g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted August 2014, but updated to include new photos and video May 2018 and again today. 

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.96 from 726 votes (98 ratings without comment)

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1,377 Comments

  1. Been waiting to find out what exactly was a traditional guacamole. I have added some sour cream and had people say they liked it,but generally didn’t like guacamole. I’m pretty sure they didn’t realize they did like guacamole! Having lived in Texas for most of my life, I tend to lean towards Tex-Mex, but I always want to know what is traditional vs. an alteration. Thanks.

    1. I accidentally left out the garlic and the guacamole was still a hit. I made some with and without cilantro.5 stars

  2. This is my first time ever making guacamole and there is none left. Family loved it so much. Great recipe. Thank you for sharing5 stars

  3. Your recipe is clear, concise and ends up totally delicious! The tip of covering the guacamole with water to stop oxidation worked out perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing this! (Note: Because we are avid fans of limes, we added the zest of 2 limes. We also added cumin. We chose 2 teaspoons of cumin. Go ahead and put in less if it’s flavor is a bit too strong.)5 stars

    1. Happy to hear that tip was extremely helpful and that you enjoyed this guacamole recipe, Tim!

  4. I am not a great cook, but this recipe was so easy and effortless, I nailed it! Which surprised both me and my husband! Thank you for making it so delicious and easy. Absolutely delicious.5 stars

  5. Hi Lisa. I made your best ever guacamole for company yesterday. So tasty, fresh and easy to make. It was a hit. Thanks so much!5 stars

  6. Perfect recipe! Thank you!!
    I did use cherry tomatoes and red onion because they’re what I had on hand. Those two things did add a bit of sweetness…which I liked.
    We’ve lived in Santa Fe for over a decade now and tableside guacamole is quite a thing in local restaurants – tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, jalapeños and everything else in this recipe are in their guacamoles. We don’t care for it too smooth. That’s the authentic southwestern guac my friends and family LOVE!
    Do spring for some really good tortilla chips – found in the deli section of our local grocery. Makes a big difference!5 stars

  7. Fantastic recipe! Followed it closely but used 4 medium haas avocados since that’s all I could find. It turnout perfectly and as others noted, everyone loved it. One friend, who considers himself a guacamole guru, said it was one of the best he ever had!5 stars

  8. This is a fine Guac recipe! It’s quick, easy, flexible, and delicious.
    My only gripe is with a technical detail : How much is half an onion or one Jalapeno? Even suggestions of how many grams or ounces you’re recommending would be a big improvement.5 stars

    1. Hi Joseph – Happy to hear you’re loving this guacamole recipe! Also, thanks for pointing out that detail. I’ll need to go back and figure out exact measurements. Stay tuned!

  9. Not a bad guacamole, but as she says some people leave out the garlic. Definitely do. The biggy here is the cilantro. It is too strong a flavor and people who hate it really hate it. It is an acquired taste. Ok with the pepper but I find tomato too intrusive, too Tex-Mex. A true guacamole has avocado, lime, salt, and some kind of onion. Maybe a little hot pepper. Close here, but more a dip than guacamole.4 stars

    1. Laura,
      Thanks, I made this and the amount of cilantro is way too much for me. I couldn’t eat this. Hopefully I can find a couple more avocados to make a difference. I love garlic so I had no problem with that but I also disliked the added tomatoes. I was feeling so wrong!3 stars

  10. My Mexican/American/Italian family raved about this recipe! Thank you so much…. saves me a lot of time trying to find one that really works.5 stars

  11. Great recipe, eliminated tomatoes and I added lime zest, juice of an extra lime, double the garlic and 1 1/2 the salt5 stars

    1. Another suggestion for preserving in the fridge is to mix a little Fruit Fresh in. Stops the browning.

  12. This was absolutely delicious and the water hack worked a treat to stop it browning. I’ll be making this regularly from now on!5 stars

      1. Great recipe. A trick I learned from a Mexican friend to preserve the guac is to cover the top with a thin layer of sour cream. Then, when you are ready to serve it, you can just stir it in and no one’s the wiser. If you still have leftovers, you can repeat. I’ve kept it for a couple days in the fridge this way.5 stars

      2. Hey, Loren. You reviewed your own recipe. We don’t care about whatever that concoction you put together was. Why do people want to amend a recipe 3-4 different ways and then convince themselves that they reviewing the original recipe written out in front of them?

  13. Lisa, your Best Guacamole Ever recipe is fabulous! My husband has never cared for guacamole until he tried your recipe. Now he loves it!5 stars

  14. Thank you. I used to make pico de gallo and guacamole often, but hadn’t in a while. I needed a quick refresher and your site was perfect.5 stars

  15. As someone who doesn’t really like avocado, I love this recipe! If you don’t like avocado but want the nutrition, this recipe is for you5 stars

  16. Hi Lisa, i have become a convert to Guacamole.. I have never wanted to eat the plain versions from the shops as i find them so bland but this recipe has given me a whole new take on Guacamole should taste like. I am now doing this recipe all the time. It is so fresh and delicious… Thank you5 stars

    1. Hi Sharon – Happy to hear you’ve found a new guacamole recipe that has turned you into a convert!

  17. My first time making guacamole, and it went great! Everyone loved it. My only input is that I would recommend chopping everything up before cutting the avocados, as they go bad really quickly. Then you can mix everything together quickly right before the meal or party or whatever. Thanks for the great recipe!5 stars

    1. Thanks for the perfect suggestion Ben! Did it your way and really help since I’m a slowpoke at chopping.

  18. Amazing! As stated, great as-is but also is a perfect canvas for whatever art is desired by your heart!5 stars

  19. The title says it all! Certainly is the best guacamole I’ve made. It far surpasses any table side restaurant guacamole. Bravo Lisa👏5 stars

  20. Recently made this as an app for a small dinner party. Super easy to pull together. The perfect blend of tangy, salty and spicy. A tiny bit chunky. Everyone loved it; disappeared in minutes. P.S. I LIVE in Mexico!5 stars

  21. My first time making guacamole and it was delicious. I will definitely make this again!5 stars

  22. I have avacados in my frig and i just logged on to remind me of your perfect guacamole recipe. Thanks again.5 stars

    1. Sure thing, Brian! Glad this post was helpful in all sorts of ways to make the perect guacamole recipe!

  23. The best guacamole recipe I have ever made. So much better than premade store bought! When I’m looking for a recipe to try something new I always start with your website.5 stars

  24. I just wanna thank you for all of your recipes. You have no idea how many times you have bailed me out. I have so many friends with food issues. And I can always turn to you and find something that someone can eat and love.5 stars

    1. Aw, thanks so much, Terrie! That means so much to know that you use my website as a resource for your recipe needs. :)

  25. This was the best guacamole recipe I have tried. Thank you Also a heads up: to save guacamole and keep it the nice green color is to store in a sealed container and freeze it and it keeps it perfect. I jsut thought I would try this one time and it worked awesome it was in the freezer for over a month and a half and stayed the same color as when it was freshly made.5 stars