Best Ever Guacamole

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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)

4.96 from 625 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

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
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: authentic guacamole, easy guacamole, Guacamole, Guacamole Recipe, How to make guacamole
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.

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Recipe Rating




1,090 Comments

  1. You’ve been there for me through all my ups and downs, and I hope you know I’m always here for you too. Thanks for being such a wonderful best friend. I hope you have a great birthday, and the year ahead is the best yet!5 stars

  2. Add a tablespoon of double cream,and stir into guacamole,1, makes guacamole creamier 2 , seems the lactose works as a preservative!

  3. Thank you for such a great recipe! I followed your guacamole instructions to the “T” and had excellent results, much better than the expensive grocery store guacamole. Kudos! Thanks again!
    -Glen5 stars

  4. This was my first time ever making guacamole, and I am so glad that I found your recipe. The flavor profiles are spot on! Thank you for sharing:-)5 stars

  5. Yum, great recipe! Didn’t have cilantro when I made it, so I ate most of it without it. Went to market and grabbed a bunch and chopped it up a bit and added it in to taste the true recipe. Not a big fan of cilantro, but I do believe it adds to the flavor very well. Recipe is a keeper and will make this again! Thank you!5 stars

  6. Absolutely outstanding recipe that is easy to make! I had no fresh peppers so used (store-bought and then chopped up) Mt Olive mild banana pepper rings instead–and that worked great. Adds just that bit of kick. Will certainly make again–this coming weekend to begin with. Lovely recipe! My thanks.5 stars

  7. Great recipe. I was craving guac all last week and picked up some avocados but they weren’t ripe. It was like torture waiting for them to ripen. Love that you add the jalapeno pepper, It gives the dip such a nice kick without creating too much heat and taking away from the other flavors. Its also amazing how much of a different it makes using fresh lime juice5 stars

  8. I freeze my guacamole! I make a large batch and freeze in small jars and when I ready for some guac I just take it out of the freezer, thaw, and enjoy! Tastes the same as the day I made it!5 stars

  9. I have been making this quacamole on repeat for the past 6 weeks. My husband, who is not an avocado fan, has been requesting it weekly!5 stars

  10. Fantastic guac. Simple, easy and delicious.  i used tomatoes fresh from the garden. They weren’t Romas and were perfect for the dish. 5 stars

  11. Tastes really good, but “authentic guacamole “ does not contain tomatoes and leaving them out makes very little difference to the tast.4 stars

    1. Recipes are made to be altered. I grew up in a large Italian family that ran an authentic pizzeria. If I had a dollar for everytime I saw a local pizza shop changing the authentic recipes I would be a billionaire. I also have an authentic Mexican restaurant in my town, and the family that owns that place moved here from Mexico about a decade ago and they put tomatoes in their Guacamole and I consider theirs the best I’ve ever had.

    1. It’s possible to add parsley, but it will change the flavor. I personally like the flavor of cilantro better for this recipe.

  12. My whole family loves this recipe, it has become a staple in many meals. Thanks for the story and the advice.5 stars

  13. I have made this recipe multiple times before, and it has always been delicious! I only needed half of the recipe this time, but forgot about that when I added the salt. Do you have any suggestions on how to easily counteract the extra salt without having to add the other half of all of the ingredients? Thanks!5 stars

  14. I bought a guacamole saver and it works like a charm to keep my guacamole fresh for multiple days..you just press the lid down..it lets the air out until you reach the surface of the guac.. it lets me nom on this recipe for 3-7days..5 stars

  15. This is the best homemade guac!!! Hands down. I amped up the lime w lemon juice too. Really good!!!5 stars

    1. Easiest way to preserve leftover guacamole and super effective – place a leftover/spare tortilla over the top and press down slightly to cover, then put a lid on the container. The tortilla will be a little soggy the next day but the guacamole is good as new!

  16. Love it! As good as my own…from your native N. Californian here. The trick is to keep one pit and stick it straight down in the middle of vuacomole in your serving bowl, with a little showing on top–for fun and color. It stops the oxidization, even in the fridge for a night or two. Guac. should be made fresh like yours, yum, and eaten that day…or next day at least.5 stars

  17. This is the best guacamole I ever made. I’ve tried about 6 or 7 recipes over the years, all only slightly different but this one tastes better, fresher. I subbed green onions for the regular onion, it was great.5 stars

  18. Seriously, the best; simple recipe for guacamole I’ve ever made. I paired this with your salsa (bomb diggity) and Fajitas (bomb diggity x2) and I was the hero of the night to my family even more than usual because I’m blessed with amazing boys :)5 stars

  19. This was easy, and delicious. The texture is such a perfect mix of creamy, substance and crunch. Thank you!!
    Also, thanks for including “jump to recipe” button. (I have stopped visiting blogs that don’t have this.)5 stars

    1. Unfortunately, I’m not quite too sure. But you can possibly find some individuals who are sharing the same experience in the Facebook Community Group! If you’re not part of it yet, come join and meet tons of Downshifters around the world :)

    2. Judy, have you explored the Davita website for recipes? I would have been lost without it following my husband’s CKD diagnosis. Thanks to the Davita recipes, nutritionists and information, he lost 40 lbs in 4 months and raised his GFR from 50 to 74. I hope this helps you, and I wish you the best.

  20. I use a potato masher with square holes to mash avocados, pressing down only once on each part of the fruit.

  21. A lot of  things have passed over my tongue in 87 years but cilantro was the nastiest.
    BTW, Julia Child didn’t like it!

    1. Hi Dorothy, my family doesn’t like cilantro too so I always substitute it with parsley. Try it with parsley, it’s really the best guacamole recipe. 5 stars

  22. Made your recipe for my husband’s birthday & everyone said it was THE BEST guacamole they ever ate!!! Thank you so much for sharing.5 stars

  23. Go to recipe. Love this. Have made it multiple times. I have made it with and without cilantro depending on what I had in the house. Perfect, simple mix of ingredients that works every time. 5 stars

  24. Love this recipe! I made it without garlic and topped it with some sliced scallions/spring onions. It’s very tasty and sooo fresh.5 stars