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The BEST homemade guacamole! Made with just 7 ingredients in under 10 minutes, this easy guacamole is creamy, tangy, fresh, vibrant, and a crowd-pleasing dip, appetizer, snack, or spread for any occasion!
What Is Guacamole?
Guacamole (nicknamed ‘Guac’) is a type of Mexican avocado dip (or spread) most typically made with mashed avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and salt – often also including onion, jalapeños, and/or tomatoes. It’s so popular that, along with being available in most Mexican and Tex-Mex eateries, you can even buy it pre-made in grocery stores.
And okay, hear us out; we’re not opposed to the occasional grocery-bought pre-packed guacamole. BUT, if you want the most crowd-pleasing, crave-able, moreish results, this easy homemade guacamole recipe is the way to go!
The Best Homemade Guac With Tomato
With just a few simple, high-quality ingredients (quality is key!), this easy guacamole recipe is inexpensive, perfectly balanced, and takes just a few minutes to prepare – perfect for even hectic weekdays.
Keep reading for how to make the best homemade guac for you – be that smooth or chunky guacamole, with extra add-ins (like corn or mango), using salsa, etc. – as well as how to serve and store it! Plus, it’s gluten-free, oil-free, dairy-free, vegan, and keto-friendly, making it great for practically any get-together!
If you love this homemade fresh guacamole, you might also enjoy our recipes for super smooth avocado spread, Mexican avocado cream, tomatillo avocado salsa Verde, and creamy avocado pesto!
The Ingredients
Prepare this easy guacamole recipe with just 7 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- Avocado: Use good-quality, ripe Hass avocados for the best guacamole.
- Onion: Use yellow onion (authentic) or red onion for sharpness and texture.
- Garlic: While it’s not traditional, we love our homemade guacamole recipe with garlic. Adjust the amount to taste. Use garlic powder in a pinch (to taste).
- Tomato: (Optional) Use in-season Roma/ plum tomatoes for the best guacamole with tomato. Out of season, use cherry tomatoes or omit them.
Alternatively, use fresh salsa like Pico De Gallo in place of the chopped tomato and onion.
- Lime juice: Use fresh lime juice for the absolute best flavor (add even more zing with a small amount of lime zest). Lemon juice works in a pinch. This brightens the flavor while also keeping the avocado from browning.
- Cumin: Adds a warm, earthy depth for a more full-bodied flavor.
- Cilantro: Use fresh cilantro. If you aren’t a fan, try parsley or green onion.
- Salt & Black pepper: Use flaky salt (like Maldon) or Kosher salt. Season to taste.
For the most basic 4-ingredient guacamole recipe, use avocado, onion, lime juice, and cilantro (and season with salt).
How to Make Guacamole Dip?
Follow four simple, low-fuss steps for this super easy homemade guacamole recipe.
- 1) First, prepare the ingredients by finely chopping the onion, tomatoes, and cilantro, mincing the garlic, and juicing the lime.
- 2) Then, cut open the avocados, remove the pit, and either peel them or scoop them from the peel before chopping them into a medium bowl.
- 3) Stir in the lime juice, then use a fork or a potato masher to mash the avocados to your desired consistency.
You can enjoy it as chunky guacamole, only slightly chunky, or on the smoother side.
- 4) Stir in the remaining ingredients and season to taste (tweak the amount of lemon to taste, too, if desired). Enjoy!
For the best flavor, leave it to sit and ‘marinate’ for at least 15 minutes.
What Else Could I Add?
- Jalapeño/Serrano: For spice, add finely chopped chili (de-seeded for milder heat). Otherwise, use hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne.
- Vegan Greek yogurt: (or sour cream) Non-dairy Greek yogurt guacamole is even richer and creamier.
- Paprika: Just a pinch for a little flavor depth.
- Salsa guacamole: Save time using jarred salsa instead of fresh tomato & onion.
- Corn guacamole: Use canned or grilled corn.
- Mango: Fold in some finely chopped fresh mango (adjust the amount to taste) for a delicious, sweet, and savory mango guacamole.
- Pineapple: Ditto the above.
- Vegan feta: To mix in or crumble over the vegan guacamole.
- Toasted pepitas: For crunch. Other nuts/seeds could also work.
FAQs
We’d argue that without the avocado, it wouldn’t be guacamole. However, you can make a similar dip using smashed green peas (and just a little avo for richness).
Roma tomatoes or other less ‘juicy’ tomatoes are best to avoid watery guacamole. If they’re overly seedy, de-seed them.
Pop it/them into a paper bag with an ethylene-producing fruit, like a banana or apple, and this will speed up the ripening. You can also soften an avocado in the oven (at 200F/93C, wrapped in foil) or microwave (in 20-second increments) until soft, though the flavor and texture change slightly when heated.
The browning results from the avocado oxidizing when in contact with air (like chopped potatoes and apples). If it browns prematurely (within 3-4 days), the homemade guac is still perfectly safe to eat; it just won’t look as appetizing. It may also be slightly more bitter, though.
Recipe Notes
- To avoid watery guacamole: De-seed the tomatoes if you aren’t eating it immediately.
- Avocado brown spots: These can leave a bitter taste, so you may want to slice away any brown spots before mashing the avocadoes.
- For super smooth guacamole: Use a blender/ food processor to process the avocado and lime juice before folding in the remaining ingredients.
- Timesaving tip: Use a vegetable chopper or mini food processor to ‘chop’ the onion and process the avocado to your desired consistency.
- Leave the flavors to meld: Even just 20-30 minutes will help to make the best homemade guacamole dip.
- Adjust the consistency: The homemade guacamole can be as chunky or smooth as you’d like.
How To Tell If an Avocado is Ripe?
- Gently squeeze the avocado. There should be some give, but without it feeling mushy and soft.
- Check under the stem. If it’s hard to pull off, this usually means an underripe avocado. If it pulls off easily and it is green or slightly browning beneath, the avocado is usually (sometimes it still likes to trick you) ripe. If it’s brown, the avocado will likely have brown spots, too.
Storage Instructions
We recommend adding an extra layer of lime juice to the top to avoid the avocado guacamole browning prematurely.
Then store it with either a layer of plastic wrap (directly touching the avocado) or a thin layer of water/olive oil to keep out the air/oxygen. Store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Can You Freeze Guacamole?
Guacamole will freeze fairly well, without the tomato, for up to three months. We freeze it in small portions in a silicone ice cube tray (then transfer it to a Ziplock/Stasher bag).
Leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for an hour or two.
What To Eat With Guacamole?
There are plenty of ways to enjoy this versatile dip/spread, including:
- With crudites—cucumber, celery, bell pepper, carrot sticks, etc.
- With tortilla chips
- In tacos
- In or alongside burritos, quesadillas
- Over vegan nachos
- With chili
- In a burrito bowl, salad bowl (like a taco salad)
- Over a spicy bean burger
- Dolloped on a baked potato
- Spread over toast
- With tofu scramble and other vegan ‘eggy’ dishes
More Vegan Dip Recipes
- Easy Yellow Lentil Hummus
- Classic Hummus
- Spicy Chipotle White Bean Dip
- Vegan French Onion Dip
- Spinach Dip
- Vegan Curry White Bean Dip
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Easy Guacamole Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large avocados pitted
- Juice of ½ small lime or to taste
- ¼ red or white or yellow onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped cilantro
- ½ of a roma tomato diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half, peel, and roughly chop into a medium-sized bowl.
- Squeeze the lime juice.
- Using a fork, mash the avocados until you reach your desired consistency. Mix in the onion, garlic, cumin, cilantro, tomato, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- To avoid watery guacamole: De-seed the tomatoes if you aren’t eating it immediately.
- Avocado brown spots: These can leave a bitter taste, so you may want to slice away any brown spots before mashing the avocadoes.
- For super smooth guacamole: Use a blender/ food processor to process the avocado and lime juice before folding in the remaining ingredients.
- Timesaving tip: Use a vegetable chopper or mini food processor to ‘chop’ the onion and process the avocado to your desired consistency.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This Easy Guacamole recipe has surprisingly become our family’s de facto guac.
The only variation I sometimes make is to change the texture by mashing the first avo and only dicing the second one.
Awesome recipe, thank you.
That’s so amazing to hear! I bet the texture is extra awesome that way too. 🙂
Love guac soo sooo much! Avo-good!
This is so an easy, delicious, and healthy recipe to make.
I really love it!
Gotta love the easy recipes!
One of the easiest and best guacamole recipes I’ve ever made!
Yesss! So easy and tasty too!
Guac might be my favorite dip! Always so yummy!
Agreed! It always hits the spot!
This guac is the best appetizer!