Delicious and light, easy guacamole is so simple to make with just a few fresh ingredients and 5 minutes of time. This popular authentic Mexican dip is a total crowd-pleaser and so easy to make at home. Serve it with tortilla chips for a healthy appetizer or pair it with some tacos or quesadillas for easy dipping.

Once you make homemade guacamole, it might be really hard to go back to store-bought. The depth of flavour just doesn't compare, and the store-bought version has a lot of fillers and unrecognizable ingredients. This is how we feel about most quick and easy 5-minute dips that just taste so much better homemade, like pico de gallo chunky salsa, creamy hummus, or easy tzatziki sauce (cucumber yogurt dip).
Ingredients
To make delicious authentic guacamole, you will need:
- avocados - 2 large and ripe avocados.
- red onion
- fresh cilantro
- lime juice
- sea salt
- jalapeño pepper - this is optional for a spicy kick. You can add as much or as little as you would like.
- tomatoes - this is also optional. I didn't add any diced tomatoes here but you can add in 1 diced Roma tomato if you want.
You will also need measuring spoons and a medium mixing bowl.
How to Make the Best Easy Guacamole
- Mash the avocado. Place avocado into a medium mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Don't over mash because you want the guacamole to be a little chunky.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and jalapeño (if using). Stir to combine. Give it a taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
- Serve. Serve with tortilla chips or on the side of some tacos (try fish tacos or shrimp tacos) or quesadillas.
How to Store Leftover Guacamole
How to store leftover guacamole and keeping it green is this is the number one question that I get asked when it comes to guacamole, since we know how avocados can turn brown pretty quickly. I've search the internet and tried a few different methods on how to keep guacamole green. Adding the avocado pit or covering the guacamole with avocado skins just doesn't work. Sealing the guacamole with plastic cling wrap directly on the guacamole doesn't work that well either.
The method that I found to work the best is to cover it with ½-inch of water. It sounds weird but it works! Smooth out the guacamole using the back of a spoon so that it is flat. Carefully add cold water from a cup to cover about ½ inch on top. Do not place your guacamole directly under the tap as the water pressure will cause the guacamole to cloud and mix in with the water layer. Place the lid on your container or wrap with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate. When ready to use, carefully dump out the layer of water from the top, and stir. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
More Mexican Recipes
- Pico de Gallo Chunky Salsa
- Fish Tacos with Lime Crema
- Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw
- Creamy Mexican Corn Soup
- Baked Chicken Quesadillas
- Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Chicken and Kale
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Recipe
Easy Guacamole
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delicious and easy guacamole is simple to make with just a few fresh ingredients in 5 minutes. This popular authentic Mexican dip is a total crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- 3 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about juice of 1 lime)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely diced (optional)
Instructions
- Place avocado into a medium mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Don't over mash because you want the guacamole to be a little chunky.
- Add red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and jalapeño (if using). Stir to combine. Give it a taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
- Serve with tortilla chips or on the side of some tacos or quesadillas.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: One bowl
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: easy guacamole, authentic guacamole, how to make guacamole, guacamole recipe, guacamole
This recipe was originally posted in 2016. It has been completely updated with new photographs and helpful tips.
Nellie Tracy says
Such a great, simple guacamole recipe. Love it!
★★★★★
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks Nellie! It's so easy but so delicious!
Liz says
I'm making some butternut squash tacos today so this guacamole is going to be the perfect side dish! Thanks for the tasty recipe!
★★★★★
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Yummy! Enjoy!
Rudy Garcia says
I moved to Mexico, Cancun to be exct, from Miami, twenty years ago. I loved genuine guacamole ever since I got here and, lo and behold, learned to make it almost exactly as you describe here. The one slight change I make once in a while when they are available at my local green grocer's is to add half of a finely chopped green tomato to the guacamole. It adds just a tadge to the acidity but also to a bit of sweetness to balance the guacamole out. With or whithout the green tomato, this is a great basic guacamole that will never go wrong with whatever you serve it with. In fact, you might find that by using the green tomato you may be able to do without the sour cream when serving it with other items for those times when you are out of sour cream or it has gone past the 'use before' date.
Rudy
★★★★★
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much for the tip, Rudy. I do sometimes add regular diced tomatoes but I have to try it with green tomatoes next time! Love learning from you guys, thank you!
Shauna says
Love the simplicity - thanks! I always chop up onions, peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños etc and add them too. But gonna try this next time. Sounds fresh and simple! Would love a simple recipe for salsa too if you have one. I use same as above in my standard guac (minus avacado of course) but wonder if there’s another nummy fresh one to try 🙂
★★★★★