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 difference between Mexican guacamole and American guacamole? ›

Generally speaking, the guacamole in Mexico is going to taste a bit fresher. The avocados, cilantro, and even the chiles used in the Mexican version are likely to be significantly fresher than those in the U.S. version.

Do Mexicans put tomatoes in guacamole? ›

Authentic Mexican Holy Guacamole is a healthy Chipotle-style guacamoles appetizer, snack, or topping made with avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro. While most of us know that guacamoles are deliciously creamy and green, that's where our understanding of the appetizer, snack, and topping stops.

What makes guacamole taste better? ›

Fresh lime juice and zest – They make the guacamole zesty and bright. Jalapeño – For heat. Feel free to omit it if you're sensitive to spice. A serrano pepper would work here too!

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.

Does real guacamole have tomatoes? ›

Authentic guacamole doesn't contain fillers and unnecessary ingredients. All you need is avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, and salt.

Does authentic guacamole contain garlic? ›

FYI: Authentic Guacamole consists of four ingredients and one is still optional: Avocado, finely diced sweet or red onion, salt and if you wish, lime. That is it. And absolutely never, ever, garlic!

What is Western style avocado guacamole? ›

Mash avocados with lemon juice in large mixing bowl. Stir in chilies, tomato, soy sauce, onion, garlic and red pepper. Cover and refrigerate several hours for flavors to blend. Turn out into serving bowl and serve with chips.

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. Lucky for you—guacamole is easy to make and can also be enjoyed at home. What is Guacamole?

What kind of onion is best for guacamole? ›

Most people prefer to use sweet white onion in their guacamole recipe. Red or yellow onion tends to give the guacamole too strong of a garlic flavor.

Is guacamole better with or without tomatoes? ›

Traditional guacamole is made without tomatoes but it is often added as a filler ingredient. Does guacamole have to have tomatoes? Tomatoes don't add anything in terms of flavor. Tomatoes release a lot of water which is something you want to avoid when it comes to guacamole.

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 you put milk in guacamole? ›

Add milk or cream to make your guacamole denser. Place slices or cubes of fresh cheese on top of your guac. Add chopped mint to make your guacamole even fresher. Mango cubes add an unexpected touch and also keep your guac from turning brown.

How to jazz up guacamole? ›

Other seasonings and spices like paprika or cayenne can add a kick to standard guacamole. Crushed red pepper, cayenne, paprika, or even garlic powder can up the flavor in a store-bought guacamole and allow you to cater it to your own tastes.

What is traditionally the main fruit ingredient in a guacamole? ›

What is Guacamole? Guacamole is basically mashed, raw avocados mixed with other ingredients to taste. The avocados give guacamole the green base, and other ingredients, such as tomatoes and onions give it some textured flavor. Guacamole is especially popular on Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo.

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.

What are the ingredients in store bought guacamole? ›

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

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