This is the best guacamole recipe I have ever made! It has the perfect texture — not too mushy and not too chunky — and a wonderfully balanced combination of flavors. Ripe avocados are lightly mashed and mixed with fresh lime juice, jalapeño, white onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. 

Guacamole - In brown Bowl with Chips on Top and on Side

I have tried an absurd number of guacamoles, both out at restaurants (I always order it) and homemade versions using different combinations of ingredients.

Everyone seems to have their own way of making it, but I believe the best guacamole is one that’s kept in the classic flavor profile.

The richness of the avocado should be the star of this classic dip, balanced by fresh and bright lime juice, and accented by bits of onion, cilantro, tomato, and jalapeño.

Guacamole Recipe - Served in Brown bowl with Chip Dipping Into It

But even more important than the ingredients might be how the avocados are mashed. Having bits and chunks of creamy avocado gives the guacamole a fantastic texture and best complements the other ingredients.

Tips for Making the Best Guacamole

Do not overmash the avocado – The texture matters just as much as the ingredients when it comes to making the best homemade guacamole. You can’t “unmash” the avocado once it’s done, and keep in mind that mixing in the ingredients will break down the texture a bit more.

Use the freshest ingredients – Because this is an uncooked recipe, and ingredients start to lose their flavor as they age, it’s really important to use fresh and vibrant ingredients to make this the best guacamole you’ve ever had.

Have lime juice ready to prevent browning – The acid in lime juice keeps guacamole fresh and prevents the avocados from browning, so have the lime juice squeezed before all of the other ingredients so you can add it right away.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

One of the keys to this recipe is using simple ingredients. If they’re truly fresh, that’s enough. No secret ingredients or twists are necessary here. You’ll need:

  • ripe avocados
  • white onion: finely diced
  • jalapeño: minced; remove the ribs and seeds for a milder dip or leave them in for spicier kick.
  • tomato: seeded and diced
  • cilantro
  • fresh limes: don’t use bottled juice here
  • salt
Guacamole Ingredients - On a Cutting board with Avocado, Tomato, Onion, Salt, Cilantro, and Lime

How to pick perfectly ripe avocados:

When I can plan ahead, I like to buy rock hard, bright green avocados from the store a few days before I plan to make guacamole. Too often when I buy already-ripe avocados, they are bruised and brown inside because they got banged up at the grocery from handling.

Buying them completely firm and then letting them ripen on your own counter ensures a perfect avocado that won’t get mishandled or bruised. If you want to speed up the ripening process, place them in a brown paper bag to ripen.

How to tell when an avocado is ripe: If the nub at the top is still there, give it a little wiggle. If it comes off easily, then the avocado should be ripe. Also press your thumb gently into the side of the avocado; it should have some give but not be super soft. Avocados also tend to darken on the outside when they’re ready, going from a bright green color to a light black.

Also, in my opinion, the best avocados come from Mexico. California is a close second.

Use your perfectly ripe avocados to make this guacamole, grilled avocados, or avocado fries.

What kind of onion should you use?

Guacamole is the only instance where I use white onion, as I mostly cook with red onion and yellow onion. But the clean flavor of a white onion is really optimal and important for the best guacamole. Red onion is a close second choice if that’s what you have on hand.

If you are sensitive to the “bite” from raw onion, soak the onion in ice water for 20-30 minutes before adding it to the guacamole. This will tone down the astringency and make it more palatable.

What kind of tomatoes are best?

I like vine-ripened tomatoes the most with roma tomatoes as a second choice.

No matter what tomato you choose, make sure to scoop out the seeds so you don’t water down the recipe. Because of that, I stay away from little tomatoes like grape tomatoes because removing the seeds becomes too tedious.

How to Make this Guacamole Step by Step:

Since we are not doing any actual cooking here, making the best guacamole is mostly about mixing the ingredients together in the proper way.

Cut each avocado in half, remove the pits, and scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl. Mash gently with a fork:

Mashing Avocados in a bowl with a Fork

Make sure to leave the avocado chunkier than you ultimately want it to end up, as mixing in the other ingredients will break it down further. Using a potato masher is okay too so long as the holes aren’t too fine.

This is where I stop mashing. Remember that you cannot unmash the avocado so err on the side of caution. You want some pieces of chunky avocado left at the end:

Fork Mashing Avocados in a Bowl

Add chopped tomato, chopped onion, minced jalapeño, kosher salt, and freshly squeezed lime juice to the mixing bowl:

Adding Lime Juice to the Avocados with Tomato and Jalapeno and Onion

Give that a quick stir, then fold in fresh cilantro at the end:

Cilantro Leaves On top of Guacamole in Bowl

That’s it! It’s a truly simple recipe.

Your fresh homemade guacamole can be enjoyed immediately, but is usually a little better after 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Homemade Guacamole - In a Brown Bowl with Tortilla Chip Dipped

Storing Leftovers Without Browning

How to keep guacamole from turning brown: Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

I have tried all of the “viral” ways of preventing guacamole from browning, such as adding a thin layer of water or oil on top or with the avocado pit left in, and the plastic wrap method is the best by far because you’re not diluting the flavors.

I do not recommend freezing guacamole as the texture becomes unappealing after thawing.

Serving Suggestions

Digging into a bowl of fresh guacamole with crunchy tortilla chips is by far my favorite way to enjoy it. Make a batch of homemade tortilla chips to really impress your family!

Some other ways I love to enjoy homemade guacamole include:

Pairing Ideas

Guacamole can certainly stand on its own, but it’s nice to pair it with a classic side of Jalapeño Tomato Salsa or Mango Salsa.

It’s also perfect party food for virtually any occasion. For football watching, I’ll pair this alongside some Buffalo Chicken Dip, Baked Chicken Wings, and Fathead Pizza.

It also plays nicely with finger foods like Stuffed Mini Peppers, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños, and Potato Croquettes.

Recipe FAQ

Is guacamole good for you?

Yes! It’s one of the most commonly agreed upon health foods. It’s full of healthy, satiating fats from the avocados and is gluten-free, keto friendly, whole30 friendly, vegan, and low carb.

Can you freeze guacamole?

No, guacamole does not freeze well. Because everything is raw and uncooked, the texture becomes unappetizing after thawing.

Can guacamole be reheated?

Guacamole should be enjoyed at room temperature, so do not reheat. If you’re taking it out of the fridge, just let it come up to room temperature by sitting out for 20 minutes or so. Homemade guacamole can be left at room temperature for a few hours, but then it should be stored in the fridge.

How long does guacamole last?

Store guacamole in an airtight container, with a piece of plastic wrap pressed to the surface, for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Can you use lemon juice?

Many people like to use lemon juice in guacamole. The acid in the lemon juice will play the same role as lime juice in this recipe, but it will change the flavor.

I personally do not care for guacamole made with lemon juice and think the best guacamole is made with lime juice, but feel free to give it a try if you’re curious!

Can you use a molcajete?

If you have a molcajete (affiliate), you can use it to break down the ingredients. This is what’s used for traditional guacamole, but most people don’t have this in their kitchen.

Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

A Bowl of Guacamole with a Chip in It

The Best Guacamole

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
This homemade guacamole has the perfect texture and combination of flavors, with chunky mashed avocados mixed with fresh lime juice, jalapeño, white onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. 
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Ingredients

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1/4 cup seeded and diced tomato
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped white onion
  • 2 tablespoon minced jalapeño 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits.
    3 ripe avocados
  • Scoop the avocado flesh out into a bowl, and mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher, leaving plenty of chunky, unmashed bits of avocado.
  • Add the tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt, then gently stir to combine.
    1/4 cup seeded and diced tomato, 2 tablespoon finely chopped white onion, 2 tablespoon minced jalapeño , 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Gently fold in the cilantro.
    2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • Taste the guacamole and adjust to your tastes (you may desire more salt or more acidity), then serve. Enjoy! 

Notes

Ideas for enjoying your homemade guacamole depend on your dietary restrictions, but options include: classic tortilla chips, Siete chips or other paleo chips, cut veggies, on a salmon burger or chicken burgers, with nachos, tacos, etc. 
Storing leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to two days, pressing a piece of plastic wrap directly into the surface so that there’s no air touching it. Do not freeze.
Reheating: If you’re taking the guacamole leftovers out of the fridge, do not attempt to heat it. I recommend letting it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so to come back to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Sodium: 302mg, Potassium: 785mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 394IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Fifteen Spatulas