THE BEST GUACAMOLE RECIPE (2024)

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ByDenay DeGuzman

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When it comes to making Guacamole from scratch, I’ve become a bit of an expert. Although I live in California, I’m blessed to spend about three months a year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. In markets south of the border you can find gorgeous ripe avocados, Mexican limes, chilies and tomatoes year round.

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Although there are plenty of variations on this traditional Mexican favorite, let me tell you – from California to Mexico this is the best guacamole recipe I’ve found. What you’ll love most about this authentic restaurant-style guacamole recipe is that with a few basic ingredients it can be easily replicated in your own kitchen. For additional Mexican flavor, add a sprinkling of Mexican Cojita cheese on top of the guacamole. If you have a Mexican market in your city, you can find Cojita cheese there.

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Serve this authentic Mexican guacamole alongside authentic Mexican salsa and restaurant-style tortilla chips. If you’d like to make a fresh batch of tortilla chips at home, it’s quick and easy to do! simply slice a small stack of corn tortillas into 4 triangles and fry them in cooking oil over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer cooked tortilla chips to a platter or cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Blot off excess oil.

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Here in California I love to serve guacamole in my authentic Mexican molcajete which originally belonged to my Grandma Mercie. Grandma used it often and it graced her long kitchen counter. I feel so lucky that this precious family heirloom was handed down to me. It has a special place in my heart and home.

How to Make Guacamole >> Best Kitchen Tools

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It’s Fiesta Time with Authentic Mexican Guacamole!

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Serve guacamole alongside a basket of crispy tortilla chips and watch it disappear! This appetizer recipe is perfect for all types of festivities, including football parties and Cinco de Mayo fiestas. Guacamole is also delicious when served as a topping for your favorite Mexican specialties.

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How to Select the Best Haas Avocados

At the supermarket you’ll notice that there are different types of avocados. For making the best guacamole you’ll want to select Haas Avocados. The avocados you use for this recipe should be perfectly ripe. Here’s how to select the perfect avocado for guacamole: When a Haas avocado is under-ripe it is green in color and very firm. A nearly ripe avocado is green-purple and slightly firm. A perfectly ripe avocado – the kind you want for this recipe – is purple-black in color and yields to gentle pressure. An over-ripe avocado is black and mushy.

THE BEST GUACAMOLE RECIPE (16)

A Word About Molcajetes

When shopping for a molcajete look for one that has been imported from Mexico AND is made from authentic lava rock. Tourist molcajetes are often made from concrete and basalt. A mixed and molded molcajete can be easily spotted by the sharp angle it has on the top edge. Look for one that has been hand carved. If you’ve accidentally purchased a concrete and basalt one I would recommend that you not use it for food. Chemicals in the materials it’s made from might contain toxins that can be transferred onto your food. Instead, use it as a centerpiece when creating festive Mexican tablescapes or as a decorative feature in your kitchen. To season an authentic lava rock molcajete deeply grind large coarse-grain sea salt within theinterior until the salt becomes a very fine powder. Then bake the molcajete and the grinding stone in a 450 degree oven for one hour. After the molcajete cools, rub a bit of cookingoil over the whole molcajete. Now your molcajete is properly seasoned and ready to use! I received these molcajete seasoning instructions from the owner of an authentic Mexican restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

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THE BEST GUACAMOLE RECIPE (18)

Authentic Mexican Guacamole

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5 from 25 reviews

  • Author: Denay | Confetti and Bliss
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 3-4 Servings 1x
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Description

A perfectly ripe avocado – the kind you want for this recipe – is purple-black in color and yields to gentle pressure. An over-ripe avocado is black and mushy.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 Haas Avocados
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup Roma tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (no stems)
  • 1 Jalapeno or Serrano chile (about 1 tablespoon), finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or maybe a little bit more!)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, squeeze the juice from 3 key limes
  • Optional Garnish: cilantro leaves on stems, or sprinkling of Mexican Cotija Cheese

Instructions

  1. Using a knife or avocado tool, slice avocados in half. Reserve the pits for later.
  2. Remove the peelsand place theavocado in a bowl.
  3. Mash the avocados until the consistency is smooth with just a few small lumps.
  4. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Gently fold all ingredients together.
  5. If serving guacamole as an appetizer, transfer Mexican Guacamole to a molcajete.
  6. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves on stems,or a sprinkling of Mexican Cotija Cheese.
  7. Serve guacamole with restaurant-style tortilla chips.

Notes

  1. Control the heat factor: Jalapeno chiles are milder than Serrano chiles!
  2. If your guacamole will not be enjoyed right away, add in an avocado pit or two, and squeeze a bit more lime juice on top. This will help the guacamole from turning brown.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
  • Method: By hand
  • Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

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PIN NOW FOR LATER

For the love of guacamole, pin this image to Pinterest!

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<h2>AUTHENTIC GUACAMOLE RECIPE > JOIN THE CONVERSATION!</h2>

What type of Mexican food do you enjoy most with guacamole? I personally love guacamole on chicken and beef tacos, on top of enchiladas, inside burritos, on top of tostadas, as a garnish for taco salads, and in 7-layer dips! And of course, I love it straight out of the molcajete with authentic Mexican-style tortilla chips. Share your love for this authentic guacamole recipe in the comment section below.

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  1. This is exactly how traditional guacamole is made! I’ve been making it this way for years as has my Mom. Happy to see a great recipe posted without the use of the extra unnecessary ingredients, KUDOS!!

    Reply

  2. Made this last night and it was a huge hit.

    Reply

    1. RCCola, that really makes me smile! I’m here in Mexico right now, land of the awesome guacamole. From my family to yours, Happy 2019!

      Reply

      1. I make guacamole as often as I can procure Avocados. I use the Indian Avocado which are quite good, along with tomatoes, chillies and onions. I use local coriander leaves instead of cilantro and fresh limes. We just love it and eat it with rice and Indian bread.

        Reply

        1. Hello Chandrabali. Indian avocados sound so delicious! I’ve heard they have a slightly nutty flavor. I would love to try them. 🙂 The word “cilantro” is actually the Spanish name for coriander leaves. Enjoying guacamole with rice and Indian bread sounds amazingly tasty! Yum. Yum.

          Reply

  3. It looks incredibly delicious. I wish this were in front of me.

    Reply

  4. I made this guacamole because the photo of the Salsa Turkey Burger recipe that I had decided to try showed it topped with guacamole. The burger itself was ok but this guacamole recipe put it over the top! Delicious!!!!!! I’m not a fan of cilantro, so I substituted parsley. This recipe is definitely a
    “keeper”.

    Reply

    1. Hi Trudy! You are just too sweet! Thank you so much for letting me know that you tried and liked this authentic Mexican guacamole recipe. I hope you and your family have a fun weekend. Thanks again for stopping by to visit me here and leave a comment. I appreciate it. :-)

      Reply

  5. You are absolutely right, this is definitely one of the best-tasting guacamole recipes I’ve found. I made it last night and added a big scoop to my bunless burger and it was fabulous! Such great flavors and the perfect amount of spice.

    Reply

  6. loved it

    Reply

  7. Great recipe! We used this to use up three avocados we had laying around. We didn’t have jalapeños but used pepper sauced in a pinch.

    Reply

    1. Fernando, thank you so much for pointing out the misspelling I made of Cotija cheese! I really appreciate that. I just went in and made the correction. Many good wishes are sent your way for a wonderful weekend. :-)

      Reply

  8. This looks I love avocados and can eat them with everything literally, I don’t mind having it every single day. I need to try your version looks so delicious.

    Reply

  9. How long does the guac keep?

    Reply

    1. Hello Rebecca. Sitting out on an appetizer table, your Mexican Guacamole will last the length of a football game! But I have a feeling it will be eaten and gone before then. Two tips to prevent your guacamole from browning: 1. Keep an avocado pit inside the bowl with the guacamole. 2. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice or lime juice on the top portion of the guacamole that’s exposed to the air and gently mix it in just on the top there. :-)

      Reply

  10. The recipe shows that guacamole is easy to make. It also looks yummy.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Chemady! I know you’re going to love making and eating this authentic Mexican guacamole. :-)

      Reply

  11. Your recipe looks delicious and easy to prepare. i ‘ll surely try that.

    Reply

  12. Oh I have always wanted to go to Mexico and what better way to capture the Mexican spirit than through some guac. Your recipe looks delicious and I like how you have set the photos with cactuses in the background x

    Reply

  13. It looks like a fiesta in your homee. I love your recipe of Guacamole. I will try your recipe the next time we have a movie night at home.

    Reply

  14. That looks so yummy. I’d Love to make it.

    Reply

  15. oh, my goodness! Freshness overload. I would love to try this for 4th of July. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  16. This looks way too yummy to eat with some warm tortillas! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  17. The guacamole looks amazing. I have never seen that tool for the Guacamole. I am imagining it helps with the avocado. I am curious about how it looks.

    Reply

  18. This looks like the absolute perfect guacamole recipe. Yum! I love the addition of the serrano peppers. I am totally trying it the next time I make guac!

    Reply

  19. I love mexican food so much! This recipe looks yummy, would love to try it!

    Reply

  20. The photos looks amazing. I love the decorations you used. It goes well with the guacamole

    Reply

  21. Looks like such a great recipe, and pretty easy. Guac is the best!

    Reply

  22. I’m obsessed with guacamole and yours looks/sounds delicious! I can’t wait to make the recipe (and by I, I mean my boyfriend because I’m not allowed in the kitchen anymore lol)

    Michelle | She’s Not So Basic

    Reply

  23. This looks so fresh and delicious! Will have to make it for my husband soon! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  24. This guac looks amazing. Tomorrow is taco Friday! I just might have to dare…

    Reply

  25. I love guacamole! Now I need to get a molcajete! We are about an hour from the Mexican border, so I should get one from Mexico!

    Reply

    1. I Just made this recipe (minus the jalapeno peppers)and it is absolutely delicious. It’s mild and perfectly balanced in flavors. No overpowering onions or cilantro. I diced the onions super fine because I don’t like to bite into raw onions but love the flavor. My favorite! Thank you!

      Reply

      1. Jackie, you just made my day! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your delicious experience with this guacamole recipe. Many good wishes are sent your way for a sunny, beautiful week!

        Reply

  26. I absolutely love Guac! I’ll definitely try any new ways to make it!

    Reply

  27. Mmm this looks so tasty! I also love your succulents in old cans! That’s awesome.

    Reply

  28. Darling, this looks PHENOMENAL! I’m drooling! I absolutely love guac, especially homemade. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

    xx, Taylor (thesprinkle.tayloramead.com)

    Reply

  29. THIS! This is exactly how I like my guacamole. I learned to make it in Mexico too :). And you are so right about Molcajetes! I brought mine home from Mexico even. Talk about heavy luggage!

    Reply

  30. I love guacamole or anything with avocados so much! This is making me so so hungry! I’ll keep the recipe in mind! xx corinne

    Reply

  31. Now, you’re making me hungry… and I just took my lunch! LOL. I’d love to try this.

    Reply

  32. Wow! This looks so refreshing! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  33. Guac home some of my most favorite ingredients and this one looks delicious! So yum!

    Reply

  34. I am drooling all over myself. I love guacamole so much. This looks so delicious!

    Reply

  35. This sound so so good! I love guacamole. I may make this today.

    Reply

  36. This looks so good! I love how simple and easy the directions are to follow.

    Reply

  37. I love guacamole! I have a mexican friend and I will make this to impress him :)

    Reply

    1. THAT’S awesome that you’ve got a good friend that you can love & cook for!!! I hope that he knows HOW much it means to you that you think enough of him to cook! MAKE SURE her show you sum LOVE for that!

      Reply

  38. Nice Guacamole recipe! But I will skip that onion cause I hate them. >.< Will try it sometime soon!

    Reply

THE BEST GUACAMOLE RECIPE (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good guacamole? ›

The perfect guacamole should be a cross between creamy and chunky. You'll want a mix of avocado chunks and creamy mashed avocado. My tip is to use a fork to mash the avocado but avoid over-mixing the first time around, this will create too much creaminess and be more like avocado puree rather than guacamole.

What makes guacamole taste better? ›

Often an additional pop of citrus is all guac needs to come alive and taste better. If you still aren't happy with the taste, you can rely on mix-ins to jazz it up. Try adding cilantro, salsa, a diced jalapeno or serrano pepper, feta cheese, or a few dashes of hot sauce.

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.

What do restaurants put in guacamole to keep it from turning brown? ›

DOES LEMON JUICE KEEP GUACAMOLE FROM TURNING BROWN? Yes! The lemon forms a barrier between the outside air and the guacamole to make sure the dip stays its greenest.

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).

How to jazz up guacamole? ›

Peppers – use serrano peppers for a spicier guacamole or jalapeno peppers for a milder version and add them to taste. Be sure to seed the peppers before adding. Garlic – adds an extra layer of spice and flavor. Lime juice – freshly squeezed is best from 1 1/2 to 2 limes.

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.

Why do people put sour cream in guacamole? ›

"The lime juice in this recipe will keep the guacamole from turning brown and brings it a much more interesting flavor than lemon juice. The sour cream turns it to satin."

Do you put tomato in guacamole? ›

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

What does Subway put in their guacamole? ›

jalapeno puree (white vinegar, jalapeno peppers, salt), onion, garlic, and sea salt. They do not include sour cream in the ingredients. confirmation on your own.

Why does my guacamole taste bland? ›

Adjust the amount of salt or crushed pepper in your guacamole. If you taste the guacamole and it's a touch bland, start by adding some salt and freshly crushed pepper to make it more flavorful.

How to tell if guacamole is bad? ›

Once opened, store-bought guacamole usually lasts 1-2 days. Homemade guacamole also usually lasts 1-2 days. You'll know it's gone bad when it has a substantial puddle of brown liquid and the layers below the surface have lost their vibrant green hue. That's when it's time to throw it out.

Does lemon juice help guacamole from turning brown? ›

Water is a great trick to use for storing guacamole so it stays fresh, but there are a few other options as well. Acid, like lemon, lime, or vinegar, creates a barrier against oxygen as well, so applying a thin layer will work in a similar way.

How do Mexican restaurants keep their guacamole fresh? ›

Pat the guacamole down to give it a flat surface. 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.

How do restaurants keep guacamole fresh? ›

To keep the leftover guacamole from browning, the employee rips off a sheet of plastic wrap, then presses it all the way down to the surface of the guacamole, knocking out the air that would be in the container if it was just sealed with a lid.

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.

References

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