Classic Guacamole Recipe (2024)

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10 minutes minutes

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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 04/19/2023

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Don’t reach for that container of pre-made guacamole, mix up this easy and classic guacamole recipe in no time! Made with simple ingredients, this dip comes together quickly and is a party staple. Put out a bowl with some chips, and watch it disappear!

This is one of myDiprecipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!

Classic Guacamole Recipe (1)

I’m such a huge fan of avocados. We pretty much always have a few hanging around on the counter because we use them in everything.

Having eggs? Add some avocado slices on the side. Having a sandwich? Make an avocado spread. Having taco night? You know we’re making this guacamole recipe!

Guacamole is one of those recipes that is surprisingly simple to make, yet is so packed full of flavor.

There are plenty of variations, but I like to think of this recipe as a classic, no-frills version of guacamole.

How to make guacamole?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

Classic Guacamole Recipe (2)
  1. Scoop. I find using a big spoon works really well for this.
  2. Mash. You can use a potato masher, but a regular fork is perfectly fine.
  3. Season. Add in all the spices, lime juice, cilantro, and chopped tomato.
  4. Mix. Give everything a good stir and you’re ready to serve.

Helpful Tip!

It can be tricky to tell when an avocado is ripe, but I have a few tricks for you.

These tips aren’t foolproof, but can help🙂

  • Look at the end– on one end of the avocado there should be a round little stem that looks a bit like a cap of a very small mushroom. If the stem comes off easily and shows green underneath, the avocado is ripe. However, if it reveals brown, the avocado is overripe.
  • Give it a gentle squeeze– when gently applying some pressure, the avocado should give slightly. If it gives a lot, and is squishy, it’s overripe. If it’s hard and doesn’t give at all, it’s not ripened yet
Classic Guacamole Recipe (3)

Variations of this recipe

  • Avocados – this recipe was made and tested using medium to large-sized avocados. If the avocados you’re using are larger, you may want to use less, and vice versa.
  • Fresh produce – instead of the onion and garlic powder, feel free to use fresh minced or grated onion and garlic.
  • Peppers – to kick up the heat level, try adding some minced jalapeño, poblano, or serrano peppers.
  • No tomatoes – we love tomatoes in our guacamole, but if you’re not a fan, you can certainly leave them out.
  • Mashing methods – typically we just use a fork, but if you’d like to use another method, you could use a potato or meat masher, or even a food processor.
Classic Guacamole Recipe (4)

FAQ’s

Is this an authentic recipe for guacamole?

No, I make zero claims of authenticity when it comes to this recipe. This is just how my family loves to eat guacamole, and how it’s typically served in restaurants here in the Midwest.

How can I change the consistency of this recipe?

If you prefer thinner guacamole, feel free to use more lime juice. And conversely, if you like a thicker consistency, use less lime juice, or more avocados.

Making guacamole ahead of time

I like to make this dip fresh, to reduce any potential brown discoloration.

But you can definitely make it completely ahead of time. Just follow the storage tips below for all the details.

Classic Guacamole Recipe (5)

Storage

Leftover guacamole should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

I recommend also adding a layer of plastic wrap (or whatever you use in place of plastic wrap) directly on top of the surface of the guacamole, as this reduces the amount of air that gets to it, keeping it bright green instead of brown.

Classic Guacamole Recipe (10)

My Favorite Mixing Bowls!

I love these mixing bowls for two main reasons: the non-slip bottoms make mixing easier, and the airtight lids mean you don’t have to transfer the contents to another container to refrigerate!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Classic Guacamole Recipe (11)

Classic Guacamole Recipe

5 from 13 votes

Author: The Chunky Chef

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Calories: 168

Servings: 6 servings

(hover over # to adjust)

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Don't reach for that container of pre-made guacamole, mix up this easy and classic guacamole recipe in no time!

Ingredients

  • 3 medium to large avocados pitted and peeled
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 small tomatoes (we like Roma) deseeded and chopped

Instructions

Prepare avocados

  • Slice avocados in half around the pit. Using a knife (don't hold the avocado in the palm of your hand for this!), carefully remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh, and add to a mixing bowl.

Mash

  • Use a fork or potato masher to mash avocados, until desired consistency is reached.

Mix

  • Add onion powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lime juice, minced cilantro, and chopped tomatoes.

  • Stir well to combine. Taste, and adjust seasoning levels (or cilantro/lime levels), if needed.

Serve

  • Garnish with additional cilantro and/or tomatoes if desired, then serve.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

  1. This recipe makes approximately 1.5 cups (but this will vary, depending on the size of the avocados, and how much flesh they have).
  2. I’ve estimated that this recipe serves 6, but feel free to divide it up into as many servings as you’d like.

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!

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Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

  1. Xena22 says

    I don’t know about the recipe yet but I have taken the seeds out of hundreds avocados with it in the palm of my hand.

    Reply

    • The Chunky Chef says

      I’m happy for you; a more experienced cook can certainly do just that… but I’d feel awful if a beginner tried it and hurt themselves on my recommendation.

      Reply

  2. katherine morris says

    I usually don’t use tomatoes but I love them and I did made it healthier I also use low fat sour cream a couple of tablespoons really good thank you

    Reply

  3. Lori Alexander says

    My husband & I both love this recipe

    Reply

  4. Judy says

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I just made it for me and my husband and I know it will not last the night.

    Reply

  5. Jackie Carpenter says

    My family went crazy for this guacamole!! I will be making it again very soon!

    Reply

  6. Mary says

    Thanks for the recipe! Best guac I ever tasted!

    Reply

  7. Kristine S says

    This is very tasty and refreshing. The only thing I did differently was replace the onion powder with sliced scallions. Thank you for a simple recipe.

    Reply

  8. Catalina says

    I use a lot guacamole in my kitchen. I am making your recipe.

    Reply

  9. Sandra says

    Classic recipe is always the best!! I will definitely make it again and again!

    Reply

  10. Beti says

    I love this! It sounds incredibly delicious!

    Reply

  11. katerina says

    This is fantastic! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

  12. Allyson Zea says

    I love all the flavor in this classic recipe

    Reply

  13. Erin says

    Looks incredibly delicious! Can’t wait to make this!

    Reply

  14. Beth says

    Nothing beat classic guac. I love how simple the ingredients are.

    Reply

  15. Deborah says

    This avocado dip looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply

Classic 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.

Does lemon or lime juice keep 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.

Does authentic guacamole have tomatoes in it? ›

The basic basic of Guacamole is Avocado, Tomatoes, Onion with salt to taste. General rule leave the guac under salted as Chips served with it are salted which you do not want an overly salty guac. Juice of a lemon or lime can be used to slow down the browning process.

What type of onion is best in 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.

How does Chipotle keep their guacamole so green? ›

Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said. “Then it gets lidded, labeled and stored for later use. This process ensures freshness and prevents browning,” he continued.

Why does Chipotle guacamole not turn brown? ›

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.

How far in advance should I make guacamole? ›

And if you store the guacamole properly, you can easily make it a few hours ahead if you are preparing for a party. The trick to keeping guacamole green is to make sure air doesn't touch it! Transfer it to a container, cover with plastic wrap, and press down on the plastic wrap to squeeze out any air pockets.

What makes guacamole unhealthy? ›

Store-bought guacamole often contains sour cream, added sugar, artificial flavors, preservatives, and a lot of sodium.

When should you not eat guacamole? ›

Although brown guacamole isn't the most appealing, it's completely safe to eat (as long as you've stored the guacamole in the refrigerator, and it isn't more than three days old).

Should you add tomatoes to guacamole? ›

Add tomatoes to your guac.

In my opinion, all guacamole should include tomato for texture and flavor. Regular tomatoes tend to be too watery, so go for grape tomatoes instead! You can quarter them and they'll stay nice and firm.

Does authentic guacamole contain garlic? ›

Turns out, authentic guacamole doesn't have garlic. This is when Mark educated me on what goes into a proper guacamole (you should memorize this): avocados, lemon juice, red onion, a tomato, salt, pepper and two ingredients The Barefoot Contessa doesn't have in her recipe but which Mark considers essential....

Is guacamole basically avocado? ›

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.

What are the white strings in guacamole? ›

The strings might be a bit of a nuisance, but they're harmless! So what are they, exactly? These strings are actually vascular bundles, meaning they are responsible for bringing all those nutrients and water from the tree into the fruit (yes avocado is a fruit).

What is commercial guacamole made of? ›

The “avocado sauce”, for that is what the name means, has avocado, cilantro (aka coriander), onion, jalapeño pepper, lime, salt and tomato. That's it. No cream, milk, wheat, additives or preservatives are needed.

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