Classic Guacamole
by Katie Webster
January 24, 2018 (updated 1/19/23) Jump To Recipe
Just in time for the Big Game, I’m here with my super quick and utterly delicious guacamole recipe. In just ten minutes you’ll have all of your guests dipping and raving!
I originally shared this recipe on January 17, 2014. I have updated the images the text today.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Classic Guacamole Recipe
I was weaned on Tex Mex food (my mom’s side of the family is from Texas). For us, gathering together and making a Mexican food classic like chicken tacos or chicken enchiladas and serving it with fresh guacamole and pico de Gallo from scratch is a love language of sorts.
Homemade guac is so easy to make. In fact, I have been making guacamole since I could reach the kitchen counter.
Even though it is so simple to make, you can miss an opportunity for great taste and flavor. On its surface, classic guacamole couldn’t be more simple, avocado mashed up with some lime, garlic and salt.
Ingredients For Classic Guacamole
- Ripe Hass avocados: make sure they are soft but not squishy. Stay away from green avocados, as they are not ripe yet. When they are black they are usually ripe, but it is helpful to give them a gentle squeeze to see if they give a little.
- Lime juice: I add this to taste. I prefer a pretty sour guacamole. But if you prefer less you can use a but less.
- Salsa or Pico De Gallo: I like Pace Picante Sauce (medium is my favorite) because it is not too chunky and has just the right amount of heat. You can also add a few scoops of Pico De Gallo into the guac instead.
- Cilantro: My grandmother never added cilantro to her guac, but I love the way it tastes. This is optional if you do not like cilantro.
- Salt: Make sure to taste the guac and adjust the salt. The amount of lime you use will have to be balanced with the salt.
- Garlic: Start with one small clove and mine it finely. A little goes a long way!
How To Make Guacamole
Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop them out into a large bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork or potato masher. For a larger batch, it is helpful to use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Next add in the garlic, lime, salsa and salt. Blend it all together and give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning and lime until it tastes to your liking.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes you can make it up to 1 day ahead. Guacamole starts to turn brown along the top surface after a few hours where it comes in contact with the air. To minimize this you can place a piece of plastic over the surface and press it down so that it doesn’t come in contact with the air. Scrape off the browned outer layer before serving.
This is an urban legend and doesn’t have any real science behind it. The mashed avacodo turns brown when it comes in contact with air and starts to oxidize. Lime juice (or acidic ingredients) help inhibit this oxidization as does creating a physical barrier, (like pressing plastic wrap on the surface.)
What goes with guacamole, besides chips?
- As a Topping: Guac is amazing as a topping for Mexican food classics like steak fajitas, Beef Barbacoa tacos, turkey enchiladas and vegetarian burrito bowls.
- With Protein: I love it dolloped over roasted or grilled protein like steak or chicken. It is excellent with tuna, swordfish and salmon too!
- As a Dip: We love guac as a dip with raw veggies and crackers.
- As a Spread: It is great to spread on soft flour tortillas to make a wrap filled with veggies or I love it with smoked turkey breast in a sandwich.
- Snacks: Try it rolled up with ham for a low-carb snack or use it instead of yolks to stuff hard boiled eggs.
Variations To Try
- Add in finely chopped onions, scallions or green onions
- Add a teaspoon or two of chopped chipotle in adobo
- Mix in corn kernels and crumbled cooked bacon
- Add in ground chipotle chili powder, minced fresh jalpañeo or hot sauce to make it spicier
- See more ideas here in Guacamole 5 Ways.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Classic Guacamole
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/4 cup 1x
Description
Classic guacamole recipe made with avocado, lime and salt with a bit of salsa, cilantro and garlic. Healthy, naturally gluten free and only 86 calories per 1/4 cup serving.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe Hass avocados
- 3 tablespoons to ¼ cup lime juice, to taste
- 2 tablespoons medium Pace Picante Sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 small clove garlic, minced like crazy
Instructions
- Mash avocado, lime, Pace, cilantro salt and garlic in a large bowl until desired smoothness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 87 calories
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
Keywords: guacamole,classic guacamole,how to make guacamole
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
Incredibly simple and yet the best guac in the world.
★★★★★
This is Cal-Mel with the addition of cilantro. I prefer the classic Tex-Mex without it, being part of my Texan soul food, but I enjoyed Cal-Mex ALOT when I lived there. Just DO NOT add sour cream or mayo people & call it Guac because it isn’t-it’s now a dip with those additions!
★★★★
Classic recipe, thank you. I agree with all your comments and your attitude toward adding weird stuff. I add a dash of heavy cream and a bit of fresh tomatoes to mine.
Hi Paul. Good to hear from you. Heavy cream huh? I can believe that would be nice, since it is a neutral flavor. I am wondering what it adds though. Does it change the texture to make it smoother?
Best swears ever
Because you are so right.
Never ever heard saw read anyone else that feels the same way about garlic, lime and salt.
I may add cumin to mine. Sorry.
OMG who are you and where have you been all my life? I love every single thing about this post. Your sense of humour is what I am digging the most. Don’t let my name fool you…I have no Mexican in my blood but I do love me some guacamole. Now I’m gonna have to subscribe. 🙂
Ha ha! So glad you found me, and that you appreciate this post.
Thanks for giving a measurement on the salt, instead of just “salt to taste.” I agree, guac always needs more salt than you think! Also, thanks for the heads up on limes, I have a lemon tree, so I almost always just use lemons instead of limes, but because of your advice I will actually go buy limes now!
I just came across this post and I LOVE IT. I’ve definitely been guilty of adding to much garlic in my guac and I totally don’t understand the whole pit in the guac thing. It definitely doesn’t alleviate the whole guac turning brown thing!
Hahahaha! Adding weird stuff! Well this looks super good and classic! I like just plain mashed up avocado anyway!
These tips are awesome – so helpful and fun to read!! Now I need to go stock up on avocados so that I can try this recipe!
Yes to salt. Yes yes yes. I love this post so much. I am a total guacamole snob and this post is spot on!
What a fun and informative read Katie! I’m such a purist.. I think I’d be fine just eating the avocado with chips!
So good. I want to lick the bowl 🙂