The BEST Classic Guacamole Recipe (2024)

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This is the BEST Classic Guacamole Recipe out there! Filled with creamy avocados, diced onion, jalapeño and just the right amount of lime juice!

No party is complete without a big bowl of fresh made guacamole with crispy and salty tortilla chips. Everyone will LOVE this super simple recipe, and the best part is that it can be made ahead of time!

The BEST Classic Guacamole Recipe

To make the best guacamole, you’ll want to make sure you’re using fresh ingredients. Start with ripe avocados, fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro.
I prefer to use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic because fresh raw garlic can be really strong if you happen to get a big bite of it. The powder disperses evenly throughout the avocados for a more consistent flavor.
If you like your guacamole with a bit of a kick, increase the amount of diced jalapeño, and add some of the seeds to the mix.

Authentic Guacamole Ingredients

Fresh Avocado – look for an avocado that gives a little when you gently squeeze it. One of my favorite tips for testing if the avocado is ripe or not is to pull the stem out. If it’s a bright yellow, it’s not ripe enough, if it’s brown, it’s too ripe, but if it’s a nice green color, it’s perfect!
Diced Purple Onion – I love the color and flavor of the purple onion, but if you prefer a white onion, you can use that here instead. Just make sure to give it a fine dice.
Fresh Jalapeño – use caution when handling the insides of the jalapeño as the oils can be an irritant to your eyes. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and give it a fine dice.
Lime Juice – adds the perfect amount of acidity to the avocado, giving it a bright fresh flavor. BONUS – lime juice helps keep avocados from going brown!
Sea Salt – a good salt will bring out all the flavors of the fresh guacamole.
Garlic Powder – I prefer to use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic because fresh garlic can be really strong when consumed raw (uncooked).
Cilantro – if you’re a cilantro hater, you can definitely skip this fresh herb, but I love the freshness it brings to the guacamole.

How To Make Simple Guacamole

Start by tossing all your ingredients into a large bowl, including the halved avocados. I like to mash everything together with a fork or a potato masher, depending on the consistency I’m after. When you mash the onion and jalapeño with the avocados it gives the veggies a chance to release some of their flavors and oils, deepening the flavor of the guacamole.

How To Keep Guacamole From Going Brown?

Why does the guacamole turn brown after you’ve made it? Oxygen! Avocado is a fruit and when exposed to oxygen it starts to break down and “ripen” even faster. Same thing happens with apples and bananas. You can do three things to keep your guacamole fresh and bright green for days (although I don’t think it’ll stick around in your fridge for that long).

Add lime juice or lemon juice to the guacamole. This works best with FRESH limes or lemons. The acidity in the lime juice will delay the aging process of the avocado.
Keep the avocado pits! Don’t toss out those avocado pits, keep them until the guacamole is finished and pop them right into the bowl. This helps to delay the browning process as well.
Cover with plastic wrap. It’s not enough to just place plastic wrap over your bowl, you really want the plastic wrap to TOUCH the guacamole. Reducing the amount of oxygen that gets to the avocados will greatly reduce how quickly the guacamole turns brown.

You’ll be shocked at how long your guacamole will stay fresh using these tips!

What Do You Put Guacamole On?

I think a better question would be, what DON’T you put guacamole on?! Guacamole is great as a dip with tortilla chips and fresh veggies, but also fantastic as a topping to these delicious Mexican meals.

Super Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Chicken Tamale Casserole
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

Once you whip up this cool and creamy guacamole, you’ll be making it non stop!

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5 from 4 votes

Best Classic Guacamole Recipe

This is the BEST Classic Guacamole Recipe out there! Filled with creamy avocados, diced onion, jalapeño and just the right amount of lime juice!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 10

Calories: 106 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

3 large ripe avocados, skins and pits removed
1/4 cup finely diced purple onion
1/2 of a jalapeño, seeds removed and finely diced
1 1/2 limes, juiced (about 3 tbsp)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp cotija cheese, crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the avocado, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, salt and garlic powder in a large bowl.
Use a sturdy fork or potato masher to mash together until desired consistency is reached.
Stir in the cilantro, taste and season with more salt if desired. Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top just before serving. Enjoy right away or place plastic wrap directly on top of guacamole and place in fridge until ready to eat.

Notes

Guacamole can be made up to 2 days in advance when stored properly - keep the avocado pits in prepared guacamole and place plastic wrap directly on top of guacamole, removing as many air bubbles as possible. Store in fridge, remove pits and stir before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Authentic, Fresh, Guacamole, Lime

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