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This easy guacamole recipe comes together in less than 5 minutes and is perfect with everything from tacos and burritos, to quesadillas and mulitas.
Guacamole is a staple in our house and I make it at least a couple of times a week. That may sound fancy, but it’s not. Guacamole is one of the simplest Mexican dips you can make and comes together in minutes. In fact, the recipe is so easy I sometimes wonder if it even counts as a recipe. You pretty much just prep the ingredients, toss them in a bowl and mix it all up. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Voila! Done.
There are many versions of homemade guacamole out there and here’s the thing: you can totally customize this recipe. I make it the way my Nana did, but if you don’t want it to be a bit spicy then leave out the jalapeno. Want more heat? Add more jalapeno! Once you figure out the mix that works best for you write those details down and pin the recipe on your fridge cause you’ll never go back to storebought once you learn how easy it is to make the good stuff at home.
Tips for the Best Guacamole
- Make it right before you are going to eat it. Guacamole is best made and served right before you eat it. That is part of what makes the guacamole you get in authentic Mexican resturarants so good, they make it right before they bring it to your table. I know some folks say you can make guacamole in advance and that the lime juice will prevent it from browning, but in my experience guacamole always starts to brown after an hour or two. So rather than fight the forces of oxidation, just make your guacamole right before you are going to eat it.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Want to know the secret to make a REALLY good guacamole? Taste it before you serve it. Depending on the ripeness of your avocado and your own tastebuds, your guacamole will need varying amounts of salt and pepper. So start with a modest amount, then taste, then adjust as needed. It only takes an extra minute and bonus, you get to dig into the guacamole before everyone else gets a shot at it and dissapears.
How to Tell if an Avocado is Ripe
Perfectly ripe avocados are key to great guacamole. But avocados are notoriously fussy aren’t they? One day they aren’t ripe, then when do you remember to check them again? Too late, you missed that perfect ripeness window and now they are overripe. Here’s how I tell whether these finicky fruits are ripe:
- Remove the cap. At the top of each avocado is a little cap where the stem was attached to the avocado. Gently remove it and look at the color of the flesh underneath. If it is green, that means the avocado is ripe. If it is brown, then the avocado is over-ripe. If the cap does not pop off easily then the avocado is under-ripe.
- Give it a gentle squeeze. Hold the avocado in your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. If the avocado is rock hard, it is not ripe. If it gives a little and the flesh under the cap is green (see above), then the avocado is perfectly ripe. If the avocado gives a lot when you squeeze it, then it is over-ripe.
So there you have it! Happy avocado selecting.
What to Serve with Guacamole
Guacamole goes with so many dishes it’s hard to know where to start. But here’s a quick rundown:
- Eggs: I like to stuff scrambled eggs into warm corn tortillas, then top them with cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo salsa. So good!
- Tacos: Guacamole goes with pretty much any kind of taco. These ground beef tacos are great with it, as are these birria tacos.
- Quesadillas and Mulitas: Add guacamole, sour cream and salsa on top of any quesadilla for the perfect bite. I also love stuffing it inside mulitas!
- Flautas: Another classic combo! These black bean flautas are so good with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.
- Burritos: Add it to any burrito along with your other favorite fixings.
- Chips: Obviously. 😉 Grab a big bowl of chips, a side of guacamole and maybe a margarita for the perfect afternoon fix.
- Sandwiches and tortas: I like spreading it on slices of bread before assembling a sandwich, or adding it to the top of whatever meat I’m stuffing inside a torta (a kind of Mexican sandwich).
- Enchiladas: Add it to the top of black bean enchiladas or birria enchiladas!
I’m sure there are even more ways to use guacamole – if you think of one I missed share it in the comments! 🙂
Easy Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mash the avocado in a medium bowl with a fork or potato masher. Add all the other ingredients and mix to combine.
- Taste and add salt/pepper as needed. I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- Mix again and taste. Serve immediately.