- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 40 g
- 10 g
- ½ tsp
- ¼ tsp
Process
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Halve the avocados lengthwise around the pit, twist the halves apart, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Reserve one pit if you plan to serve the guacamole in the bowl.
Add the juice of the lime and the fine sea salt to the avocado immediately, then mash with a fork or potato masher, leaving plenty of lumps for a chunky texture.
Fold in the minced white onion, chopped jalapeno, diced roma tomato, chopped cilantro and ground cumin until evenly distributed.
Taste and adjust: add more lime juice for brightness, more salt to wake up the avocado, or more jalapeno for heat. Serve right away.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is under-salting: avocado needs more salt than most people expect, so add the 1/2 tsp first, taste, then add a pinch more until the flavor pops.
- Use only fully ripe avocados. If the stem cap flicks off easily and shows green underneath, it is ready; a rock-hard avocado will mash into bland, lumpy paste.
- Keep it chunky. Over-mashing turns guacamole into a smooth puree that coats the tongue and loses the fresh, bright texture that defines the dish.
- Add the lime juice the moment the avocado is cut. The acid slows browning, and it seasons the flesh from the inside instead of just sitting on top.
Substitutions
- white onion→red onion, minced and rinsed the same way
- jalapeno→serrano chile for sharper heat, or 2 tbsp finely diced green bell pepper for no heat
- roma tomato→12 halved cherry tomatoes, seeded and diced
- cilantro→flat-leaf parsley for a cilantro-free version
- lime→lemon juice, though the flavor will be less authentic
Storage & reheating
Guacamole is best the day it is made. To store, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole so no air touches it, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. A thin browned layer on top is harmless oxidation; scrape it off and stir before serving. Do not freeze guacamole, as the texture turns watery and grainy. To refresh after chilling, stir in a squeeze of fresh lime and a pinch of salt.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my guacamole turn brown so fast?
Avocado flesh reacts with oxygen and browns within hours, especially in a wide bowl with lots of exposed surface. Press plastic wrap directly onto the guacamole and refrigerate it; the browned top layer is still safe to eat, just scrape it off and stir in fresh lime juice.
Can I make guacamole ahead of time for a party?
You can prep it up to 4 hours ahead if you press plastic wrap onto the surface and keep it cold. For the freshest result, mash the avocados and hold them with lime juice, then fold in the onion, chile, tomato and cilantro just before serving so the tomato does not water it down.
How do I know if my avocados are ripe enough?
A ripe Hass avocado gives slightly when you press near the stem and the small stem cap comes away easily to reveal green underneath. If it is hard, it will mash into bland chunks; if it is mushy or the stem shows brown, it is overripe and may taste off.
Why is my guacamole watery?
The usual culprits are overripe avocados, unseeded tomatoes and too much lime juice. Seed and dice the tomato, drain any liquid from the bowl before mashing, and add lime juice a tablespoon at a time rather than pouring it all in.
Can I make guacamole without cilantro?
Yes. Cilantro is divisive, so simply leave it out or replace it with chopped flat-leaf parsley for a fresh herbal note. The guacamole will still taste complete because the lime, onion, chile and salt carry the flavor.
Is guacamole supposed to be smooth or chunky?
Traditional guacamole is chunky, with visible pieces of avocado, onion and tomato. Mash with a fork and stop while lumps remain; a food processor turns it into a smooth puree that loses the texture most people expect.
Can I use frozen avocado for guacamole?
Frozen avocado works in a pinch but thaw it fully and drain the excess liquid first, because freezing breaks down the cell structure and makes it softer. The result will be less chunky, so fold in the onion, chile and tomato after mashing to restore some texture.
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