For years I was making guacamole the wrong way, and I didn’t know it. I was young, I was cooking, and for some reason I’d reached for the 90s taco-seasoning drawer. Cumin in. Garlic in. A whole cabinet of nonsense in, all of it guiding a dip that didn’t need any of it.
Then one night the bowl came out and I tasted it, and I just knew: I’d been working way too hard. Strip it back and the avocado does all the talking. That version became the one I’ve made ever since.
Real time: 15 minutes. Hands-on: 15. Effort: none — one knife, one spoon, one fork.
Here’s what goes in, and honestly, that’s the whole list:
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe Haas avocados
- ⅓ cup finely diced white onion
- ½ – 1 whole jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, deseeded and finely diced, to taste
- 3–4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, leaves and stems, to taste
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
Makes 8.
I use white or yellow onion — that’s what I keep in the pantry. If all you have is red, use it. It works.
Why no tomato?
If you’re wondering where the tomato went: I keep it out on purpose. Tomatoes are too unpredictable to bring into this equation. One soft, watery, subpar tomato can drag down an otherwise great bowl of guacamole.
Save them for a pico de gallo on the side — that’s just a simple mixture of chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Or make a smokey, spicy restaurant-style salsa. Either way, the tomato gets its own spotlight instead of muddying the avocado.
A note on juicing limes
If you have a manual wooden juicer, like we do, go easy on the pulp. Pulp pushes its way into the guacamole and can turn it bitter, especially if the lime is older or out of season. A little juice, no pulp — that’s the goal.
Method
- Dice the white onion, and deseed and dice the jalapeño (or serrano). The finer you dice the pepper, the spicier your guacamole will be.
- Chop the cilantro, leaves and stems together. The stems add a pleasant textural crunch I really enjoy.
- Halve the avocados lengthwise and remove the pits. I wedge my knife into the seed, twist it out, and tap it into the trash. Then instead of scooping each half with a spoon, I use a large spoon to carve chunks straight into a mixing bowl. It starts the mashing for you and gives the guac a nice texture.
- Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the avocado and mash with a fork to your desired texture. I like mine somewhere between chunky and not quite smooth.
- Add the onion, pepper, cilantro, and salt, and stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips or your favorite Mexican foods.
Serving guacamole
This is my party go-to, and it’s always a hit. My annual Super Bowl snack of choice is a bag of Doritos with this homemade guac. You can judge, but don’t knock it til you try it.
Or put out a whole spread: carnitas tacos with rice, beans, tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, and red cabbage slaw. That’s been one of our go-to party spreads for years, and people always love it.
Beyond party nights, guacamole goes great on turkey burgers, over eggs, inside breakfast burritos or tacos, in wraps or tortilla roll-ups, and stirred into chili. Or just put it out with some plain ol’ tortilla chips. It doesn’t need a reason.
How to store your guacamole
Guacamole is best enjoyed fresh the day you make it, because it immediately begins to oxidize. Lime juice helps slow the oxidation, but it won’t stop it.
If you do need to store it in the refrigerator, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top, so there’s no air between the wrap and the guacamole.
Another popular trick: add the guacamole to an airtight container, flatten the surface, cover it with a half-inch of cold water, then top with the lid and stash it in the fridge. The water keeps the air off, and you pour it off before serving.
Make it yours
Want more heat? Leave the jalapeño seeds in, or reach for a serrano instead. Like it a little milder? A jalapeño with seeds removed, finely diced, keeps just a whisper of warmth. And if cilantro isn’t your thing, a few extra leaves of flat-leaf parsley hold up better than you’d think — it’s a small swap that keeps the bright, fresh note without the flavor war.
Happy cooking,
Maya