Homemade Guacamole in 15 Minutes
Ready-made guacamole may be easy to find, but it just doesn’t compare to the flavor you get from homemade. Our simple guacamole recipe is made with all fresh ingredients, takes only 15 minutes from start to finish, is more economical than store-bought, and is easy to customize both in flavor and texture.
Essential Ingredients
- Avocados: We recommend using Hass avocados from California or Mexico. You can find them year-round, but they’re best when in season, which runs from spring through fall.
- Fresh lime juice: Always use fresh lime juice in homemade guacamole. It prevents the mashed avocado from turning brown and adds fresh citrus flavor.
- Sweet onion: We like to add a little chopped sweet onion to our guacamole for a bit of texture and, you guessed it, sweetness.
- Jalapeño pepper: In a pinch, you can substitute extra hot sauce for fresh jalapeños, but the real thing adds both texture and fresh-flavored heat.
- Plum tomatoes: Plum tomatoes are the tomato of choice for guacamole because their dry flesh brings color and tomato flavor to the dip without any extra liquid.
- Fresh cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds both herbaceous flavor and a touch of sweetness to guacamole. As far as we’re concerned, it’s an indispensable ingredient, but if you are not a fan, just omit it entirely, or replace it with parsley.
- Hot sauce: Because the heat of fresh jalapeños can vary in intensity, we generally add a few dashes of hot sauce to our guacamole. We keep Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce on hand in addition to the traditional variety, and that’s what we use, but this is purely a matter of taste. Your favorite brand of hot sauce will do, or you can omit it entirely.
Tip: How to Choose and Ripen Avocados
When shopping, select plump avocados with the button of the stem still in place. Ripe avocados will yield to slight pressure. Avoid fruit with blemishes and dark spots. To ripen avocados, place them in a brown paper bag and store them at room temperature for two to five days. To accelerate the process, add a banana or apple to the bag.
How to Make Easy Homemade Guacamole
- Halve the avocados lengthwise, remove the pits, scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
- Add the lime juice, garlic, onion, jalapeño, tomato, and cilantro and combine well. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover and allow to stand for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the hot sauce to taste.
- For maximum flavor, cover tightly and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with store-bought or homemade baked tortilla chips (see below).
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Guacamole tends to turn brown rather quickly due to the oxidation process that occurs when avocados are exposed to air, so while you can make it ahead of time, it is best to prepare it as close to serving time as possible. Here are a few tips for minimizing that browning process:
- Choose an airtight container that fits the quantity of guacamole you have well. You want to leave as little air space as possible.
- Drizzle the top with a little extra lime (or lemon) juice to prevent oxidization.
- Add an extra layer of protection by pressing a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the guacamole before sealing the container.
- Store guacamole in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can also freeze it, but it tends to get a little bit watery as it defrosts.
Keep in mind that while these storage tips can help slow the browning of guacamole, they won’t prevent it completely or indefinitely. It’s best to enjoy guacamole as soon after preparation as possible. If the guacamole does turn brown, it’s generally safe to eat, but you can also scrape a thin layer off the top and discard it.
Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3 Hass avocados, see notes
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed (1 lime)
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Hot sauce to taste, see notes
Instructions
- Halve the avocados lengthwise, remove the pits, scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
- Add the lime juice, garlic, onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro and combine well. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover and allow to stand for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the hot sauce to taste.
- For maximum flavor, cover tightly and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with store-bought or homemade baked tortilla chips (see below).
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