Ten minutes is all you need to make homemade guacamole with fresh avocados, plum tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime juice.

Guacamole in a serving bowl.

Ready-made guacamole may be easy to find, but it just doesn’t compare to the flavor you get from homemade.

Our recipe is made with all fresh ingredients and it’s so quick and easy there’s no reason not to give it a try.

Key ingredients for guacamole:

  • 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.
Quick and Easy Guacamole

Quick and Easy Guacamole

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This easy recipe for homemade guacamole is made with ripe avocados, plum tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro and fresh-squeezed lime juice and only takes about 10 minutes to make.
Yield: 1 -1/4 cups
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3 ripe Hass avocados, see notes
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Hot sauce to taste, we like to use jalapeño pepper sauce - about 2 teaspoons

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).

Tips for Making This Recipe

Choosing and Ripening 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 at room temperature for two to five days. To accelerate the process, add a banana or apple to the bag.
Author: Lynne Webb
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: Mexican
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