I know it’s pretty bold calling this The Best Homemade Guacamole; you’ll just have to try it out yourself and see! Simple, fresh ingredients, with all the tips and tricks you need to make this the perfect guacamole for you. Warning: you will never be able to go back to pre-made guac again.
I’ve been whipping up guacamole for a long time. When I decided to make my Skillet Chicken Fajitas, guac was the first thing to pop up in my mind to serve alongside them! Bright, perfectly balanced, and made with only fresh ingredients.
The thing about guacamole is: it’s completely subjective. My perfect guacamole might be totally different from yours! So why, you ask, do I call this the best homemade guac? Well, that’s because I’ve made this recipe SO many times for SO many different people, I know exactly how tastes differ and I’ve included everything you can do from ingredients to method to make yours *chef’s kiss* perfection.
Ingredients
- Avocados – Check below for tips on choosing the perfect avocados. Since avocados can be completely different sized, I’ve included the number of avos I used, and also the total weight (whole- pits and skins included).
- Onion – White onion is best for guacamole. You can use green onion instead, or yellow onion if that’s what you have handy. Don’t like raw onion? Leave it out!
- Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are the BEST for homemade guacamole. Make sure to remove all the seeds first. You can also chop up cherry/grape tomatoes.
- Jalapeño – If you don’t like spice at all, you can leave it out! You can also use an extra pepper, or switch to habañero to really crank the heat.
- Lime – Fresh is best. For guacamole, I use lime juice like salt and pepper. I add a bit at a time and taste until it’s perfect.
- Cilantro – I am a cilantro
- Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
How to make the best homemade guacamole
- Remove the seeds and skin from the avocados and add them to a mixing bowl. Use a fork or mashed to mash the avocado to your desired consistency, leaving chunks of avocado if you like.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and carefully mix everything together until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
FAQ
What you’ll see: The avocados that have turned dark green and have dulled slightly are perfect. The avos in the pile that hold the lighter shades of green are under-ripe, and the black avocados are over-ripe.
What you’ll feel: Give the avocado a squeeze. It should give slightly. If it feels hard, it’s under-ripe. If it squishes super easily- it’s over-ripe.
One more tip! Pick the end of the stem off the top of the avocado. Light green = under-ripe. Green = perfect. Brown = over-ripe.
If you have a day to ripen it, try placing it in a brown paper bag, with a banana or two. If you need to ripen it ASAP, you can try the oven method. This isn’t ideal and the flavor won’t be as nice as a naturally-ripened avocado, but it will do in a pinch.
Wrap each avocado individually in foil. Place in a 200F oven and bake for 10 minutes all the way to 1 hour, until the avocados have softened. Let them cool down in the fridge before using them.
IF you’re familiar with avocados, your familiar with how quickly they turn brown. You can make guacamole ahead and it’ll taste great, but keep that brownness in mind. You can mitigate it as much as possible by storing it with some lime juice spritzed over the top, and plastic wrap pressed directly against the top.
If you have some browning, you can scrape it off, or just mix it right in. It won’t affect the flavor or quality.
Tips for making perfect guacamole
- Check the FAQ above for picking the perfect avocados. This is the true make or break for a delicious guac!
- Texture! That’s a big differentiating factor. I like to mash my avocado leaving nice and big chunks of avocado in there as you can see in the photos. You can make it completely smooth, have smaller pieces; whatever you like.
- My perfect guacamole has the veggies diced up nice and small. Makes it easier to dip! Chop the onion, tomato, pepper, and cilantro as large or small as you’d like.
- Lime juice! I love lots of acidity. Add lime juice, tasting as you go, until you’re happy with the flavor. You might like it a little more or less limey than me.
How to store homemade guacamole
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or you can keep it right in the bowl you’ve served it in. I like to squeeze some lime juice over the top and press plastic wrap right on the surface of the guacamole to keep it from turning brown. Leftovers will last 3-4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing your guacamole. It will end up thawing into an odd texture. Fresh is best!
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The Best Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3-4 avocados depending on size, 23oz (650g) in total*
- 1/2 cup white onion finely diced, about half a medium-sized onion
- 1/2 cup Roma tomato about 1 whole tomato, seeded and diced
- 3 tbsp jalapeño pepper about 1 whole pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
- Remove the seeds and skin from the avocados and add them to a mixing bowl. Use a fork or mashed to mash the avocado to your desired consistency, leaving chunks of avocado if you like.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and carefully mix everything together until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Mmmmm