Simple Guacamole
Updated March 5, 2024
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 cups (4 appetizer servings)
- ½cup finely chopped white onion (from 1 small onion)
- 2tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- Salt and black pepper
- 1jalapeño
- 2ripe avocados
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
173 calories; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 307 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine the onion and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Let that sit as you chop the jalapeño.
- Step 2
Cut the hard stem end off of the jalapeño and discard, then slice the chile in half lengthwise. If you don’t want the spice, use your knife or a spoon to remove the inner seeds and white membrane (this is where most of the chile’s heat resides). If you enjoy the heat, then leave all of that in. Chop the jalapeño as finely as you can and add to the bowl with the onion and lime juice. Be sure to wash your hands very well with soap after handling spicy chiles like jalapeños, and whatever you do, do not touch your eyes after handling them.
- Step 3
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and pull the halves apart. You can use your knife to pit the avocados, but a safer way is to hold the avocado half in one hand so that your thumb is touching the skin side where the pit is and your index and middle fingers are touching the flesh side around the pit. Gently press your fingers into each other to pop the pit out; with a ripe avocado, it should come out very easily. Use your hands to squeeze the avocado flesh out into the bowl with the other ingredients, or scoop it out with a spoon.
- Step 4
Using a fork, gently mash the avocados against the side of the bowl until they are mashed to your desired consistency, then stir them into the other ingredients until well combined. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- Step 5
Contrary to popular belief, adding avocado pits to guacamole does nothing to prevent oxidation, but if you press a good layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly over the guacamole and store it in the refrigerator, it will keep well for up to 2 days.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Maggie
One super important lesson in order to make this a successful endeavor is knowing how to pick a ripe avocado. Look for darker skin and press ever so gently with your thumb. If there is no give at all, it’s not ripe. If it squishes in, it’s too ripe. Find one that feels a little firm but gives slightly as you push. Oh! And if you have some unripe avocados on your kitchen counter, wait until they give slightly, then put them in the fridge. They’ll stay the perfect ripeness for a few days that way.
Cheri
This recipe is going to be flat, with or without the Cilantro (best with.) Add 1 clove of garlic per avocado, minced, & mashed into a paste with the salt & pepper; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground Cumin; use red onions, and lemon juice instead of lime. I like La Victoria Green Jalapeño (and Tomatillo) salsa, hot, if you can find it, instead of a chopped Jalapeño pepper. Also fold in a couple of fresh tomato slices, diced, after the rest is mashed. People tell me it's the best guacamole they ever ate.
DB
It does not need any cilantro for those of us that are totally cilantro averse. Nice to have a recipe like this that recognizes not all diners love cilantro.
Wendy
This recipe is great. It recognizes that excellent guacamole is meant to be very simple. The most important thing is to have high quality ingredients; otherwise, the flavor and texture will not be there.
Carl
Some of us do not like cilantro...
Susan
Avocado's with grated garlic, lime juice and salt.....to taste. It is also great with just lime juice and salt. Let the avocado goodness shine through!
James
That's about twice as much lime juice as I use, and I'd only use that much onion if it's really a sweet, fresh one. What's missing though is the cilantro. It needs a generous tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
Vicky
Guacamole in Mexico has the following ingredients:Avocado, tomatoe, salt , onion. Optional : chili or cilantro. NOTHING ELSE. It is as simple as that. If you make it a little in advance and want it to stay green longer, add the Avocado pit to it.Do not add lime.
Elle
This is a decent recipe to use as a base and let the avocado shine through. The more flavors you add, the less the avocado stands out.
mvd9001
Double this recipe. Add one chopped tomato, and one tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
Jefferson's Dad
I was asked to bring Guacamole to a party and this was my first time making it. I tripled the ingredients and followed this recipe exactly. To mash the avocados, I used an old-fashioned potato masher with terrific results. I did add some chopped cilantro as suggested in the opening paragraph, but it was just fine without it too. The onion, lime juice and jalapeno worked perfectly together. They wiped the bowl clean!
Lane
I use this recipe for a basic jumping off point. Perfectly ripe avocados (I know...almost impossible to find where I live in Vermont but sometimes I get lucky), lime juice, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. The taste is exquisitely simple. After that anything added like onion, jalapeño, cilantro, tomatoes, etc. is up to your individual taste preference. One other thought…That delightful fresh taste begins to die after about an hour no matter what you do so make it and eat it up quick.
Randy
Sadly, while this is a quick easy to make guac recipe, it is also quite boring with not much complexity. I personally like to add some roasted tomatillo and garlic, as well as cilantro. When you use white onions, best to rinse in some cold water first to smooth out the harshness.
Lynda H.
If you want avocado to be the star of your guacamole, this is your recipe. "Quick pickling" the onion and jalapeno in lime juice is genius. I think the black pepper is optional. Only suggestions: Buy an extra avocado for backup. Before you start, check your avocados for bruises etc. by peeling them so you know what you have to work with.
Michelle O
I like to prepare my guacamole on a cutting board. Mashing the avo pieces with a fork against a flat surface is much easier than in a rounded bowl.
Rhetor Marcus
Kim states that this recipe is pared down, and it is. Kim also suggests variations, which I suggest adding. I used it mainly to get some basic proportions (avocado:onion:jalapeño) and it provided what I needed.
wingin'it
My guac: the perfect avocado, mashed; garlic through a press, lime juice, salt.
Willi
Cilantro is a critical part of guac. It's not guac without cilantro
Mardale Bee
Very close to what I've made for years, although with cilantro and about half the amount of jalapeno (depending on the size of the pepper) and sometimes tomato. But please, no black pepper and no lemon (lime is more Mexican). And no also to garlic, although ramps make an intriguing variation.
Jake
I've been adding drained and chopped nopolitos and fried onions alongside the jalapenos for a bit more texture and flavor.
Debra
It was good but not flavorful enough for me. I added one pressed clove of garlic and a bunch of cilantro. Great!
pkewer
Do this for the basic recipe. Add: cumin, garlic, red peppers, Chipotle Tabasco, etc. No tomatoes. We love this.
WENDY MS
If you have too many perfectly ripe avocados, store them in a jar, covered with water, in the fridge. I’ve kept them for 2 weeks, and they are perfect!
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