Creamy, fresh and completely delicious, this easy and healthy guacamole recipe is perfect for entertaining! With just six simple ingredients (plus any of your favourite add-ins), it can be whipped up in just five minutes to complement healthy nachos, vegetable platters, Mexican food and more!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fresh and healthy – no sour cream or preservatives. Just fresh and healthy ingredients! This guacamole makes a nutritious snack, party platter addition or lunchbox filler. Try it in these chicken burrito bowls or chicken tacos for a delicious family dinner or lunch idea that everyone will love. It is also divine spread over these corn and feta fritters.
- Quick and easy – all you need is a handful of healthy ingredients and just five minutes and you are all set! Whip up a double or even triple batch of this fool-proof recipe to feed a hungry crowd!
- Customisable – there are plenty of flavour variations to suit your taste. Use this recipe as a base and build on it to make the guac of your dreams! See some flavour variation suggestions below.
What you’ll need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. For full ingredient quantities and methods, see the detailed recipe card below.
Ingredient notes
Avocado – you will need ripe and soft (but not overripe) avocados for this recipe. To test whether an avocado is ripe, give it a quick (but gentle) squeeze. A ripe avocado will have a little bit of give, without being too soft. If it has no give at all, it will be too firm for mashing. Avoid using avocados that are too brown, mushy or stringy.
Lime – an important ingredient! Lime juice prevents browning and adds flavour. If you don’t have any limes, lemon can work too.
Coriander (also known as cilantro) – fresh is best. But ¼ teaspoon of dried coriander is a great addition too! If you (or someone in your family) doesn’t love coriander and you want to avoid it, you can substitute it for chopped parsley or chives.
Jalapeno – adds a little spicy kick. For a milder guacamole, leave it out. For a little more heat, add the seeds and centre too.
Tomatoes – finely chopped tomatoes are an optional addition. Choose a ripe, slightly soft tomato, or use cherry tomatoes.
Step by step instructions
This recipe is so easy! To start, finely chop the coriander (cilantro), onion and jalapeno into very small pieces. To make them even finer, you can blend the pieces in a food processor with the lime juice, or grind them in a mortar and pestle (along with the juice) to make a paste. This step this isn’t essential, but does distribute more flavour throughout the guacamole.
Then, mash the avocado in a bowl and mix all of the ingredients and any additional seasonings together with a fork.
Expert tips
- Lime juice (or a little lemon) is used to prevent browning and add flavour. Fresh is best, as bottled juice won’t have the same taste.
- Choose soft, ripe avocados. Avocados that are under-ripe and too firm won’t work in this recipe, because the avocado needs to be mashed.
If they are too firm, place them in a paper bag with a banana for a day or two to speed up the ripening process. If your avocado is nice and soft but you don’t need to use it for a day or two, place it in the fridge. They will continue to ripen in the refrigerator, but at a slower rate. - Chunky or smooth – you can make it to your preferred texture. For a smoother finish, add the ingredients (except the tomatoes) to a food processor and blend. For a chunkier texture, don’t fully mash the tomatoes and roughly chop the other ingredients before combining.
Flavour variations
The great thing about guacamole is that the ingredients can be adapted to suit your personal taste. Use this recipe as a base and make it just the way you want with your favourite add-ins! Here are some suggestions:
- Garlic – add one minced clove to the onion and jalapeno.
- Ground coriander (cilantro) or ground cumin– ¼ teaspoon of either adds a lovely flavour. Add it to the mixture when you add the avocados and stir to combine.
- Chives or parsley – can be used instead of coriander, if it’s not your thing.
- For extra heat – add the centre and seeds of the jalapeno. You can also add chilli powder or a good hot sauce, to taste.
- Black beans and corn – for extra protein, texture and flavour. Stir them through at the end with the chopped tomatoes.
FAQs
Just place your avocados in a brown paper bag along with a banana or apple and leave for 1-2 days. These fruits release ethylene, which will help to speed up the ripening process.
There are a few ways to stop the avocado in guacamole from turning brown. If you want to make it ahead of time, add a little extra lime juice to the mix. When storing it, add an avocado pit into the bowl with the guacamole – it really helps! Cover the guacamole with a layer of cling film that touches the surface directly. You can also add a layer of olive oil over the top (it won’t soak in) and drain before serving.
When stored correctly, fresh guacamole can last in the fridge for 2-3 days, but is best when eaten fresh.
Yes and no! While avocados can be mashed and frozen with a little lemon or lime juice for around 4 months, the onion, tomato and coriander tend to go watery in the guacamole when frozen. If you want to freeze it in advance, I recommend freezing the mashed avocado with the lime juice and adding it to airtight containers or bags without adding the onion, jalapeno and coriander. Then, add the remaining ingredients when you want to serve.
Related recipes
This recipe pairs perfectly with the following healthy dinner and snacking ideas;
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Healthy Guacamole
Ingredients
- ½ red onion very finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno chilli optional, very finely chopped
- ¼ cup coriander fresh, chopped
- 3-4 tbsp lime juice juice of approx. 1-2 limes.
- 2 avocados large and ripe/soft. Mashed with a fork
- ⅓ cup fresh tomato or cherry tomatoes, diced into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste (approx. ¼ tsp salt).
Optional
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
Instructions
- Optional: Place the chopped onion, jalapeno and coriander into a mortar and pestle (or use a bowl with a fork). Add the lime juice and grind into a paste. This step can be skipped if you prefer a chunkier guacamole.
- Using a fork, mash the avocados in a bowl until mostly smooth.
- Squeeze and discard a little of the juice from the tomatoes and then stir all of the ingredients together until combined.
Notes
- Soft, ripe avocados are essential in this recipe!
- Lime juice is used to prevent browning and add flavour. Fresh lime juice is recommended, as bottled doesn’t taste the same. If you don’t have limes, lemons will work too.
- Make ahead – all of the ingredients can be chopped ahead, so that all you need to do when ready to serve is slice and mash the avocados and mix everything together.
- Depending on the size of the avocados, this recipe yields about one cup and can be easily multiplied to make more.
- Storage. Guacamole is best eaten as soon as it is made, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you are making it ahead and storing it for later, add a little extra lime juice to prevent browning. You can also add the avocado seed to the bowl to help prevent browning, and cover with a layer of clingfilm pressed directly onto the surface.
- For a chunkier texture, roughly chop the ingredients and stir them through. For a smooth texture, the ingredients (except the tomatoes) can be added to a food processor and blended until it reaches the desired consistency.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in April 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in January 2021.
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