There is nothing better than a bowl of homemade guacamole to dip your tortilla chips into. But it’s not just a great dip, it’s also a great spread and topping.
This easy homemade guacamole recipe is simple, quick and yields a super healthy and delicious snack for the whole family. There are veggies, there is flavour, there can be spice if you so choose!
Guacamole originated in Mexico and became popularized in North America in the 1990s when avocados became all the rage. Since then it has become a well-known dip, spread and topping all across Canada and the U.S.
Surprisingly, avocados have an incredible history and current existence. If you’re curious about the details there is an amazing podcast that covers the story in very exciting detail. Check out the Unsavory podcast as Sarah and Becca educate us about the truth behind the avocado industry.
But back to our guacamole recipe…
It’s super delicious, high in fiber, and high in healthy fats, among other nutrients so you can easily make this dip a regular part of your menu.
Preparing Easy Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients
Avocado: Avocados are medium-sized fruit with soft green flesh, a large pit and leathery-looking skin. Avocados are relatively bland in taste and are a good source of healthy fats. They are native to South America where most of the avocado production occurs.
Cherry tomatoes: Tomatoes are actually a fruit, despite most people believing them to be vegetables. Cherry tomatoes are a type of small and usually round tomato. They range in size from about a half-inch circumference to the size of a golf ball.
Red onion: Red onions have a purply reddish colour and are an important addition to this recipe. It has a nice mild flavour both in its raw form and cooked.
Cilantro: Cilantro is also known as coriander. They are in fact the same however the naming conventions vary between the Americas and other parts of the world. In America, cilantro often references the plant’s fresh stem and leaf while coriander refers to the plant’s dried seeds.
Lime: Lime fruit is a green citrus fruit that is very sour. It has a very refreshing flavour but is often used in small quantities as that sour, sometimes almost bitter, the flavour is very strong.
Jalapeno: A jalapeno is a type of chili pepper. It is medium in size, usually green, though it does turn a bright red when very ripe, and has a Scoville scale heat rating of 4,000-8,500. Removing the seeds makes the pepper much milder and makes it easier to control the heat level.
How to Make Easy Homemade Guacamole in One Bowl
There are a few ways to make guacamole
. Depending on your texture preference, you can use a blender, a food processor, or a bowl and fork like I do below.The latter makes it easier to get the chunkiest dip. If you pulse the food processor or blender you can still get a semi-chunky consistency but somehow, I always mess this up.
This guacamole recipe is quite simple so let’s get started!
Cut open each avocado, remove the pit and squeeze the avocado out into a bowl. You can score the avocado into cubes before squeezing it to make the mashing a bit quicker.
Mash the avocado with a fork. The consistency is entirely up to you. I like to leave some chunks but you can mash them into a paste if you’d like.
Wash and dice the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro and add them to the avocado. You can reserve some cilantro for garnish if you like. I deseed the jalapeno for mild guacamole.
TIP: The quantities of ingredients are completely up to you. Use the recipe as a guide then add less/more of each ingredient if you prefer a more or less chunky/spicy dip.
Juice half a lime and add 2 teaspoons to the bowl.
Finally, add the salt and pepper, and the optional additions if using, and stir everything to combine. Be gentle as you don’t want to smash the tomatoes.
I think the recipe without the extra additions makes the best guacamole but it’s really about what flavours you like, so go wild!
Serve topped with the remaining cilantro and a slice of lime for garnish with a side of tortilla chips.
Substitutions
Cherry tomatoes: You can use any kind of tomatoes. Some tomato varieties have fewer seeds than cherry tomatoes so you will get less of the juices in the guacamole. This shouldn’t make too much of a difference unless you have a preference for or bias against tomato juice.
Lime: Ok, I’m just going to say it, do not substitute the lime with lemon. Yes, you technically can, and the guacamole will be fine, but I swear it doesn’t taste like guacamole anymore. Do it at your own risk!
Serving Guacamole
Yes, this easy homemade guacamole is the perfect dip for tortilla chips. But that’s just the tip of the chip.
Serve it as a dip with nachos, and quesadillas, or as a topping for your scrambled eggs with salsa. Our black bean and corn quesadillas are made even better with a side of guac.
Guacamole is the perfect spread for tacos, wraps, sandwiches, burgers and more. Try it on our black bean burger and you will be blown away. Smoky chicken tacos are also fabulous with a bit of guacamole dip.
Storing Homemade Guacamole
Avocado has a tendency to brown once exposed to air. Use plastic wrap to prevent your guacamole from browning and preserve freshness for longer. Place the guacamole in a bowl or container and make sure to level off the top with a spoon or knife.
Next, place a piece of plastic wrap over the guacamole, ensuring the cling wrap is touching the guacamole. Try to smooth out any air bubbles that form. If your container has a lid, place the lid over the top as you normally would.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Easy Homemade Guacamole Dip Recipe
Equipment
- small bowl
- Knife
- Juicer (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe avocados
- 8 grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp red onion about a quarter of a small onion
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 2 tsp lime
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ medium jalapeno optional
Optional variations (add):
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Cut open each avocado, remove the pit and squeeze the avocado out into a bowl. You can score the avocado into cubes before squeezing it to make the mashing a bit quicker.4 ripe avocados
- Mash the avocado with a fork. The consistency is entirely up to you. I like to leave some chunks but you can mash them into a paste if you’d like.
- Wash and dice the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro and add them to the avocado. You can reserve some cilantro for garnish if you like. I deseed the jalapeno for milder guacamole.8 grape or cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp red onion, 1 tbsp cilantro, ½ medium jalapeno
- TIP: The quantities of ingredients are completely up to you. Use the recipe as a guide then add less/more of each ingredient if you prefer a more or less chunky/spicy dip.
- Juice half a lime and add 2 teaspoons to the bowl.2 tsp lime
- Finally, add the salt and pepper, and the optional additions if using, and stir everything to combine. Be gentle as you don’t want to smash the tomatoes.¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 clove garlic, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp paprika
- Serve topped with the remaining cilantro and a slice of lime for garnish with a side of tortilla chips.
