Simple, All-Purpose Guacamole

Written by
Chelsie Kenyon
Chelsie Kenyon, author of "Knack Mexican Cooking," is a former freelance writer and recipe developer with more than 10 years' experience in Mexican cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Chelsie Kenyon
Updated 10/09/20
Simple guacamole recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Servings: 8 servings
  • Yields: 4 cups
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
214 Calories
18g Fat
14g Carbs
3g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 214
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 50mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Protein 3g
Calcium 35mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The word "guacamole" comes from Nahuatl (the language spoken by the ancient Aztecs and still very much alive in Mexico today) and translates loosely as an avocado sauce. There are as many versions of guacamole as there are cooks, some of them with very special ingredients or uses.

This easy but delicious version is a great standard guacamole recipe and may very well become a classic in your kitchen. It makes a tasty side garnish for grilled meats or chicken, a creamy sauce on tacos or tortas, and livens up a burrito. Serve your delicious creamy-chunky guacamole with totopos (tortilla chips) for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack or add a big dollop to top your nachos.

Don’t forget to learn some interesting trivia about avocados and guacamole to share while enjoying this concoction!

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 1/4 cup onion (peeled and diced)
  • 1 fresh serrano (or jalapeño chile, seeded and diced)
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves (coarsely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh squeezed)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1 medium tomato (seeded and diced)
  • For Serving: tortilla chips

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for simple guacamole
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Peel the avocados, and remove their pits. Mash the flesh of two of them with the back of a fork or other mashing utensil. Dice the other two into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch cubes.

    Mashed and dice avocado
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  3. Mix the mashed avocado with the diced onion, chile pepper, and cilantro. Fold in crema or sour cream and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Avocado mixed with crema and onion and peppers
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  4. Fold the diced avocado and tomato into the mashed avocado mixture.

    Tomato and diced avocado added to guacamole
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap (making sure the plastic completely touches all surfaces of the guacamole so that air exposure is minimized) and consume within a few hours.

    Guacamole in a bowl
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Adjust the level of spiciness in this recipe at will: Use less or no chile if you prefer a milder guacamole or more if you love the heat.
  • Tweak the texture of this recipe to your taste. Like an even chunkier guacamole? Mash just one of the avocados—or none of them. Want it creamier? Mash all four avocados and dice vegetables very small.
  • Due to the raw onion, tomatoes, and cilantro, this type of guacamole does not keep especially well. If you have leftovers that you’d like to save, eat them within a day or two.
  • Keep leftovers in an airtight container and place plastic wrap on the exposed surface of the guacamole to minimize discoloration. If guacamole does turn brown on top (the discoloration is not dangerous in any way, just rather unappetizing), either scrape off the dark top layer before using or stir the guacamole well so that it is all a pretty green color once again.