Easy Guacamole Recipe Garlic Powder 2 Avocados

This easy guacamole recipe is made from scratch in about 5 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients! Serve the dip with tortilla chips, nachos, tacos and so many other Mexican-inspired favorites.

Close up front shot of an easy guacamole recipe served in a colorful bowl

If you celebrate "Taco Tuesday" each week or just enjoy Mexican food as much as we do, then an easy guacamole recipe will soon become a staple in your kitchen. Sure, you could jazz up the base recipe with mix-ins like salsa, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and jalapeños, but it's certainly not necessary. Simple is best, and this flavorful version of the popular dip is ready with just 4 ingredients in about 5 minutes! That's my kind of cooking...

Authentic Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole is an avocado-based dip, spread or salad of Mexican origin. The name "guacamole" comes from the Aztec āhuacamolli, which literally translates to "avocado sauce." In Mexican Spanish, it's pronounced wakaˈmole, while in America we say it /ˌɡwɑːkəˈmoʊliː/.

Avocados have been an important crop in Mexico for over 10,000 years, and have become incredibly popular in the United States since the 1990s when the U.S. government lifted a ban on avocado imports and the Latino population has continued to grow.

Authentic guacamole recipes typically include avocados and sea salt, and may also feature lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeños. These days you'll also find more non-traditional dips made with ingredients like sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, basil, lemon, onion and peas. Since guacamole has a mild, creamy taste and texture, the additional ingredients that you stir into the dip will significantly impact the taste of the guacamole.

The Best Avocados for Guacamole

Small, rough-skinned Hass avocados are the best variety for homemade guacamole. The avocados need to be soft in order to develop the creamy texture and flavor, so they may need to sit in a warm, dark spot for a day or two after you purchase them. The skin of a Hass avocado turns from green to dark purplish-black when ripe, and the fruit will yield slightly to a gentle squeeze. Also, if you can easily flick off the small stem on the small end of the avocado, or if you can see green underneath it, the avocado is ripe. If the stem doesn't come off easily, the avocado needs to sit and ripen for another day or two.

Similarly, if your avocados ripen on the counter before you're actually ready to use them, you can stick them in the refrigerator for a day or two to prevent them from going bad.

How to Dice an Avocado

Since this easy guacamole recipe calls for two diced avocados, I'll show you the step-by-step process for quickly peeling, pitting and chopping the fruit.

Step 1: Cut Lengthwise Around the Pit and Twist

Use a knife to cut the avocado into two separate halves lengthwise all around the pit. Twist and pull to separate the two halves.

Step 2: Remove Pit

To pull the pit from the avocado, whack it with a big knife. The knife will grab the pit, and should easily pull it out with a gentle twist.

Step 3: Cut Criss-Cross Marks in the Flesh

Use your knife to cut in a criss-cross pattern through the flesh of the avocado, stopping your knife when you get to the skin. Then use a spoon to scoop the diced avocado from the peel.

How to make an Easy Guacamole Recipe from Scratch

My go-to weeknight recipe for homemade guacamole could not be easier! I generally keep all of these ingredients on hand for a quick batch whenever we're serving a Mexican meal. It's so good as a side dish or garnish with tortilla chips, tacos, and more!

Ingredients for a Simple Guacamole Recipe

Ripe Hass avocados
Fresh lime juice
Salt
Garlic powder

Step 1: Place Diced Avocados in a Bowl

First, place the diced avocados in a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mash

Using a fork or a potato masher (shown), mash the avocados to a relatively smooth consistency. Depending on your preference, you can leave some bigger chunks if you like.

Step 3: Add Remaining Ingredients

Stir in the lime juice, salt and garlic powder until completely combined.

What to serve with this Healthy Guacamole Recipe

This healthy guacamole recipe is a satisfying snack or appetizer when paired with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh veggies for dipping. It's also great as a spread on sandwiches in lieu of mayonnaise or mustard, or as a garnish on a salad.

We often serve the guacamole as a side dish with chips or as a garnish with a larger Mexican-inspired dinner. Here are a few meals that go well with the easy guacamole recipe:

5-Ingredient Taco Casserole
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Quesadillas
Taco Casserole with Rice
The Easiest Burritos
Nacho Casserole
Baked Taquitos
Taco Salad
Crock Pot Chicken Nachos
Fajitas

Overhead shot of tortilla chips and a wooden spoon in a bowl of easy guacamole

Is it safe to eat avocado after it turns brown?

You may have noticed that guacamole eventually turns brown (just like sliced apples). This results from an enzymatic reaction that occurs when the polyphenol oxidase in the cells of an avocado are exposed to oxygen. The brown avocado is not rotten, and is perfectly safe to eat (although it looks unappetizing and may have a slightly bitter taste). See my notes below for storing guacamole to prevent excessive browning.

The Benefits of Eating Guacamole

Since avocados are the main ingredient in guacamole, most of the health benefits that you derive from guac come directly from the avocados. Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fat, a plant-based fat that can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also include plenty of fiber and antioxidants (source). Each ¼-cup serving of guacamole includes about 162 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

Preparation and Storage Tips -- 4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

Make Ahead: Wrap the guacamole tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Make sure that the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the guacamole so that it's not exposed to air (to help prevent browning). The acid in the lime juice also helps to stave off the browning process. When ready to serve, bring the guacamole to room temperature and season with additional fresh lime juice and salt, as necessary.
To Freeze: Yes, you can freeze guacamole and it will still taste good when thawed. It's important to note, however, that you need to wrap the guacamole tightly (to prevent exposure to air). It's also best to just freeze the base guacamole recipe without any add-ins like onion, tomato or cilantro, which will not freeze and thaw quite as well.
Guacamole is typically served at room temperature, but you can also heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop if you prefer it warm. The warm guacamole may have a slightly mushier texture and different taste, but it will still be delicious and safe to eat.

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations -- Easy Guacamole Recipe

This recipe yields about 1 cup of guacamole. If you're serving a larger crowd, or if you'd like to have more leftovers, I recommend doubling the ingredients.
While lime juice is traditional, you can make guacamole with lemon juice in a pinch.
Spicy Guacamole: add half of a seeded, minced jalapeño pepper to the 4-ingredient guacamole recipe.
Add-ins: if you like more flavor and texture in your guacamole, try stirring in some diced tomatoes, salsa, minced red onion, fresh cilantro, roasted or grilled corn, sour cream, cumin or jalapeño pepper.
Which onions for guacamole? If adding onion to your guac, try the more traditional minced white onion, the mild yellow onion, or a zesty minced red onion. Any will work well, so it's really just a matter of taste preference.
Which tomatoes for guacamole? Any seeded, diced tomatoes will work here. If it's summertime and you have access to sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes, those are a great choice. The rest of the year, Roma or Plum tomatoes are a nice option.

Front shot of homemade authentic guacamole with tortilla chips

More avocado recipes that you might enjoy:

Avocado Shrimp Pasta Salad
Guacamole Recipe with Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Salmon Salad with Avocado Dressing