A naturally vegan guacamole recipe, with clever "how to" tips the pros use to do it right. It’s my #1, best vegan guacamole recipe ever!
Why I Love Making this Guac Recipe
This easy recipe is perfect for entertaining, because even though it’s vegan, pretty much everyone loves guac. I’ve included all the tips you’ll need to make it perfectly, developed from making this recipe many, many times. But at the end of the day, it’s really just a low stress, simple recipe with simple ingredients—and really, what's better than that?
This classic guacamole recipe gets rave reviews whenever I serve it, so I think you’re going to love it, too.
Plus, who doesn't love a good Mexican-inspired dish? This side is amazing dolloped onto a sofritas bowl or taco, for example.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Ripe avocados. The perfect guacamole starts with perfect avocados. Look for ripe, but not mushy, fruit (yes, avocado’s a fruit). It should give just a bit when you press the flesh with your thumb, leaving a small indentation.
- Fresh limes – a must for truly authentic guacamole.
- Red onion – in my opinion, the best onion to eat raw in salads, dips, etc.
- Fresh cilantro leaves. Fresh herbs elevate the flavors.
- Jalapeño pepper – for a bit of heat.
- Garlic. To me, guacamole without at least a little garlic is just a creamy avocado dip. If you want a true Mexican style gauc, don't skip the garlic!
- Roma or plum tomatoes - have firmer flesh and fewer seeds/less juice than other varieties, which helps keep things from getting runny.
- Sea salt. I highly recommend a pinch or two to bring out all of the flavors, unless you absolutely must avoid it.
- Pepita seeds and pomegranate seeds (optional) - as a garnish. They deliver a bit of crunch and a colorful, Mexican restaurant-style presentation. Try it!
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Potato masher (or large fork)
- Medium mixing bowl
Step-by-Step Instructions + Time Saving Tips
Follow these easy instructions to make your dish great everytime. But please be sure to read the full recipe at the bottom of this article.
How to core and seed Jalepeño peppers fast
Step 1. Use the edge of your knife to slice the membrane and seeds away from the jalepeño.
Step 2. Marinate the jalepeño, red onion and garlic in lime juice while you prepare the other ingredients.
How to cut an avocado for guacamole
- Start with ripe avocados that are just a bit firm. It pays to plan (and shop) ahead if you have a specific day you need to make the guacamole, as sometimes the store will have no ripe avocados. (There are ways to ripen avocados fast, or so I’ve read. I haven’t tried any yet, but if I do, I’ll update this recipe.)
- I've found CAREFULLY holding the avocado in my hand is by far the fastest, easiest way to do this. (I learned this technique from a professional chef in a knife skills class.) However, if you don't feel confident in your knife skills (yet), PLEASE wrap your hand in a towel or wear an oven mitt to practice.
- This technique only works well with ripe avocados. If your avocados are a little on the hard side, I recommend quartering them, removing the skins, then dicing on your cutting board.
Step 3. After cutting an avocado in half, firmly grip the half with the pit in one hand. Carefully tap the knife edge into the pit hard enough to insert it into the pit. Twist to loosen the pit, then lift if out with the knife.
Step 4. Hold the avocado half in your hand and carefully score it with the tip of your knife.
Step 5. Scoop the avocado flesh into the bowl, making sure to get the nutritious flesh closest to the skin.
Step 6. Mash the ingredients together in the mixing bowl.
Step 7. Core the tomato pieces with the tip of your knife.
Step 8. Add the diced tomato and cilantro to the bowl.
Step 9. Stir everything together well to combine.
Why marinate the onion, garlic and jalapeño in lime juice?
- You could skip this step, but I like to do this since it 1) doesn't add extra prep time, and 2) it helps the mellow the sharp of the onion, garlic and hot pepper, and it helps marry the flavors together. (Married flavors=why some dishes taste better after they sit for awhile, or even the next day.)
Guacamole without tomatoes, or with?
- I use two small tomatoes when I make this guacamole for a party and I know it will all get eaten. If I'm going to need to store it for several days, I'll generally just use one. You can skip the tomatoes altogether, and the recipe will still be very good, but I recommend them for color and flavor.
- Tomatoes can make guacamole runny if you don't core and seed them first. (The longer it's in the fridge, the runnier it will be.) If including tomatoes in this recipe, be sure only to use the firm flesh closest to the skin and the skin itself.
- I use Roma or Plum tomatoes for this recipe, as I find they have firmer flesh and fewer seeds/less juice than other varieties.
- I like to cut them into segments, then run the tip of my knife between the core/seeds and flesh/skin. I've saved SO much time chopping all kinds of peppers and tomatoes since I started using this technique! (Quite the time saver for recipes like breakfast casserole with bell peppers, or my Spanish rice and beans. See the pics above for details.
Pick a good lime
- I can generally get away with one good size, juicy lime for this recipe. If your lime is hard, it probably won’t be juicy, so look for slightly softer fruit that smells like lime.
- It's always a good idea to buy an extra lime (in case your lime doesn’t give as much juice as you need!) Plus, if your avocados are a little hard, I find a little extra lime helps with the flavor. If you don't have extra lime on hand, zest the single lime (before you squeeze it), and reserve the zest to add for more flavor if you think it needs it.
Skip the dicing
- The texture won't be quite the same, but you can place the the onion half, garlic cloves and cored/seeded jalapeño in a food processor, and process just until roughly minced (but not a pulp). Then, follow the rest of the recipe as written. If desired, you can toss in your cilantro leaves too, but NOT the tomatoes.
Substitutions and Variations
This authentic guacamole is made with fresh ingredients—fresh onion, fresh herbs, the best avocados, etc. In a pinch, you can make a substitution or two, and still get a very good result.
- Red onion – white onion or green onions (mostly white parts). Or about 1 teaspoon onion powder.
- Fresh garlic – about ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Jalapeño – serrano pepper is the closest pepper, or go hotter (habañero, anyone?) if you dare. Red pepper flakes, a dash of Mexican hot sauce (like Cholula), a pinch of cayenne pepper (or even black pepper, in a pinch) will also work.
- Fresh lime juice – about 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. (Sorry, I can’t recommend the bottled stuff.)
- Fresh cilantro – sorry, I can’t recommend a substitute here, I think it’s just that important!
- Avocados – some people replace some or all of the avocado with lower fat ingredients like edamame (processed smooth in a food processor), or add healthy ingredients like kale, but I haven’t tried these variations. Please let me know if you do!
FAQs
Yes, in moderation. We all need some healthy fats in our diet, but if you’re on a strict low fat diet, this is probably a dish to avoid or limit. Unlike dips made with dairy, avocados are a healthy, plant-based fat.
For most people, guacamole is perfectly healthy because avocados are good for us (video) — again, in moderation. In fact, including some healthy fat like avocados with our veggies helps increase the absorption of vitamins and antioxidants.
Yes, usually. Use caution when ordering guacamole in a restaurant or buying the pre-made guac at the store. These may include dairy, like cotija cheese (usually just sprinkled on the top), or sour cream (blended in the dip). Or even mayo. If it looks a little too light green and creamy, it likely contains animal products. This recipe is vegan, of course.
You can store this guac recipe in the refrigerator for a couple of days in an airtight container. I like to make sure the dip fills the container, so that the top of the container touches the surface of the dip. Or you can press some parchment paper or plastic wrap onto the surface to help keep it from turning brown.
I’ve read several other techniques, such as placing an avocado pit in the dip, adding a layer of water on top, or laying an onion half (or onion slices) on the top. I haven’t tried these, but please let me know if you do!
As I mentioned above, tomatoes can make the dip runny faster, especially if you include the core, juice and seeds. So don’t! Or skip the tomatoes if you want to make the dip last longer.
Finally, I’ve had some decent luck extending the life of my dip by simply scraping the brown layer off the top and eating any green, fresher looking dip that’s left. It’s not as good as fresh, but definitely edible.
I love to serve guac with tortilla chips (to keep it whole food, plant-based, no oil -- bake your own from oil-free corn tortillas), as a guacamole wrap sandwich, with fresh cut vegetables (celery, carrots, radishes, kohlrabi and zucchini, etc.), in a burrito with homemade black beans, some brown rice and salsa, scooped onto my taco salad…you get the idea.
More whole food plant-based appetizers
📖 Recipe
Ultimate Vegan Guacamole (easy "how to" tips)
Ingredients
- 1 lime juiced (ore more to taste, see notes)
- ½ small red onion minced
- 1-2 cloves garlic peeled and minced (see notes)
- 1 jalapeño quartered, seeded and minced
- 3 ripe avocados (large, or 5 small) ½ inch diced
- 2 ripe roma or plum tomatoes (small, or 1 large) cut into 8ths, cored, seeded and ¼" diced
- ¼ cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro leaves minced
- sea salt to taste (highly recommended, see notes)
- Optional: garnish with pepita seeds and/or pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Add the finely diced red onion, mined garlic and minced jalapeño pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Add the juice of 1 lime and a pinch of salt. Stir well to combine. Allow the ingredients to marinate (and the flavors to mellow) while you prepare the rest of the dip. See notes.
- Slice each avocado in half by running a sharp knife around it lenghtwise in a circle. Carefully insert the blade edge of a sharp knife into the pit until it 'grabs' then twist to loosen and remove the pit.
- Dice each avocado segment by carefully scoring it with the tip of your knifew hile holding it in the palm of your hand. Use only enough force to cut the avocado flesh and to avoid cutting through the avocado's skin (and your hand.) (Cover and protect the hand holding the avocado if you're not confident in your knife skills! See notes.)
- Scoop out the diced pieces into the bowl, but don't mix yet--let the onion, garlic and pepper keep marinating in the lime juice. Be sure to scrape the avocado flesh closest to the skin, as this is the most nutritious part of the avocado.
- Use a potato masher or large fork to mash the avocado in the bowl. Than, use a spoon to stir vigorously until you achieve your desired texture. (More stirring and mashing with give you a creamy guacamole, less will give you a chunky guacamole.)
- Add the remaining ingredients (the cored, seeded, diced tomato--see pic above--and the minced cilantro) to the bowl, and stir gently to combine. DO NOT add the core/seeds/juice of the tomato or it will make the dip runny. (See notes.)
- To serve, scoop into a serving bowl and serve with baked tortilla chips and/or cut veggies. For a fancy, Mexican restaurant style guacamole, garnish with pepita seeds and/or pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- Add the onion half, garlic cloves and cored/seeded jalepeño to a food processor, and process just until roughly minced (but not a pulp). Follow the rest of the recipe as written. If desired, you can toss in your cilantro leaves too, but don't put the tomatoes in the food processor.
- Look for ripe, but not mushy, avocados. It pays to plan (and shop) ahead if you have a specific day you need to make the guacamole, as sometimes the store will have no ripe avocados.
- I've found holding the avocado in my hand is by far the fastest, easiest way to do this, and I learned this technique in a knife skills class. However, you must be VERY CAREFUL when careful cutting the avocado in your hand. If you don't feel confident in your knife skills yet, wrap your hand in a towel or wear an oven mitt until you feel you can do this without cutting yourself. (See pics in the article above.)
- This technique for scoring and cutting will only work well with a ripe avocado. If your avocados are on the firmer side, you may need to just peel them and chop them like you would any other vegetable.
- I only use Roma or Plum tomatoes for this recipe, as I find they have firmer flesh and fewer seeds/less juice than other varieties. Plus, they tend to be just the right size for this dish.
- Tomatoes can make guacamole runny if you don't core and seed them first. (The longer it's in the fridge, the runnier it will be.) If including tomatoes in this recipe, be sure only to use the firm flesh closest to the skin and the skin itself.
- The easiest technique I've found for coring and seeding tomatoes quickly. I cut them into 8ths, the lay each piece on its side, and use the tip of my knife to cut away the core and seeds. (See pics in the article above.)
- I use 2 small tomatoes when I make this guacamole for a party and it will all get eaten. If I know I'm going to need to store it for several days, I'll generally just use one.
- You can skip this step, but I like to do this since it doesn't add extra prep time, and it helps the sharp flavors mellow and combine. The longer you let it sit (up to an hour if desired), the mellower the flavors will become.
- This is a matter of personal preference, but to me, guacamole without at least a little garlic is just a creamy avocado dip! If you want a true Mexican restaurant style gauc, don't skip the garlic.
- I've found the fastest, easiest way to core and seed jalepeño peppers is to cut them into fourths, then slide my knife tip under the membrane to remove it and the seeds. Fast and easy! (See pics in the article above.)
- I can generally get away with 1 good size, juicy lime for this recipe. (It's always a good idea to buy an extra lime because some limes don't give much juice!) However, if my avocados are a little hard, I find a little extra lime helps with the flavor. If I don't have extra lime on hand, I'll zest the single lime, and reserve the zest to add for more flavor if I think it needs it.
- If you absolutely can't add salt, pleas omit. However, even a small amount of salt in this dish really brings out all of the flavors. So while I often skip salt in my cooking, I always use a little in this dip.
- See the article above for a list of suggestions.
Nutrition (approximate)
Claudia
This is almost exactly how I make my guacamole. I love marinating the onions, jalapeño, and garlic in lime juice. What works for me is pressing a lemon juice soaked paper towel on top of the dip before sealing. It truly keeps the guac green. I used bottled lemon juice.
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Claudia, I guess good cooks must think alike! 🙂 I'll have to try your lemon juice trick--sounds like a good one!