We make this guacamole with 4 ingredients (plus salt) in about 5 minutes. It couldn't be an easier side dish or appetizer and it tastes great every single time we make it. It's perfect for when you want a lot of guacamole without a lot of effort.
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Why We Love This Guacamole
- It's only 4 ingredients: The not-so-mysterious reason we love this guacamole is because it only requires four ingredients (plus salt). In a pinch you can even leave out the cilantro.
- It's foolproof: As long as your avocados are at their prime, this guacamole recipe is foolproof. We've made it so many times we don't even measure anymore, and it still turns out perfectly every single time.
- It's fast: This recipe literally takes us 5 minutes to make. I can even make it with a toddler climbing my leg. It's just that easy.
Looking for other great dips? Try our fried pickle dip or spicy dill pickle dip.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Avocados: See my tips below for buying the perfect avocados.
Red Onion: I prefer the garlic-y flavor of red onions in my guacamole, but if you'd prefer something milder, use a white or sweet onion instead.
Cilantro: If you don't like cilantro, leave it out. I've made this recipe without cilantro plenty of times and it still tastes great.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice works best.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and amounts.
How to Pick Avocados for Guacamole
The key to perfect guacamole is perfect avocados. To pick the perfect avocados, follow these tips:
- If you're making the guacamole on the same day you're grocery shopping, you should buy avocados that are already ripe. Ripe avocados are typically dark in color (less green) and dent when slight pressure is applied. If they feel squishy, however, they're likely overripe.
- If you're going grocery shopping a few days before you plan to make the guacamole, buy avocados that are still slightly hard (not yet ripe). I leave mine on the counter until they feel ripe, then put them into the fridge until I'm ready to use them.
- If your avocados are already ripe and you're not planning to use them for a few more days, pop them into the fridge—it'll make them last longer. I can typically keep my ripe avocados in the fridge for several days.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Remove the pits and skin from the avocados and place them into a mixing bowl. Mash until smooth (or your desired consistency).
Step 2: Add lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and salt to the bowl and mix to combine. Serve!
Additional Ingredient Ideas
We make this guacamole with 4 simple ingredients, but here are some additional ingredient ideas if you want to mix things up:
- Jalapeños
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Black Pepper
Frequently asked questions
Yes! If you're one of the poor folks that thinks cilantro tastes like soap (or you just don't have any), you can leave it out of this recipe—it still tastes great. You could also sub in one of the additional ingredient ideas above.
We use avocados, lime juice, cilantro, and red onions (plus salt, to taste).
You can, but I wouldn't recommend making it more than a day in advance. Store the guacamole in an air tight container in the refrigerator. The top layer may turn slightly brown, but you can mix it back in with the bottom layer and it will still taste *mostly* the same.
Food Pairing Ideas
Looking for simple recipes that pair well with this guacamole? Try these:
📖 Recipe
4 Ingredients Guacamole
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
We make this guacamole with 4 ingredients (plus salt) in about 5 minutes. It couldn't be an easier side dish or appetizer and it tastes great every single time we make it. It's perfect for when you want a lot of guacamole without a lot of effort.
Ingredients
4 large avocados
Half of a red onion, diced
½ cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt, to taste (we use between ½ and ¾ teaspoon)
Instructions
- Remove the pits and skin from the avocados and place them into a mixing bowl. Mash until smooth (or your desired consistency).
- Add lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and salt to the bowl and mix to combine. Serve!
Notes
See tips above on how to pick the perfect avocados.
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th of recipe
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 202.3 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Michael says
Love how easy this guacamole is to make!