3 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe (2024)

The best guacamole recipes are the simplest guacamole recipes. In fact, every time I make this 3 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe, someone inevitably asks me how I do it. And they're always absolutely astounded when I tell them it consists of just three main ingredients- ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, and salt.

Every so often, I add a couple fixin's for extra texture or flavor, but they're not necessary. Use this recipe as a base recipe, and you can customize your guac with whatever additions you like.

This is my go-to recipe for guacamole, and it's perfect for so many reasons. Most importantly, it's absolutely delicious. But it's also wildly simple and quick to make.

And because there's so much lime juice in the recipe, any leftover guacamole will actually last several days in the refrigerator without turning brown. Lime juice is a natural preservative that keeps avocados from oxidizing, AKA turning brown. (So does lemon juice, but that's an ingredient better applied to things like fresh fruits vegetables.)

How to make 3 Ingredient Guacamole

This easy guacamole recipe takes just a few minutes to make and requires, you guessed it, just THREE simple ingredients. Including salt. It's probably the simplest recipe on my site, right behind my garlic lime crema.

Ingredients

Fresh lime juice and avocados are truly a match made in heaven. Kosher salt simply makes the avocado and lime flavors taste more like themselves.

• 3 large or 4 small ripe avocados
• The juice of 1 and a half juicy limes (approximately 3 oz of juice)
• 2 teaspoons of Kosher Salt (I use Diamond Crystal in all of my recipes)

As with any homemade guacamole, you must use good quality ingredients. See notes below on how to pick the best fresh limes and avocados. Plus see recipe card for exact quantities.

Instructions

Here's how to make this simple guacamole recipe:

Step 1: Peel the ripe avocados, remove the pits, and place the flesh of the avocados in a medium bowl. I swear by these lightweight, stackable Cuisinart mixing bowls with lids.

Step 2: Juice the limes directly into the bowl of avocados. Add the salt as well.

Step 3: Mash with a fork or potato masher, another one of my go-to kitchen tools. I prefer my guacamole on the chunkier side, so I don't mash it completely. Serve with crunchy tortilla chips, and enjoy!

Top Tips:

• To get the pit out, either squeeze it out, or stab it with a knife as shown in the leftmost image under step 1. Use a swift, forceful motion, then turn the knife to dislodge the pit. ***Keep hands away from the area.
• Press a piece of plastic wrap down onto the finished bowl of guacamole until ready to serve. This further helps prevent oxidization/ browning.
• This recipe was created using kosher salt. If using sea salt, start with half. Then add more to taste.
• Limes vary significantly in juiciness. The juiciest limes give about 2 ounces of juice.

How to pick good avocados:

When making a 3 ingredient guacamole recipe, all three ingredients have to be good!

If buying avocados for same day use, make sure to purchase ones that are soft when pressed but not mushy. "Firm soft" is how I'd describe a perfect avocado. If they're too hard, they won't mash.

You can keep soft avocados from ripening further by placing them in the refrigerator.

How to pick good juicy limes

There's nothing worse than getting home from the store with your limes only to cut into them and find mostly skin and dried up flesh. To pick good limes, try to find ones that feel heavy for their size and seem to have thin, supple skin.

OPTIONAL ingredients you can add:

If a limey 3 ingredient guacamole recipe is just too basic for you, try adding 1-2 of the following ingredients to jazz things up a little.

• Finely diced red onion adds nice texture and flavor. This is my personal favorite addition.
• Chopped fresh herbs such as fresh cilantro, dill, or mint for more a herbaceous taste
• Finely diced jalapeno for spice
• Pumpkin seeds for crunch
• A grated garlic clove, ONLY IF you like the taste of raw garlic in guacamole. I personally dislike garlicky guacamole. It overpowers the creamy simple flavors of the avocado and lime. But some people love it.
• A spoonful of chunky salsa or chopped fresh tomatoes.
• Fruit such as fresh pomegranate seeds, as seen at some of the more gourmet Mexican restaurants out there.
• Crumbled cotija or feta cheese
• In my opinion, onion and garlic powder can taste artificial, so I leave these ingredients out of my guac.

Best uses for this delicious guacamole recipe

1. This basic guacamole recipe is the perfect party appetizer alongside your favorite tortilla chips
2. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it to make avocado toast for breakfast all week long.
3. Pair it with fresh vegetables for a healthy snack
4. Add it to homemade fish tacos, burritos or burrito bowls, turkey sandwiches, salads, etc... the list goes on.
5. Alongside a Spicy Watermelon Margarita!

How to store homemade guacamole

It is a total myth that placing the avocado pit in the guacamole will keep it from turning brown. So there's need to save your pits.

Today.com (and others) tested out ways to keep guacamole green. Their list of 6 ways confirms that guac with lots of lime juice did indeed keep the guac green longer. As did tightly pressing plastic wrap into the surface of the guacamole.

In summary, first place the guacamole in an airtight container, then flatten out the surface of the guacamole with a spoon. Finally, press a piece of plastic wrap down onto the guacamole, and cover it with the lid to refrigerate.

3 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

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