This guacamole recipe was always a staple in my house growing up. To this day, when we gather for Sunday dinners, a handful of us deem ourselves "taste testers" to make sure that it's "just right" while preparing the rest of the meal. Seriously, half of it is always gone before we even sit down to eat!
The nice thing about guacamole is that you can adjust the ingredients to your own preferences. Want more of that citrus flavor? Then add some more lemon and orange juice. Huge fan of salt? Sprinkle some more in. Don't love cilantro? Then leave it out!
Needless to say, "taste testers" play an essential role for this recipe--just make sure to leave some for everyone else!
If you are looking for a main dish, this recipe pairs well on top of my sheet pan chicken fajitas!
Tips to making the perfect guacamole recipe
- Use fresh citrus. Don't use bottled lemon juice. It won't have the fresh flavor that you need. You can also swap out the lemon juice for lime juice if that's what you have on hand. Also, don't replace the mandarin orange juice with normal orange juice-- it's a completely different flavor!
- Don't use dried cilantro. You'll want to use either fresh cilantro or the more convenient, more expensive alternative--lightly dried cilantro. I like to use the Gourmet Garden brand.
- The jalapeño is optional. However, it adds a great smoky flavor without very much spice. If you want this guacamole to be spicy, leave the white membrane and seeds in the jalapeño. That's where the heat comes from!
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container. Put the leftover guacamole in an airtight tupperware, cover it with plastic wrap and push down the plastic so that it touches the guacamole and make sure there are no air bubbles. Then place the lid on the tupperware. This will prevent the avocado from being exposed to oxygen, keeping the guacamole from turning brown.
If you try out this homemade guacamole recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe, or if you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future. Enjoy!
The Best Ever Guacamole!
Ingredients
- 6 avocados
- 3 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh mandarin orange juice*
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes diced (¾ cup)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup diced jalapeño, seeded, diced** (1-2 jalapeños)
- 2 teaspoon lightly dried cilantro*** (4 teaspoon fresh cilantro)
Instructions
- Mash the avocados, but leave a little bit chunky--mixing in the ingredients will continue to smooth the consistency.
- Add all other ingredients, and mix well. Enjoy!
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