EASY Guacamole

Jump to Recipe

Of all the dips in the world, fresh guacamole has to be my favorite. I can eat the stuff with a spoon. One of my favorite outings is going to a trendy eatery that makes tableside guacamole. It’s so much fun when that cart, with all those beautiful, fresh ingredients, rolls up to the table. And then, we watch as a certified-guac maker (okay, I don’t know that they are actually certified, but those folks have skills) scoop, slice, dice, muddle, and season. It’s like watching an artist. However, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to that place. But, that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying a lot of guacamole during the past year. I’ve mastered making it at home! Now, I would love to tell you that I can put on a performance worthy of guac certification and then fill you in on my secret mix of ingredients and fresh herbs. But I can’t. There are just some things that are best left up to the professionals. Well, not really. It’s more like I don’t have the time or patience to mess around like that when I’m at home with a billion things going on. The guac recipe that I’ve perfected requires only 2 ingredients (with another an optional 2 more, when I want to be fancy) and takes about 2 minutes.

The two ingredients are avocado and salsa. Yeppers, my secret ingredient for the world’s easiest guac, is store-bought jar salsa. Before you go all high and mighty on me about how guacamole only requires some tomatoes, onions, and whatever, hear me out. 

I’ve done a bunch of research on guacamole. I’ve tried dozens of variations, from simple to unnecessarily complicated. Under every recipe, in the comment section, there are more reviews than you count. Everyone has an opinion on the ingredients, the seasonings, proper techniques – whatever. If there is a perfect combo, I couldn’t find it, and that causes me stress. I don’t want a favorite dip that stresses me out! 

Then I realized that salsa has all the ingredients except the avocado. Seriously, salsa has the perfect blend of tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and seasoning. Plus, you can choose the degree of heat (mild, medium, hot). I love it – it’s too easy. As long as you are using a brand you enjoy, you’ve found your secret blend of ingredients for your own homemade fresh guacamole recipe.

Guacamole is perfect for the keto diet and lifestyle because the main ingredient in the recipe is avocado. Avocado works wonders for keto because it’s low in carbs and high in monounsaturated fat (the good kind). Salsa is also naturally low-carb and keto-friendly. However, when using store-bought salsa, read the ingredient label as some brands add sugar. 

The recipe starts with ripe avocado. A ripe avocado will yield to firm, gentle pressure. It may have a darker color, but color can vary, so it is best to go by feel and color. It will feel slightly soft but not “mushy” to the touch. If you’re not going to use the avocado immediately, buy them a little under-ripe and keep them out on the counter. They will ripen in a day or so. If your avocado is already ripe and you’re still a day off from using it, put it in the refrigerator to stop the ripening process. The avocado can hang out a couple of days in the fridge without turning brown.

Okay, back to business. Slice the avocado open and remove the pit. Don’t worry if you make a mess removing the seed. It doesn’t matter because it’s getting scooped out into a bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork and add the salsa (about 1/3 cup for every avocado). If you want, now is the time to add the optional ingredients; A little garlic powder for a little more zing and a splash of lime or lemon juice to brighten up the flavors. That’s it! Too easy.

If you want to zhoosh it up, and have the time, instead of garlic powder, mince or grate some fresh garlic. If you have a fresh lemon or lime in the fridge, freshly squeezed juice is always better than bottled. A wedge of lemon or lime also makes a great (and functional) garnish. Speaking of garnish, even though I don’t want to mess with dicing fresh tomatoes, I did use one grape tomato to top the dip. This also gives the illusion that fresh tomatoes were used in the guac. No one needs to know!

Now comes the fun part, eating it! In addition to serving guac with traditional tortilla chips, it goes great with a veggie tray. Crisp, crunchy bell pepper slices make great scoopers. Carrot slices, celery stalks, portobello mushroom slices, cauliflower, and broccoli florets with stems are also suitable vessels for getting this tasty green concoction to your mouth. 

Needless to say, guac goes with most Mexican dishes, from tacos to fajitas. (It was my recent Easy Stake Fajitas recipe that inspired the post.) However, guacamole is also great on burgers, eggs (omelets and scrambled), toast, salads, sandwiches, steak, and fish.

Enjoy the art of tableside guacamole when you’re out. At home, open a jar of your favorite salsa, mash up an avocado and enjoy your no-stress, perfectly flavored, and textured dip.

Don’t miss a single recipe!

🍳My Favorite Kitchen Tools and Products🍲

🍜My Favorite Baking Tools and Products🥧

🍰My Favorite Cookbooks🥗