Simple Guacamole Recipe (4 Ingredients)

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Fresh avocado, lime juice, onion, and salt are all you need for a simple guacamole that tastes fresh, bright, and balanced. Tomato and cilantro are optional add-ins, depending on how you like your guac. Chunky or smooth, this classic is perfect with your Mexican-style meals.

A tortilla chip being dipped into a bowl of guacamole.

Can You Make Guacamole Without Tomato or Cilantro?

Simple base: Avocado, lime juice, onion, and salt make a balanced guacamole without extra ingredients.
Flexible add-ins: Tomato and cilantro can be included for more texture or left out for a smoother dip.
Easy pairing: Serve it with chips, spoon it over your favorite Mexican-style dinners, or add it to a party spread.

Why You'll Love This Simple Guacamole Recipe

Ripe avocados give this guacamole its creamy texture, while lime juice adds acidity, onion adds a little bite, and salt pulls the flavors together. The tomato and cilantro are easy to include or skip, so you can make it plain, chunky, or fully loaded without changing the basic method.

Easy to make: Only four main ingredients are needed for the simple guacamole base.
Fresh flavor: Avocado, lime juice, onion, and salt keep the flavor clean and balanced.
Customizable: Include or exclude the tomatoes and cilantro, depending on your family's preferences.

Bowl of guacamole served with tortilla chips for dipping.

Ingredients Overview

Ripe avocados should feel slightly soft when gently pressed, but not mushy. Lime juice adds a citrus tang, onion adds a bit of bite, and salt keeps the dip from tasting flat. Tomato and cilantro can be mixed in for a fuller version, or skipped if you prefer the four-ingredient base.

Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Avocados, tomato, red onion, lime, salt, and cilantro for homemade guacamole.

How To Make This Simple Guacamole

We used red onion, but white or yellow onion also works. Roma tomatoes are best if you include tomato because they are less juicy, and cilantro can be added or skipped depending on your taste. Fresh lime juice brightens the avocado and helps slow browning.

Follow the step by step visual guide below to see how to make it.

My Kitchen - Smooth or Chunky Guacamole

My Mexican landlady taught me to make guacamole this way, and she would blend part of the batch because her husband liked it very smooth. I prefer mine chunky, so I mash it by hand and usually double up on the cilantro while leaving the tomato out completely.

Diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and minced cilantro.

Step 1: Chop the onion coarse or fine. If using tomato and cilantro, chop them to your preferred texture.

Step 2: Peel the three avocados and put them in a mixing bowl.

Peeled avocado halves in a mixing bowl for making guacamole.

Mashed avocado in a bowl for a simple guacamole recipe.

Step 3: Squeeze the lime and add the juice to the bowl with the avocados. Mash the avocados up as chunky as you like.

Step 4: Add the chopped onion to the bowl of mashed avocado. If using tomato and cilantro, add them now also.

Mashed avocado with chopped onion, tomato, and cilantro for guacamole.

Guacamole mixed with onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

Step 5: Mix gently, then season to taste with salt and additional lime juice if needed. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for Mexican food.

Serving Suggestions

Serve guacamole as a dip along with pico de gallo and tortilla chips, or as a topping for a party style blooming quesadilla ring. It's also a perfect side dish to blackened fish tacos, quesabirria tacos, sheet pan chicken fajitas, or chicken burritos.

Bowl of guacamole with a large bowl of chips in the background.

Substitutions and Variations

Use the four-ingredient base as written, then adjust the add-ins to match how you like your guacamole.

Spicy guacamole: Mince a jalapeno or serrano pepper and stir it in with the onion.
Guacamole without tomatoes: Omit the tomato for a thicker dip with a cleaner avocado flavor.
Guacamole without cilantro: Leave out the cilantro if you do not like it, or if you want the avocado and lime to stand out more.
Loaded guacamole: Include both tomato and cilantro for a chunkier dip with more texture.
Creamy topping style: Add a spoonful of sour cream on top if you are serving it as a dip for chips.

Tips for Success

These simple tips help you get the best flavor, color, and texture from your avocados.

Choose ripe avocados: Select avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure and have dark, pebbly skin. See our How To Choose An Avocado post for a more detailed explanation.
Maintain texture: Mash the avocados with a fork or potato masher rather than a food processor to keep some small chunks.
Serve immediately: Prepare the guacamole as close to serving time as possible for the best color and freshest flavor.

Storage Options

Guacamole is best freshly made, but leftovers can be stored for a short time.

Storage method: Move the guacamole to an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dip to limit air exposure and help prevent browning.
Refrigeration: Store the container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, adding a thin layer of lime juice or water over the surface before sealing if desired.
Freezing options: Freeze only the plain avocado, lime, and salt base if needed. Guacamole with onion, tomato, or cilantro can turn watery after thawing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I omit the tomatoes in this guacamole?

Yes, tomatoes are optional. Leave them out for a thicker guacamole, or add them if you like a chunkier texture.

Can I make guacamole without cilantro?

Yes, cilantro is optional in guacamole. Leave it out if you do not like the flavor, and the avocado, lime juice, onion, and salt will still make a balanced dip.

How do I know if an avocado is ripe?

A ripe avocado will yield slightly to gentle pressure. The skin should be dark green, but not bruised or mushy. See our How To Choose An Avocado post for a more detailed explanation.

How can I prevent the guacamole from browning?

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole before covering and refrigerating it. Limiting air contact is the best way to slow browning.

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Guacamole with tortilla chips on a platter.

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