Rich, tangy, creamy, and dip-again-and-again good, this 4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe is the grand kahuna of guacamole recipes, in my opinion! This is NOT a fancy guacamole recipe, in fact, it’s super simple – and in my opinion, that’s why it’s so good.
This is a guacamole recipe without cilantro, tomato, or jalapeño. It’s just creamy avocados, fresh garlic, bright lemon, and salt. And that’s all it needs! (Okay, so I did garnish with a few cilantro leaves for decoration, but if you’re a cilantro hater, just ignore that! It’s not in the recipe).
Why You’ll Love This 4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe
What to Serve with 4-Ingredient Guacamole
Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
I first created and shared this recipe all the way back in 2009, on my first blog, but sadly, this one got lost in the shuffle when moved everything over to Kitchen Treaty in 2012. I can’t believe I never republished this guacamole recipe!
It’s such a simple recipe that I had it memorized, so I never needed to reference it here … and I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t even notice until recently that I didn’t have it published anymore. Cringe-face emoji!
So today, I’m here to correct this serious blunder.
Here’s what I said about this simple guacamole back then, and I haven’t changed! I still believe this.
“When it comes to guacamole, I believe simpler is better. I believe in letting big creamy beautiful avocados shine all on their own. Well, with a little enhancement, especially in the form of garlic, I admit.
One of the things I love about this recipe is usually it even brings guac haters on board. And the coolest thing about that is all you needed to do is scale it back to its simplest form, and suddenly most everyone loves it.
No tomatoes, no cumin, no jalapenos, no crazy other stuff. I mean, hello, we’re starting with an avocado here, one of nature’s perfect (and perfectly tasty) foods.”
First and foremost, I think you’ll love this 4-ingredient guacamole because it’s simple, easy, and absolutely delicious!
It also lasts quite awhile in the fridge with very little browning, thanks to the acidic lemon juice that helps lower the pH of avocados. But do note that while avocado browning might be unattractive, it’s still perfectly fine to eat (source).
This guac recipe is versatile and good with so many things. Tacos, salads, burritos, tostadas, nachos … or just dip in some tortilla chips or veggies!
Avocados – I call for four medium avocados in this simple guacamole recipe. You can tell avocados are ripe by pressing on the outside. If it yields slightly, feeling similar to the flesh on your palm right beneath your thumb, your avocado is most likely to be perfectly ripe. Once you get your avocados home, if you’re not going to use them right away, refrigerate them until you’re ready to make your guacamole. That will help stop the ripening process until you’re ready to use them.
Garlic – I like to use two fresh cloves, grated finely on a microplane zester. That way, you won’t get any chunks of garlic like you might if you mince it (though mincing is fine if you prefer or don’t have a zester!)
Lemon juice – One or two fresh lemons, halved and juiced, should be plenty for 1/4 cup of juice.
Kosher salt – I like the taste and texture of kosher salt, but you can use any salt you like, just start with maybe half the quantity called for if you are using table salt or a finer grain.
I know I’ve touted the simplicity of this 4-ingredient guacamole, but if you really want to add more ingredients to this base recipe, go for it! Diced tomatoes, cilantro, pickled or fresh jalapeños, a shake of tabasco for some heat. Make it yours!
Swap the lemon for lime juice. Many prefer lime juice in their guac, and some also argue that lime juice is more authentic. If you prefer it, go for it! It’s still delicious, I just prefer lemon, personally.
It’s super easy to make guacamole! Just half and pit your avocados and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, dropping it into a medium bowl. Grate in your garlic, pour in your lemon juice, add the salt, and mash with a fork or potato masher until the guacamole is the texture you like. Then scoop it into a serving bowl and enjoy!
Some people really like chunky guac with lots of bits of avocado. Others prefer a smoother guacamole. For these photos, mine is more on the smooth side. I really don’t have a preference, though – both are great!
Plop guacamole on chili – it’s the best topper!
Stuff it inside tacos – breakfast tacos, tofu tacos, beans & greens tacos … any kind of tacos!
Top taco salad with it (or any salad!)
Serve it with refried bean burritos or grilled black bean burritos
Add it alongside quesadillas for the best dipping ever
Dip veggies like sliced cucumbers, carrot sticks, or celery in it for a healthy snack
Use it in 7-Layer Dip!
3-Ingredient Caramel Apple Dip
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