I Asked 5 Experts How to Make the Best Guacamole—They All Agreed This Ingredient Is Key

Recently, as our Test Kitchen staff and editors sat around the table at our tasting panel comparing notes about Eva Longoria’s guacamole recipe, we couldn’t resist discussing the elements of truly great guac. 

Since guacamole can be made in a matter of minutes and with just a few ingredients, you might be tricked into believing that all batches are pretty much the same. But that’s far from the truth, our team agreed—and the avocado-adoring chefs we spoke to confirm. In fact, because guacamole recipes are so simple, it’s even more important to dial-in the details.

Turns out, there’s one key ingredient that can take any guacamole recipe from good to great, according to the culinary pros we polled. And no, it’s not avocados. (That’s a given!) Ahead, we’re revealing their unexpected secret—and dishing up seven other secrets for success so you’re well-equipped to whip up your best dip yet.

The 1 Essential Ingredient For Your Best Guacamole Recipe Yet

According to all five food experts we asked, the most impactful ingredient in guacamole is one that we can pretty much guarantee you have in your home as we speak: Salt. Without it, even the most perfectly-ripe avocado will taste flat, admits Yumna Jawad, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based CEO and founder of Feel Good Foodie and the author of The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook: 125 Recipes Enhanced with Mediterranean Flavors. 

“Underseasoning is the most common mistake with guacamole,” says Erin Clarke, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based recipe developer and the author of Well Plated Everyday. “Not only does salt make avocados taste better, but it also helps every other ingredient pop. Salt brings out the richness of the avocado, the brightness of the lime and cilantro, and the zip of onion, garlic, and peppers.” 

Salt also slows the enzymatic reactions that lead to avocado oxidation. That means a well-seasoned guacamole won’t turn unpleasantly brown as rapidly as an underseasoned dip.

Keep in mind the salty flavor tends to diminish over time, “so make sure you’re tasting it and re-seasoning right before it goes out to your guests,” suggests Jackie Carnesi, executive chef of Kellogg’s Diner in Brooklyn, New York. Start with about ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt per 3 medium avocados, try a bite, and add more if needed.

7 More Chef Tips For How to Make the Best Guacamole

In addition to seasoning aggressively, a handful of other pro tips can help you whip up a restaurant-quality guacamole recipe.

Choose your avocados carefully.

It takes time for avocados to “loosen up,” if you will, and get ready to party. The experts at California Avocados verify that there are five stages of avocado ripening: 

1. Hard: Very dark or dark green and very hard.
2. Pre-Conditioned: About 3 days away from ready when stored at room temperature.
3. Breaking: About 2 days away from ripe if stored at room temp; yields slightly when squeezed.
4. Firm Ripe: Fully ripe the next day or so if stored at room temp; yields when squeezed.
5. Ripe: Yields easily when squeezed; ready to use now and should remain in good condition for about 2 to 3 days at room temp and about 5 to 7 days if refrigerated.

When you’re majorly in the mood for guacamole, it can be tempting to use an avocado at stage 3 or 4, however, you’ll be sacrificing a lot in terms of your finished product. Clarke and MacKenzie Smith, a New Smyrna Beach, Florida-based food blogger and author of Grilled Cheese Social, both believe that using under-ripe avocados is a common mistake.

“The ripeness of the avocados is a deal-breaker. If you try to use them too early, they taste flavorless and the texture is off,” Smith says. But if you wait too long, “an over-ripe avocado tends to taste kind of muddy. You need that perfect sweet spot in the middle for optimal guac-ing!”

The stem test is our favorite strategy for selecting a ripe avocado: If the small stem at the top of the avocado lifts away easily and the flesh below appears green, the fruit should be at or close to guacamole-ready. If the stem is situated firmly, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t purchase it. Just save that avocado for a few days more and try these tricks for how to soften an avocado to slightly speed up the process. If the flesh under the stem is brown, the avocado is probably over-ripe or splotchy.

Add some acid.

Since “guacamole is simple by design, proper seasoning is the key,” notes. In addition to the aforementioned salt, “the acid level can really make or break this dip, in my opinion.” For about 3 avocados, incorporate the juice from at least 1 large, juicy lime—and have another on deck to potentially add more, just in case. 

“Lime juice wakes the avocado up like no other! It adds the perfect punch of acidity to cut through the richness of the avocado, and is the simplest and best way to brighten up guacamole,” Smith says. Much like salt, “it enhances all of the other flavors, too.”

In addition, lime juice helps guacamole stay vibrant and green longer (it slows those oxidation-related enzyme reactions as well).

According to Smith, “the juiciest limes are the heaviest ones—so I like to lift a few from the pile to give them a little squeeze and estimate their heft. Then I pick the ones that feel the give a little and are most dense for the best guac possible.”

Don’t overcomplicate things.

As you get comfortable getting your best guacamole recipe on auto-pilot, it’s best to keep things simple, in Carnesi’s opinion.

“Guacamole requires a minimum of 3 ingredients (avocado, lime, and salt), and a maximum of (those three, plus diced tomato, onion, jalapeño and cilantro). Of course, you can add more flare if you want, but you should be able to stick the landing on the basic recipe first,” he says. “Even the most spectacular of secret ingredients can’t fix a poorly-seasoned guac.”

Here’s a brief overview of Jawad’s Simple Guacamole:

• In a bowl, add the flesh from 3 pitted avocados. Mash gently with a fork.
• Add ½ cup finely chopped red onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 minced jalapeño pepper, the juice from 1 lime, and ½ to ¾ teaspoons salt. Stir to combine.
• Taste and add more lime juice and/or salt if necessary, and serve immediately.

But feel free to add your own flair.

That said, once you are comfortable with your classic guacamole, feel free to accessorize as desired. Clarke’s mom swears by a splash of Worcestershire sauce “for an additional note of umami complexity,” she says. Carnesi is fond of garnishing with fried mushrooms or garlic “for extra texture and deeper flavor.” As for George Duran, a celebrity chef in New York City, he’s sweet on Granny Smith apples. He folds in 1 diced Granny Smith apple per 3 avocados.

“Granny Smith apples offer this amazing sweet contrast to the hot peppers, savory onion and garlic, acidic limes, and salt,” Duran explains. “They’re crisp, tart, and just slightly sweet, which cuts through the richness of the avocado. Plus, the acidity from the apple helps balance the fat from the avocado without relying solely on lime juice. It’s like giving your guac a ‘refresh’ button. Plus, suddenly it’s more than a dip; it’s a conversation starter.” 

The fruity boost can flex with the seasons, Duran says. Come winter, consider pomegranate seeds. In summer, try finely-diced mango or pineapple. 

Whatever you add, Jawad recommends that you just make sure the avocado is still the main component so you deliver on the guacamole promise. 

Be careful not to overmix.

Besides her choice to squeeze in lemon instead of lime juice, Eva Longoria’s Chunky Guacamole recipe was a smash hit at our tasting panel due to its chopped, rather than paste-like, texture. Instead of resembling baby food, “guacamole should have buttery chunks,” Duran believes.

“Mixing too much is going to give you goopy guacamole that’s devoid of texture. To avoid a soft, single-textured guacamole, I either remove the avocado pits and press the skin-on avocado halves on top of a wire rack set over a mixing bowl or use a whisk. This gives you little chunks of not-mushy avocado,” Carnesi says. 

 Taste as you go.

Avocado flavor and pepper spice level can vary quite a bit, so it’s wise to “taste as you go and adjust as needed,” Clarke says, rather than feeling handcuffed to a particular formula. “Don’t be afraid to add a little more lime or salt at the end,” and if your jalapeño doesn’t pack as much punch as you’d like, add another.

The best way to hit the bullseye of the seasoning target is to try a bite with the chips (or whatever you’ll be serving it with), so you know how salty those elements will taste together, Clarke suggests. 

Serve sooner rather than later.

This is one dish that’s made à la minute, or immediately before you plan to dive in. The acidity of the limes “can break down the avocado if it sits too long, turning your guac into a green puddle,” Duran says, and the oxygen exposure can trigger that browning we’ve mentioned. 

After perfecting your seasonings, enjoy your guacamole ASAP. If you do need to build in a buffer, “press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guac so it doesn’t turn brown as quickly,” Clarke says.