The simplest form of guacamole merely constitutes peeling and pitting ripe avocados, and mashing them. Some people prefer a chunky guacamole, while others prefer a more finely mashed product. For chunky guacamole, a fork is usually the best choice for mashing. Potato mashers work well for a less lumpy guacamole. Additional ingredients add interest to guacamole and numerous suggestions await the adventurous cook.

Choosing ripe avocados is important. When you look for avocados in the store, look for they should give under slight pressure from your fingers. When avocados are not in season, be sure to purchase them several days before you plan to make guacamole, and ripen them in a paper bag. Avocados that remain hard will not mash well, and will result in unpleasant bits of hard avocado in the guacamole.

Over-mashing very ripe avocados leads to soupy guacamole. It will not adhere well to chips, but can still top food. Generally, aim for mashing avocados only until large chunks have been incorporated into guacamole, especially if you plan to serve it as a dip with chips.

Some cooks add a little salt and pepper to guacamole. If you do plan to serve the guacamole with chips, or on any dish that is relatively salty, consider adding only a little salt. Too much salt in the dip will not pair well with salty tortilla chips. Another common addition is lemon or lime juice to taste. This will help keep the guacamole from turning brown. Alternately, you can save the color of the dip by placing plastic wrap over the top of a bowl of guacamole or storing it in an airtight container. Guacamole’s shelf life, even with these steps, is still only a day or two at most.

If you’re planning to serve guacamole with Tex-Mex food, like fajitas, common additions include pepper, finely diced cilantro, lime juice, chopped medium to hot chili peppers, and minced garlic. This easily transitions guacamole into a fabulous dish, which is still simple to prepare. Some cooks also enjoy adding a little chopped tomatoes or onions to produce a heartier dip. A very easy cheat is to add a couple of tablespoons of store bought or homemade salsa to the guacamole. You can also substitute onion, garlic or chili powder to the dip for freshly chopped onions, garlic or chili.

Some people prefer a creamier guacamole and may add sour cream or yogurt. This can also stretch out the avocados if the avocados used have not ripened as much as needed. Sour cream will add quite a bit of fat to the recipe, but nonfat yogurt can add tang and actually lower the overall fat content of the dish. Unlike the instructions above for mashing, you will want to mash your avocados to a finer consistency before incorporating sour cream or yogurt.

If you plan to serve guacamole as a dip, and it will sit out for several hours, consider using half a small to medium-sized avocado per person. As a topping, serving size is usually about two tablespoons or two ounces (about 56 g), and the average sized avocado will make about one cup of guacamole (226 g). For a dip that will sit out for several hours at a party, consider using about three to five avocados so the dip doesn’t run out. For smaller parties or for topping only, you will only need about two to three avocados.