This simple vegan guacamole is an easy and flavorful dip that uses fresh ingredients.
Enjoy the creamy and tangy dip as a tasty snack or appetizer with raw veggies or tortilla chips. It's quick to prepare using fresh ingredients, such as creamy avocado, red onion, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and fresh garlic.
The guacamole is naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and plant-based. It’s also adaptable and can be modified to suit your taste. I would say this is more of a suggestion than a strict recipe. If you don’t like red onion, feel free to omit it. If cilantro isn’t your thing, skip it. Change up the ingredients for this plant-based guacamole and make it your own.
Enjoy the dairy-free guacamole on walnut lentil tacos, vegan nachos, refried bean taquitos, or by itself with tortilla chips. It also works great on vegan taco bowls and vegan black bean burrito bowls.
For an easy weeknight meal, try vegan avocado toast with guacamole or tomato and avocado toast. For more plant-based condiment recipes, try vegan avocado crema, pico de gallo with cucumber, or mango corn salsa.
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Recipe features
- Easy to make using simple ingredients!
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, dairy-free, and whole food plant-based!
- Customize the recipe to suit your preferences!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Only a handful of ingredients are needed to make this vegan guacamole recipe. Please check out the recipe card below for exact measurements for this easy recipe using simple ingredients.
Avocado - Good ripe avocados are needed for the base of this guacamole recipe. See the frequently asked questions section below on tips for picking a ripe avocado. For more avocado-based dips, try vegan avocado crema with dairy-free yogurt to make a tangy, creamy dip.
Red onion - The red onion can be replaced with a yellow or white onion. If you're not a fan of onions, they can be left out. In a pinch, onion powder will also work. Start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust if needed.
Jalapeño peppers - For a little kick, add a fresh jalapeño pepper. Keep the seeds and ribs in for more heat or remove them for less. The jalapeños can also be left out.
Fresh cilantro - The fresh herb adds a lot of flavor to the avocado dip. Make the recipe without cilantro if you're not a fan of the flavor. Adjust to suit your preferences.
Lime juice - Add lime juice to help preserve the mashed avocado. The tangy flavor pairs well with rich creamy avocados. Fresh lime juice is best, but lemon juice can also be used as a substitute.
Garlic - Crush or finely mince a small clove of garlic. Fresh is best, but in a pinch garlic powder can be used instead. Add the garlic powder to taste. Start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust if needed.
Salt - Add to make the flavors pop and adjust the amount to suit your palate.
Tomatoes (optional) - The recipe is written without tomatoes but they make a wonderful addition. Roma tomatoes contain less water making them ideal for homemade guacamole, or you can try using cherry tomatoes. For more tomato-based dips try vegan pico de gallo.
Tips
- Quality fresh ingredients are best for this vegan guacamole. Nothing ruins guac more than overripe avocados.
- Pick an avocado based on when you’ll use it. For example, don’t pick one that’s perfectly ripe if you won’t use it for a few days.
- Don’t skip the lime juice, it helps to prevent the mashed avocado from oxidizing.
Serving suggestions
The plant-based guacamole can be added to a variety of dishes. Enjoy it as an appetizer or add it to your favorite tacos.
- Use it as a condiment on hummus cucumber sandwiches or vegan toast
- Serve with tortilla chips
- Sliced raw veggies
- Quesadillas
- Vegan Mexican-inspired Buddha bowls
- Walnut Lentil tacos
- Vegan taco bowl
- Refried bean taquitos
- A topping for Vegan red lentil chili or plant-based quinoa chili
How to make vegan guacamole
The delicious plant-based guacamole recipe is easy to make!
1. Start by prepping your ingredients. Finely dice the red onion to make a ¼ cup's worth, and mince or crush 1 clove of fresh garlic. Then, slice open a jalapeño and remove the seeds and ribs (or leave them in), then finely dice. Next, chop 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, use mainly the leaves and the top tender parts of the stems.
2. Slice open the avocados and remove the pits.
Slice a cross-hatch pattern for cubes, but don't cut through the skin of the avocado. Then scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon, avoiding any brown spots. You can also make slices or scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
3. In a mixing bowl, mash the avocados with the back of a fork or a potato masher until it reaches your desired texture. For a chunkier texture, leave some small avocado pieces.
4. Add the diced red onion, diced jalapeño, crushed garlic, lime juice, and salt to the mashed avocados. Then stir to combine.
5. Finally, taste the vegan guac and adjust to your preferences. Do you prefer more salt? Add a pinch more. Prefer a little more tang? Add a little more fresh lime juice.
Storage
Guacamole is susceptible to oxidation, which is why that beautiful green color turns brown. The lime juice in the recipe will slow this process down and keep it from immediately turning brown, letting you enjoy your freshly made vegan guac. It’s only a temporary solution and won’t prevent leftovers from browning.
It's best to enjoy the guacamole the day it's made. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container to minimize air exposure. It’s best to enjoy within 24 hours of making the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Guacamole is usually vegan and dairy-free since it’s made from avocados and other plant-based ingredients, but ask the vendor and read labels to be sure. Sometimes, sour cream, yogurt, and other non-vegan-friendly ingredients are added to make it into an avocado dip.
Guacamole is naturally gluten-free. If you purchase it in a store, always check the product for the gluten-free label because there may be cross-contamination if it’s made in the same factory as a gluten-containing product.
To check for ripeness, gently press the avocado (not too hard, as the avocado might bruise). It should be firm but give a little under the pressure. Ripe avocados are neither too soft and mushy nor too firm and hard. When you find a good one, check it for soft indentations. If you find soft spots, they may be an indication of being overripe or bruised.
If you can’t find a good ripe avocado that’s ready to use, then pick one that’s not ready yet and ripen it at home. To speed up the ripening process, place the avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple. The time it takes to soften the avocados will vary depending on how much they need to ripen. It may take a couple of days, or it could be ready overnight.
If the avocados are ready but you're not, then store them in the refrigerator. This will not halt the ripening, but it will slow it down. If you don’t need the avocado for a few days and it’s close to being ripe, then you may only need to ripen it on the counter.
Related recipes
- Oil-Free Hummus
- Vegan Curry Chickpea Salad
- Pico de gallo with cucumber
- Mango corn salsa
- Vegan avocado crema
I hope you enjoy this plant-based guacamole recipe! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.
Originally published back in 2019.
PrintRecipe
Vegan Guacamole
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This simple vegan guacamole is an easy and flavorful dip that uses fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe avocados
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño finely diced (with or without seeds)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Slice open the avocados, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
- Mash the avocados with the back of a fork or a potato masher until it reaches your desired texture.
- Add the diced red onion, diced jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and salt to the mashed avocados and stir to combine.
- Then taste and adjust to your preferences.
Notes
The three tablespoons of lime juice can be about 1-2 limes depending on their size and yield of juice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: by hand
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Mia
Thanks for a great guac recipe! We had it with chips as a side to your red lentil chili, which was also a hit with the family.
Allie
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!