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This flavorful chunky guacamole recipe is restaurant-worthy—no exaggeration. You get a smooth avocado base mixed with chopped fresh veggies and a generous squeeze of lime juice to brighten it all up.

Hand dipping a tortilla chip into chunky guacamole.

There’s something deeply satisfying about a properly chunky guacamole. The kind where you can still see (and taste) distinct pieces of avocado, not some homogeneous green paste. I make it constantly, and I’m always struck by how far it goes: scooped with tortilla chips, piled over blackened shrimp tacos, or dolloped generously onto a burrito bowl. It’s one of those things that just makes everything better. And honestly, keeping a batch in the fridge is never a bad idea. It’s the kind of snack that feels indulgent but is quietly good for you, too.

A Few Good Reasons to Make This

Ready in 10 minutes, no cooking required. Just chop and stir.
Better than store-bought. Seriously, there’s no comparison. Fresher taste, no preservatives, and you control the salt and texture.
That chunky texture makes all the difference. Every bite has real pieces of tomato, onion, and avocado instead of a smooth, blended dip.
A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Perfect for game day, parties, or whenever you need a quick, no-fuss app.

Tips From My Kitchen

I make mistakes so that you don’t have to! Here are some things I’ve learned while testing this recipe…

Grate the garlic with a microplane. Garlic spreads into the guac so much more easily and evenly when it’s grated into a paste.
A mortar and pestle do incredible work. You do not have to buy one, but if you have a Mexican molcajete, this is the gold standard for authentic guacamole. Grinding down the aromatics this way releases their essential oils, giving you a depth of flavor you just can’t get any other way.
Don’t use a blender. Or you’ll end up with baby food purée.
Wear gloves when chopping jalapeños. I like using these food-safe nitrile gloves.

Ingredients for Chunky Guacamole

A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:

Avocados: Make sure they’re ripe, but not overripe (see below for tips to tell them apart). This recipe calls for 6 medium-sized avocados, but if the avocados seem small, go for 8. Too much guacamole is better than not enough!
Roma tomatoes: These are the clear winner for guacamole. Their dense, meaty flesh has just the right amount of moisture, so you end up with a rich, creamy dip instead of something watery and thin.
Red onion: It’s softer than white onion, and a touch sweeter in flavor. Plus it lends the guac a bit of color contrast, and that’s hard not to love.
Jalapeño: To add a bit of heat, which you can control.

Ripe vs. Overripe: How to Tell

Ripe avocados: The skin has turned a deep green, almost black (if you’re working with a Hass), and gives slightly when you press it. Think the same gentle yield as a ripe peach! For extra confidence, flick off that little stem at the top; underneath, you’re looking for a vivid green.
Too Ripe/Spoiled: This is the one to skip. The flesh feels mushy or squishy rather than yielding; the skin may look sunken or deflated in spots, and if you pop off the stem, you’ll find brown underneath instead of green. Pass!
Unripe: Give it a squeeze. If there’s no give at all and the skin is still bright, almost glossy green, it needs a few more days on the counter.

How to Make Chunky Guacamole

Step 1: Prep the Avocados

Wash the avocados by rinsing them under cool water, then cut them in half by running your knife lengthwise around the pit, all the way through. Twist the two halves in opposite directions until they separate.

To remove the pit, you can either carefully lodge your knife blade into the pit and twist to lift it out, or skip the blade entirely and just squeeze the sides of that half until the pit pops free.

Now, scoop out the avocado. While the flesh is still sitting in the skin, slide a spoon right along the skin’s edge to release it all in one clean scoop. Place it into a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mash the Avocado

With a fork or pastry cutter, press against the sides of the bowl rather than stirring vigorously. Stop before it’s smooth, because those little uneven chunks are what give the guac its rustic, satisfying texture. Halfway through mashing, add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice. This does double duty, softening the avocado while keeping it from browning.

Step 3: Add the Vegetables

Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, grated garlic, cilantro, lime zest, and the rest of the lime juice to the bowl.

Mashed avocado topped with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, and cilantro.

Step 4: Gently Stir, and Season to Taste

Gently fold the ingredients into the guac, careful to not overmix and turn your guac into a paste. Give it a taste test, and add more lime juice, salt, or jalapeño if needed.

Step 5: Serve

Transfer the guacamole to a serving bowl and garnish with some extra chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, and cilantro.

Serving bowl of chunky guacamole surrounded by tortilla chips.

If Using a Mortar & Pestle

Paste the aromatics: Start with your onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt in the mortar, and work the pestle until they break down into a rough, fragrant paste.
Scoop in the avocado: Slice your ripe avocados in half and add the flesh straight into the mortar, right on top of that paste. (You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your mortar.)
Crush gently: Using a circular motion, press and turn the pestle to work the avocado into the mixture, adjusting as you go until you hit the texture you’re after.
Keep it chunky: Resist the urge to over-mash—you want plenty of visible avocado chunks left for that rustic, satisfying bite.
Fold and finish: Gently fold in the lime juice and diced tomatoes (if you’re using them) with a spoon, and if your mortar is big enough for the entire batch, bring it right to the table and serve it as-is.

Make It Your Own

White onion: The traditional pick, and for good reason. It brings a crisp bite and a sharp, clean tang that cuts right through the richness of the avocado.
Cumin: It brings warm, earthy depth with a hint of smokiness, so it’s a nice counterbalance to the bright, sharp punch of lime and cilantro if you’re looking for that.
Garlic & onion powder: If you’re short on time and don’t want to chop onions and grate garlic, substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, more to taste.
Parsley: If cilantro tastes like soap to you, use chopped parsley.
Different peppers: If you want to play it safe with mild and sweet, use chopped roasted Hatch chiles, poblano, banana pepper, or even a sweet bell pepper. For heat, use a habanero or serrano.

Close up of serving bowl of chunky guacamole.

Serve It With…

How to Store Guacamole So It Doesn’t Turn Brown

Hand pressing down on plastic wrap to cover guacamole.

Oxidation is normal, but damn, it’s ugly! The key to keeping guacamole from browning in the fridge is minimizing its contact with air.

Smooth the top: Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to press the guacamole into an even, flat layer, working out any air pockets as you go.
Add citrus (optional): A thin layer of fresh lime or lemon juice on top adds an extra line of defense against browning.
Seal with plastic: Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, pressing it flush against every inch of green. Don’t let any air sneak in underneath.
Cover and chill: Snap on the airtight lid and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, just peel back the plastic and give it a good stir. If you’re refrigerating it shortly before serving time, follow steps 1-3 with the guac in its serving bowl, as pictured above.

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The BEST Chunky Guacamole Recipe

By: Dana Sandonato

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Ingredients

▢ 6 medium Hass avocados, Or 8 small Hass avocados; 4 large Hass avocados
▢ 1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes, About 2 Roma tomatoes
▢ 1/3 cup chopped red onion
▢ 2 cloves garlic, Grated to a paste or finely minced
▢ 1 jalapeño, Finely diced
▢ 2 limes, Start with one, use the second if necessary
▢ 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, more for garnish
▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

Instructions

Wash and halve the avocados: Rinse the avocados under cool water, then halve each one by running your knife lengthwise around the pit. Twist the two halves in opposite directions until they separate.
Remove the pit: Lodge your knife blade into the pit and twist to lift it out, or skip the blade and simply squeeze the sides of that half until the pit pops free.
Scoop the avocado: While the flesh is still sitting in the skin, slide a spoon right along the skin's edge to release it in one clean scoop. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Mash the avocado: Using a fork or pastry cutter, press against the sides of the bowl rather than stirring vigorously, stopping well before it's smooth — those uneven chunks are what give the guac its rustic texture. Halfway through, add the 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and half the 1 lime, juiced and zested; this softens the avocado while keeping it from browning.
Add the aromatics: Add the chopped Roma tomatoes, red onions, diced jalapeño, grated garlic, fresh cilantro, and the remaining lime juice, zest, and 1/4 sea salt to the bowl.
Fold and taste: Gently fold everything together, taking care not to overmix into a paste. Taste, and adjust with more lime juice, salt, or jalapeño as needed.
Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a bit of extra chopped tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.

Notes

To store the guacamole so it doesn’t turn brown:

Smooth the top: Press the guacamole into an even layer with the back of a spoon, working out any air pockets.
Add citrus (optional): A thin layer of lime or lemon juice on top adds extra protection against browning.
Seal with plastic: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, flush against every bit of green, with no air trapped underneath.
Cover and chill: Snap on the lid and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days. Peel back the plastic and stir before serving. If chilling shortly before serving, do steps 1-3 right in the serving bowl.