Spicy Guacamole

ByKanan Patel Updated on
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This spicy guacamole recipe is bursting with fresh flavors and just the right amount of heat! Whether you prefer a mild kick or a fiery punch, you can adjust the spice level to suit your taste. Perfect as a chip dip, or a zesty topping for your favorite Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, and fajitas.

Spicy guacamole served in a wooden bowl with chips.

Quick & Easy Spicy Guacamole for Your Next Party

Looking for a last-minute appetizer that will impress your guests? This spicy guacamole is perfect for any get-together, party, or casual hangout. Whether you’re hosting a big celebration or just having a few friends over, this easy and flavorful dip will be the star of the show. Plus, it comes together in just 10 minutes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • Simple & Easy: No complicated steps here! Just combine fresh ingredients, and you’ll have a tasty dip ready in no time.
  • Customizable: Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or fewer serrano peppers. If you prefer a milder version, just skip the peppers altogether.
  • Taste & Flavor: Creamy, buttery, tangy, salty, and with the perfect kick of heat. Every bite will leave you craving more.
  • Perfect Texture: Achieve the perfect guacamole consistency with slightly mashed, yet chunky avocados. Plus, you need to remove the watery, juicy tomato part before chopping and adding into the dip.

Ingredient Notes

Creating the best spicy guacamole requires using the right ingredients, so here are some key tips to help you get it just right!

Ingredients for spicy guacamole in individual bowls, spoons and marble surface.
  • Avocados:
  • Ripe avocados are crucial to achieving the perfect creamy texture for your guacamole.
  • How to Choose Ripe Avocados?
  • Skin Color: Green skin means unripe, while ripe avocados will have dark green to nearly black skin.
  • Skin Texture: Ripe avocados have a bumpy texture, while unripe ones are smooth.
  • Firmness: Gently squeeze the avocado. If it’s firm and hard, it’s unripe. If it’s soft yet firm, it’s perfectly ripe. If it’s mushy, it’s overripe.
  • How to Buy: It’s rare to find the perfectly ripe avocado in stores, so plan to buy them 2-3 days in advance. Let them ripen on the countertop, and once they’re ripe, store them in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Red Onion: Red onion is the best choice for guacamole. Its sharp flavor and nice crunch enhance the taste and texture of the dip, unlike white or yellow onions.
  • Tomato: Some people prefer to add tomatoes to their guacamole, and some don’t. If you do, be sure to remove the watery pulp and use only the firm part of the tomato to avoid a runny texture in your guacamole.
  • Serrano Peppers: For a kick of heat, I prefer using serrano peppers. I include the skin, seeds, and all to give a full-bodied heat in the spicy guacamole. Adjust the amount based on your desired spice level.
  • Lime Juice: Lime juice is essential for bringing tang and brightness to your spicy guacamole. It balances the creamy texture of the avocado and cuts through the richness of the dish.
  • Salt: Salt is a must to make the flavors pop. Guacamole typically needs more salt than you think, but start with a little, taste, and adjust accordingly. The right balance of salt and lime juice is key to a flavorful spicy guacamole.
  • Cilantro: It adds a nice fresh flavor.
  • Ground Cumin: It’s optional but a great addition for flavor complexity.

Step By Step Photos (With Tips) 

  1. Cut each avocado in half and carefully remove the pit.
  2. Using a pairing knife, dice the avocado while it is still in the peel.
  3. Scoop out everything using a spoon into a bowl. Repeat the same with the remaining avocados.
  4. Using a fork start mashing the avocados. If making a bigger batch then use a potato masher.
  5. Stop mashing when it is still a little chunky (not fully mashed).

Leave It Chunky: Stop mashing when the guacamole is still slightly chunky, keeping some texture. Avoid over-mashing to maintain that perfect guacamole consistency!

Collage of 5 steps showing cutiing, dicing avocado and mashing with a fork.
  1. Add finely chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, serrano peppers along with salt, pepper, and ground cumin.
  2. Add freshly squeezed lime juice.
  3. Mix everything. Taste (if serving as a dip, taste with a chip that you’re serving. As tortilla chips can be salty) and adjust salt, lime juice, and serrano peppers if needed. 

Tips

– Tomato Tips: To maintain a thick and chunky texture in your guacamole, avoid using the watery, pulpy center of tomatoes. Remove the seeds and juice, and only use the firm outer flesh, finely chopped.
– Salt Matters: Guacamole can often taste bland without the right amount of salt. Always taste your guacamole and adjust the seasoning. Don’t hesitate to add an extra pinch—it will truly elevate the flavor.
– Lime Juice: The right balance of lime juice adds a tangy brightness to your spicy guacamole. For each large avocado, use about 3 teaspoons of lime juice, or 2 teaspoons per medium avocado. It’s the secret to a perfectly balanced flavor!

Collage of 3 steps showing adding restbof the ingredients and mixing.

Adjusting Spice Levels

  • Mild: Remove and discard the veins and seeds of the serrano peppers to reduce the heat but keep the chili flavor.
  • Medium: Use one serrano pepper with seeds and discard the seeds of another for a moderate spice level.
  • Spicy: Add more serrano peppers, or opt for a hotter chili variety such as Thai bird’s eye chili, which adds a significant kick.
  • Feel free to swap serrano peppers for other chili varieties like jalapeños, Habanero, or even Indian green chilies, depending on your preferred heat level.

Storage & Preventing From Turning Brown

Avocado oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, causing guacamole to brown. Here’s how to minimize this:

  • Choose the Right Container: Use a glass, tall, and narrow container to reduce the surface area exposed to air.
  • Level the Surface: After transferring the guacamole, use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly and create a flat surface.
  • Plastic Wrap Seal: Cover the guacamole with plastic wrap, ensuring it directly touches the surface to eliminate air pockets.
  • Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Note that freezing is not ideal as it changes the texture.

💡 Pro Tip: Even after taking these precautions, some browning may occur. Simply stir the guacamole to reincorporate the browned layer—it’s perfectly safe to eat.

Serving Ideas

Make spicy guacamole just before serving: Avocado starts oxidizing (starts discoloring) as soon as you cut it just like apple, banana, potato. This browning doesn’t change the flavor but sure doesn’t look appetizing. So always keep other ingredients chopped and ready to mix. And at the time of serving, cut open the avocados, mash, add prepared ingredients, mix and serve.

  • As a dip: Serve this spicy guacamole with your tortilla chips as an appetizer for a party or get-to-gather. You can serve with sliced veggies as a healthy snack.
  • As a side/topping: It can make a delicious topping for your Mexican bowls, tostadas, tacos, nachos, totchos, vegetarian stuffed peppers, etc. You can add to your burrito or wraps. 
Scooping spicy guacamole with a tortilla chip.

Check Out Other Dip Recipes

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below. If you’re sharing it on your Instagram then don’t forget to tag me @spice.up.the.curry

Spicy Guacamole Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Side view of spicy guacamole with 2 tortilla chips in the bowl and more on the side.
This is the ultimate spicy guacamole recipe! Homemade with a kick of chili pepper and filled with loads of amazing flavors! Make it mild or as spicy as your like!
Kanan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Serving Size 4

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

Ingredients

  • 2 Ripe avocado, medium-large size
  • ⅓ cup Red onion, finely diced
  • ½ cup Tomato, pulp and seed removed and finely chopped
  • 2 Serrano chilies, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Cilantro or coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Lime juice
  • Salt, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin powder

Instructions

  • Cut each avocado in half and carefully remove the pit.
  • Using a pairing knife, dice the avocado while it is still in the peel. Scoop out everything using a spoon into a bowl. Repeat the same with the remaining avocados.
  • Using a fork start mashing the avocados. If making a bigger batch then use a potato masher. Stop mashing when it is still a little chunky (not fully mashed).
  • Add finely chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, serrano peppers along with salt, pepper and ground cumin. Add freshly squeezed lime juice.
  • Mix everything. Taste (if serving as a dip, taste with a chip that you’re serving. As tortilla chips can be salty) and don’t be shy on the salt. Add an extra pinch, you’ll be amazed how the flavors come together.

Video

Notes

  • Make spicy guacamole just before serving: Avocado starts oxidizing (starts discoloring) as soon as you cut it just like apple, banana, potato. This browning doesn’t change the flavor but sure doesn’t look appetizing. So always keep other ingredients chopped and ready to mix. And at the time of serving, cut open the avocados, mash, add prepared ingredients, mix and serve.
  • Instead of serrano peppers, you can use any other spicy chili variety as per your liking flavor and hotness level. For example, Indian chilies, Jalapenos, Thai chilies, Habanero peppers, Fresno chilies, etc.
  • To keep the spicy guacamole texture thick and chunky, avoid using a watery, pulpy center part of tomatoes. Discard the seeds and juice from the center of the tomatoes and finely chop the firm part only.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal (9%) | Carbohydrates: 12g (4%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 15g (23%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (10%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 301mg (13%) | Potassium: 580mg (17%) | Fiber: 7g (28%) | Sugar: 2g (2%) | Vitamin A: 405IU (8%) | Vitamin C: 17mg (21%) | Calcium: 22mg (2%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Kanan Patel

To understand the art and science of cooking, I read many cookbooks and culinary books. And now sharing all the experience with you. I started this blog on 2012 to share vegetarian, Indian and Eggless baking recipes (w/ step by step photos) that you can count on.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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6 Comments