Spicy Guacamole is the ultimate party appetizer and it always disappears fast. We’ve dialed in the correct ratios of avocados to onions and lime juice to give this authentic flavor.
Our Classic Guacamole was delicious; we probably made it a hundred times! We’ve changed it up a little and spiced it up a lot! This spicy guacamole lights a small fire in your mouth forcing you to eat it slowly and savor each bite. Plus, you can adjust the spiciness depending on which pepper you add.
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My husband is the adventurous eater in our family and he’s always inspiring me to improve recipes and make a great recipe even more amazing. Thanks to his adventurous pallet, we now make this Spicy Guacamole even more often than the classic and we even have a Corn Guacamole if you love a sweet and smoky twist to your guac.
Spicy Guacamole Video Tutorial
Watch Natasha make this Spicy Guacamole. You will be surprised at how easy it is and it’s sure to get on your regular rotation. Now go forth and make some guacamole.
Ingredients for Spicy Guacamole
These are all the ingredients for a classic guac plus extras to make it spicier (i.e. peppers, garlic and cumin):
- Avocados – we use large ripe avocados (not too squishy and not too firm)
- Tomato – use a medium tomato or 2 smaller roma tomatoes and don’t use tomatoes that are over ripe and juicy.
- Onion – white onion has the best flavor for guacamole but you can use yellow onion or red onion if that is what you have on hand and it will taste great. Watch our tutorial on how to chop an onion.
- Cilantro – you’ll need about 1/2 cup chopped cilantro which is about 1/3 to 1/2 of a bunch
- Peppers – use serrano peppers for a spicier guacamole or jalapeno peppers for a milder version and add them to taste. Be sure to seed the peppers before adding.
- Garlic – adds an extra layer of spice and flavor
- Lime juice – freshly squeezed is best from 1 1/2 to 2 limes
- Salt and pepper – add these to taste
- Cumin – adding ground cumin adds a subtle smoky layer of flavor
How To Make Spicy Guacamole
1. Cut avocados in half, remove the seeds and scrape them out into a flat bottomed bowl (a flat bottom will make it easier to mash). Smash with a potato masher or a fork (leave some chunks; don’t puree it). Squeeze the lime juice directly over the avocados.
Pro Tip: The fresh lime juice is the best way to preserve the color and freshness. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice and avoid using concentrate lime juice which can have additives and never tastes quite right.
2. Chop onion and add it to the bowl.
3. Remove seeds from jalapeños (or serranos for spicier guacamole). Chop jalapeños finely. We double chop them through our Vidalia Chop Wizard which makes chopping a cinch!
4. Cut the tomato in half parallel with the top and remove seeds (either by scraping them out with a small spoon or by squeezing them out). Dice your tomatoes. Add chopped tomatoes to your bowl. We often just leave the seeds in (that’s ok too).
5. Press garlic than finely chop your cilantro and add it to the bowl.
6. Add 1/2 tsp dry cumin powder, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp kosher salt (regular salt is ok too), and stir just until combined.
If you’re really bored, serve guacamole in the avocado shells. Hopefully, you didn’t have to fish them out of the garbage can. I’m not admitting to anything.
Make-Ahead
Guacamole is best enjoyed the day it is made for the best vibrant color and flavor, but you can store it up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. It does lose some of it’s spiciness as it stands and the flavors meld.
- Refrigerated – If you have leftover guacamole, or want to make it ahead, place plastic wrap directly over the surface of the guacamole. Contact with air is what causes avocado to brown so you want to keep the air out.
- Can I freeze gaucamole? – guacamole does not freeze well and neither do tomaotes. They will end up watery and mealy so we do not recommend freezing.
Pro Tip: To speed up ripening your avocados, place them in a bag and keep them at room temperature. An avocado is ripe when it gives a little with a gentle pressure. It should feel slightly soft but not squishy.
P.S. If you’ve handled jalapenos, DO NOT pick your nose. Trust me.
More Avocado Recipes
If you love avocado as much as we do (super fans over here!), then you will find some new favorites in this list of recipes with avocado. We have everything from avocado salads to appetizers and tacos.
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Cucumber Shrimp Avocado Appetizersj
- Cowboy Caviar Salsa
- Taco Salad Recipe
- Classic Ceviche
- Fish Tacos
Spicy Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large avocados
- 3 Tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed from 1 1/2 limes
- 1 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro , from 1/2 bunch
- 2 serrano peppers, finely chopped (or use jalapenos for milder guac)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Cut avocados in half, remove the seeds and scrape them out into a flat bottomed bowl. Smash with a potato masher or a fork. Squeeze lime juice directly over avocados.
- Chop onion and add it to the bowl. Remove seeds from jalapenos, finely dice and add to the bowl.
- Cut the tomato in half parallel with the top and remove seeds. Dice your tomatoes and add them to your bowl.
- Press garlic and chop your cilantro than add them to the bowl.
- Add 1/2 tsp dry cumin powder, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
This recipe was first published in 2012. New photos and a video were added in 2022. Here is the original photo.
This was the best! Perfectly spicey and we had it with our tacos. It was delicious!
So glad to know that you loved it, Eden. Thanks for your great feedback!
Great recipe, but what is it with you people with kosher salt?? Isn’t there just normal salt ?
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Camilla!
Natasha, If you add the pit of the avocado to the dip, it will keep it from turning brown. I love all your recipes.
Great tip! Thank you for sharing!
I make this recipe every time I want guac. Its exceptional.
That’s so great Kristina! Thank you for the great review!
Natasha,
This tastes so authentic and the perfect spice level. Loved it! And so did my guests.
Thanks for another great recipe
-Alena
Hi Alena, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha. Great recipe. Just a tip: keep the avocado pits and place them in the guacamole. Aside from the plastic wrap they help to keep it from turning brown and it stays fresh much longer.
Hello Teresa! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great tip with other readers!
I love love love your recipe!! I make it for every event we have and let me tell you it is a big hit with the fighter squadron here in NM! Thank you so much for posting 😊
Colleen, thank you for such a great review 😁. This recipe is a regular at our house as well, we make it almost every week 😋.
Just to let you know, this is a great recipe. And you don’t need to limit yourself to jalapenos if you want spicier. I made a delicious guacamole with 2 pieces of carolina reaper (only the flesh, no seeds). Turned out great!
I love that you got creative with it! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love this recipe , only changes I did was I add cummin about 3/4 teaspoon as that made it more flavorful for my friends ! Apart, recipe is a killer
I love the extra cumin idea! We have made it that way before as well and it does taste really good with more. 🙂
Hi Natasha, I love a good guacamole and I made your “spicey” recipe today, but without the jalapenos, and used 2 small shallots chopped fine instead of regular onion. I also added a couple dashes of cayenne pepper and a few tablespoons of mild salsa. It was so delish! Thanks again for another great appetizer! Janet
Janet, thank you for the nice review 😀. I will be trying cayenne pepper next time myself, thanks for the tip.
Another great recipe, Natasha! I used serrano pepper instead of jalapeño for a little more heat 😉
We love fiery guacamole also. I’m always drizzling mine with tabasco. Next time I’m trying your serrano pepper suggestion! 🙂
Actually, it was a red habañero pepper. That is the way to go if you want some real fire. I am making it again tonight 🙂
Mmm I do love adding some real fire to my food. I accept the red habañero challenge! 🙂
My family wanted tacos yesterday and avocados were on sale so I tried your guac recipe. Very good. I prefer to soak chopped onions in ice water for a bit to mellow them out and I used a fresh lime so that was all I did differently.
One other reader commented about mellow jalapenos and it’s true that sometimes they are. Ithink they have bred the heat out of jalapenos. Try Tabasco chipotle sauce to add in some heat when that happens.
I love your tip about the onions and yes I agree about the jalapeños. It’s hit and miss – sometimes they are blazing fiery hot and sometimes they are so bland you can hardly tell they are there!
Wow Natasha luv ur guacamole recipes the spicy and the 1 made by vadim mmmmmm yummmm wondering if it would work with red onion may wanna try it with the addition of jalapeno muy caliente baby lmao would be a gr8 Passover starter
Thank you Tzivia for the nice comment 😀. We used red onion in the past and it works great as well. We add fresh jalapeños or canned. Both work nice in the recipe.
Ur welcome Natasha sweetheart always a pleasure to be on this really way cool awesome site ok so red is good to use got it canned or fresh jalapenos wow gr8 way to really ooooomphhhh the spice
Made it today and it was delicious!
Thank you !!!
Luba, you’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 😀.
Made it and it was delicious!
The only thing was that it wasn’t spicy.. not sure why. Either way it was great! Thank you!
Hi Yana! I’m so glad you liked our favorite guacamole :). You can take the spice level up or down with the amount of jalapeno you add to it, the size of your jalapenos and some jalapenos are just spicier than others. I go all out and even drizzle my portion with a bunch of tabasco sauce because I love it fiery hot!
Made this twice already in the past two weeks… what can I say – it’s tasty!
Thank you Polina 😀, we make it at least twice a week.
Hi Natasha,
I’m from Mexico and I was curious about this recipe when I saw the title “Spicy Guacamole”. Just want to say Congratulations! because it is really close to the Mexico’s home made Guacamole. What is more, I loved to see the comments of the people who liked this dish 😉
I’ve seen some of your recipes and I definitely gonna try them! Thanks!!
That’s fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with me Lilia 🙂
you are too cute! Thanks for the laughs and the awesome recipe!
You are welcome Michelle :D.
Making this tonight and can’t wait to try it! Already have your slow cooker chicken tacos going and already made your delicious roasted salsa. My family and I have become your biggest food fans!
Aww that’s awesome! Thanks so much for sharing that with me. Can I come over? 😉
i made this last night for our family gatehring and everyone LOVED it! thank you for sharing such great recipes! I have loved every one i made from your website 🙂
I’m so happy you all loved it and that you are enjoying my recipes :). Thanks for the awesome review!