This easy, homemade healthy guacamole recipe is packed with flavor and is so simple to make! Serve it as a topping on tacos, nachos, and enchiladas, spread it on sandwiches or toast, or enjoy it as a dip. Ready in just 15 minutes, this low calorie guac also just happens to be vegan and gluten free friendly too!
Guacamole is one of my absolute favorite dips in Mexican cuisine. I love the creamy texture, the flavor, and the add-ins you can use to spice it up (I once had guacamole with balsamic vinegar and goat cheese in it – delicious!).
I enjoy making guacamole at home, because it’s so easy, budget-friendly, and you just can’t beat that fresh taste. There are so many guacamole recipes out there, but so far, this easy healthy guacamole recipe has been my favorite. It’s made with simple ingredients, and is the perfect twist on a traditional guacamole.
Guacamole is typically made from avocados, onion, sometimes tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. Other add ins that are common include jalapeño pepper, garlic, and variety of spices. This healthy guac recipe uses the base recipe, but then adds in chipotle peppers, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and a hint of cayenne pepper.
The addition of spices in this low calorie guacamole recipe takes it to a whole new level. Cumin, coriander, chili powder and cayenne give a hit of heat that is amazingly well balanced with the avocado and the citrus juices. If spice isn’t your friend, you can easily omit the cayenne pepper.
Some guacamole recipes call for tomatoes, and some don’t. I like adding tomatoes to guacamole because I like the extra acidity they bring. The key is to seed and dice your tomatoes before adding them to the guac, in order to make sure they don’t make the guac too watery.
After I made this, I couldn’t wait to dig in. And it pairs well with so many recipes (see our serving suggestions below!)
???? Is Guacamole Healthy?
Avocados have long been praised for their health benefits, so given that avocados are the base of guacamole you might be wondering, is guacamole good for you? Yes! Overall, guacamole is generally considered to be healthy for a few reasons:
- It’s packed with vitamins and healthy fats: A third of an avocado contains 20 different vitamins and minerals in only 80 calories. Some of the vitamins and minerals include vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, B5, B6, and vitamin E.
- It’s high in dietary fiber: One serving of an avocado contains 27% of your daily recommended fiber.
- It contains antioxidants that help with reducing inflammation and boosting immunity.
However, while avocados (and guacamole) are nutritious, they are also very calorie-dense because of their fat content. So you can have too much of a good thing! Moderation is key when eating this easy guacamole recipe – all you need is a small portion to get the benefits.
Additionally, some store-bought / pre-made guacamole can have added sugars, unhealthy fats, too much sodium, or preservatives added. So I always recommend making guacamole at home for the healthiest version!
???????? Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super easy to make
- Packed with flavor and fresh ingredients
- Healthy and nutritious
- Simple to customize
- Versatile – use in a variety of recipes!
- Naturally vegan, low carb, and gluten free
- Best healthy guacamole recipe ever!
???? Ingredients
What Is Guacamole Made Of? The base recipe for classic guacamole is avocados, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. But this healthy guacamole recipe adds other spices and more heat for a twist on the traditional recipe! Here’s what you need:
- Ripe Avocados: You want avocados that have some give when pressed gently. This will ensure they are creamy and rich, and mix well with the other ingredients in this recie.
- Chipotle Peppers: An authentic guacamole recipe may use jalapeno peppers, but I decided to increase the heat with chipotle peppers instead! Feel free to use a jalapeno pepper or no peppers at all to reduce the heat.
- Onion & Tomato: You can use finely diced red onion or white onion, and I recommend using roma tomatoes that have been seeded for maximum flavor.
- Lemon And Lime Juice: Regular guac will typically just use lime juice, but I like the combination of lemon and lime juice for different levels of acidity and tartness – I find it gives a more complex flavor to this recipe. If you only have either lemon or lime juice though, that is ok! You can substitute one for the other in this healthy guacamole dip recipe.
- Spices: Fresh cilantro leaves, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, a little bit of cayenne pepper, and sea salt add warmth, heat, and great flavor to this perfect dip.
???? How To Make Healthy Guacamole
This low calorie guacamole dip recipe is ready in just 15 minutes! Here’s how to make it:
Mix & Mash: Cut the avocado open, remove the avocado pit, and add the avocado pulp to a large bowl. Mash coarsely with a fork. Finely chop onion, chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. Add to bowl. Squeeze lemon and lime juice over the top of the avocado. Add spices, mix to combine.
Season & Serve: Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Serve this healthy guacamole dip immediately with your favorite dippers!
???? Expert Tips
- Use ripe avocados. Ripe avocados are so important for making a great guacamole! They should give slightly when pressed gently. If your avocados are a little under-ripe, place them in a paper bag at room temperature to speed up the ripening process.
- Use fresh lime juice and fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon and lime juice have a different flavor than the fresh versions, and won’t taste as good in this low fat guacamole recipe!
- Adjust the heat as needed. You don’t have to use the chipotle chili peppers or cayenne if you’re sensitive to spice! Feel free to omit them or reduce the amount for just a little kick. If you’re making this for kids, definitely omit the chipotle and cayenne.
- Adjust the texture as needed. You can make this guac as smooth or as chunky as you like! Mash it until it’s the consistency you want – there’s no right or wrong way – it’s just based on your preference! Note: You can also use a food processor for this healthy homemade guacamole, but make sure not to over process the mixture or you’ll end up with avocado puree.
- Don’t forget to see the tomatoes. If you don’t seed the tomatoes before dicing them, they will make your guac too watery.
???? Variations
You can make your guacamole even healthier by adding extra veggies like bell peppers, or swap half of the avocados with steamed and mashed green peas to lower the fat content and increase protein. Here are some of our favorite ways to switch up this healthy guacamole recipe:
- Add Fruit! Diced ripe mango, diced pineapple, or fresh pomegranate seeds add a nice sweet and tangy twist to this avocado dip, and pairs well with the creaminess of the avocados.
- Add Veggies: Roasted corn, roasted red peppers, diced bell peppers, or even diced cucumber taste great as mix-ins and increase the veggie content too!
- Add Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese or cojita cheese provide a salty kick when folded into this recipe.
- Add More Heat: If this avocado-based dip isn’t spicy enough for you, add hot sauce, sriracha, or diced jalapenos!
???? Serving Suggestions
Guacamole is such a versatile dip or spread. My favorite way of eating this healthy guacamole recipe is with my homemade air fryer tortilla chips or my air fryer banana chips – both are great options for healthy chips for guacamole. Here are some other ideas of ways to use this low calorie guacamole:
- Use it as a topping for Mexican food: Try it with vegan tacos, loaded veggie nachos, keto enchiladas, this vegetarian fajita bowl, or this taco casserole,
- As a dip for fresh veggies: try it with carrots, celery, cucumber, radishes, and sugar snap peas
- Use it instead of sliced avocado in this recipe for avocado toast with tomato and egg.
- As a topping for this vegetarian taco soup, vegan white bean chili, or this Mexican bean soup.
- With whole wheat pita, on this healthy baked potato, or as a spread for sandwiches or these chipotle black bean burgers.
???? Storage Directions
Guacamole is notorious for turning brown just hours after it’s made, so you might be wondering: how long is homemade guacamole good for?
Guacamole is best served immediately, but it will stay good for 24-48 hours when stored properly in the fridge.
To store in the fridge: Transfer leftover guacamole to an airtight container, and squeeze a little extra lime juice over the top. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap (make sure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the guacamole – try to ensure there is are no air pockets between the guacamole and the wrap). Enjoy within 1-2 days for best results. Also, if the top does happen to brown while in the fridge, you should be able to just scrape it off and underneath it will still be bright green!
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes! It’s super easy to make guacamole healthy. All you have to do is stick to whole-food-based, healthy ingredients, don’t add too much salt or sugar, and watch the portion sizes. Avocados are a superfood, rich in good fats, and one serving of guacamole is low calorie (one serving of this simple healthy guacamole recipe is only 60 calories!)
No, guacamole itself is not inherently bad for you. But because it’s so calorie dense, it can be bad for you if you eat too much of it (since it will add too many calories and fat to your overall diet). Also – what you serve guacamole with also matters. If you serve it with high calorie tortilla chips, then the combination of the chips and guac isn’t very healthy. Stick to 1 serving of this delicious homemade guacamole recipe along with healthy dippers, and you should be just fine!
There are lots of options for healthy things to eat with guacamole! Try it with baked homemade tortilla chips, whole grain crackers, zucchini or sweet potato chips, lettuce wraps, or fresh vegetables — carrot sticks, cucumbers slices, bell pepper strips, celery sticks, grape tomatoes, radish slices, or jicama sticks would all work well. All of these options make for healthy snacks with guacamole because they are low in calories and are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
If the guacamole was made in the past 48 hours, then yes! It is still safe to eat after it has turned brown. The browning process that occurs for avocados and guacamole is a process called oxidation – it happens when the guac is exposed to air. Squeezing lemon or lime juice over your avocado will help prevent it from turning brown. But you can store the guac in an air-tight container (see storage instructions above) to save for later if you don’t finish it in one sitting. You can just scrape the brown part off until you reach the green guac. That is still good to eat.
No, there isn’t much protein in guac, because avocados are not high in protein. But you can increase the protein content of guacamole by adding protein-rich ingredients or pairing it with protein sources. For example:
1) Adding beans: Black beans or even edamame pair well with this healthy guacamole recipe and can boost its protein content.
2) Adding Greek yogurt or cheese: Greek yogurt adds a creamy and tangy element to guac and will increase its protein content, and cheese pairs well with guac and also is high in protein.
3) Diced hard boiled eggs: This will take on the flavor of the guacamole and will add protein – it’s like a variation on egg salad.
Any organic guacamole that has no added sugars, preservatives or stabilizers will be a healthy option at the grocery store. I like store-bought guacamole brands like Wholly Guacamole, Yucatan Organic Guacamole, and Trader Joe’s Organic Guacamole.
???? More Healthy Mexican Recipes!
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???? Recipe Card
Healthy Guacamole Recipe
This easy, homemade healthy guacamole recipe is packed with flavor and is so simple to make! Serve it as a topping on tacos, nachos, and enchiladas, spread it on sandwiches or toast, or enjoy it as a dip. Ready in just 15 minutes, this low calorie guac also just happens to be vegan and gluten free friendly too!
Servings: 18
Calories: 60kcal
- Use ripe avocados. Ripe avocados are so important for making a great guacamole! They should give slightly when pressed gently. If your avocados are a little under-ripe, place them in a paper bag at room temperature to speed up the ripening process.
- Use fresh lemon and lime juice. Bottled lemon and lime juice have a different flavor than the fresh versions, and won’t taste as good in this recipe!
- Adjust the heat as needed. You don’t have to use the chipotle chili peppers or cayenne if you’re sensitive to spice! Feel free to omit them or reduce the amount. If you’re making this for kids, definitely omit the chipotle and cayenne.
- Adjust the texture as needed. You can make this guac as smooth or as chunky as you like! Mash it until it’s the consistency you want – there’s no right or wrong way – it’s just based on your preference!
- Don’t forget to see the tomatoes. If you don’t seed the tomatoes before dicing them, they will make your guac too watery.
Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g
Originally published in pickyeaterblog.com
