u003cstrongu003eIs guacamole supposed to be smooth or chunky?u003c/strongu003e

It is entirely up to you! Authentic Mexican guacamole is often served slightly chunky, mashed lightly in a traditional stone u003cemu003emolcajeteu003c/emu003e. However, in my kitchen, Just mash it with your fork until you hit the texture you personally love.

Homemade Guacamole & Pico de Gallo (Easy 20-Min Recipe)

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We are making guacamole and pico de gallo. All right!

So, it’s really easy just to buy guacamole and pico de gallo from the grocery store, but if you just have a few fresh ingredients, you can make your own homemade version—and it’s probably better.

Why You’ll Love This

You’re going to love this because it puts you in complete control. Hate watery salsa? We fix that. Don’t want your mouth on fire? We control the heat. Plus, you get the satisfaction of turning a handful of fresh produce into the ultimate snack. It’s fresh, it has the perfect bite, and it comes together so fast.

If you love fresh, customizable dips like this, also try my Ultimate Summer Salad: Watermelon, Feta & Mint with a Spicy Kick! for juicy summer vibes!

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment

Cutting board & Sharp Chef’s knife
Mixing bowls
Fork or potato masher
Large Ziploc bag (optional, for the large-batch guacamole hack)

Ingredients for Fresh Pico de Gallo

4–5 medium / 450g Roma tomatoes (firm)
1/2 medium / 75g red onion
1/4 large jalapeño pepper (keep seeds and ribs for heat)
1/4 cup / 15g fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced (15ml / about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon / 3g sea salt (or to taste)

Ingredients for Smooth Guacamole

3 ripe Hass avocados / 450g
1/4 cup / 15g fresh cilantro
1/2 small jalapeño pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
1/2 lime, juiced (15ml / about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon / 3g sea salt (or to taste)

Let’s Start with the Pico de Gallo

1. Prep the Tomatoes (The Secret to No Soupy Salsa!)

Grab a few Roma tomatoes and give them a quick little rinse. Cut them in half, then into quarters.

For pico de gallo, I like it without the center part of the tomato. Just take your knife and run it down the center. This leaves you with essentially the skin part, or the meatier part of the tomato.

Why do this? The middle section is where a lot of the moisture lives. We don’t want pico to be too watery! (Save the centers for a snack or a sauce later—don’t waste it!). Go ahead and dice up the meaty tomato parts and pop them into a bowl.

If you love fresh, no-watery salsas like this, also try my These 5-Minute Korean Cucumber Salads (2 Ways!) for crunchy sides!

2. Chopping the Onion (My “Rainbow” Method)

Our next ingredient is going to be red onion. We’re going to do really small dices. I personally like to slice some thin slices, and then just take my little “rainbows” and make tiny cuts. It might not be the most strictly efficient way of cutting onions. Throw that into the bowl.

3. Controlling the Heat

Next up is the jalapeño. Cut the top off and slice it down the middle.

Here is the secret to jalapeños: the heat is all in the ribs and the seeds. If you don’t mind the heat, keep them in! don’t mind the heat for the salsa, so we’re keeping the seeds in. Cut the jalapeño into little strips, then tiny cubes. just go with a quarter of a jalapeño since you are using the seeds; we don’t want it to be too spicy.

(Remember: Wash your hands and don’t touch your eyeballs!)

4. The Fresh Stuff

Next inside your pico de gallo is fresh cilantro. Grab a good amount—maybe a small handful—and do a nice little rough chop. Gather it all up, hold your knife tip down, and rock your knife back and forth to mince it up nicely. Throw that into the bowl.

5. Mix and Taste

Get a lime, put a little pressure on it, do a little roll on the counter to release the juices, cut it in half, and squeeze half a lime in there. Add a tiny bit of salt.

Time to mix it up! You’ve got the bite from your jalapeño, the freshness of the cilantro, a little bite from the red onion, and since you removed the center of the tomatoes, it’s not going to be watery. Give it a taste and adjust if needed. Let it sit while you make the guacamole!

Time for the Guacamole!

1. Prep the Avocados

Take your three avocados. Slice down the center, do a little twist to separate the halves. Do a little squeeze to pop the pit right out. To get the avocado out, just take a spoon, run it along the side (making sure not to get any skin), run it under, and plop it right out into a bowl.

2. Add the Flavor

Grab a small handful of cilantro, mince it, and get it in there.

Now add a little bit of jalapeño. For guacamole, If you actually don’t like it to be too spicy, so just remove the rib and the seeds and take just the green skin. This way, we get the flavor of a jalapeño without the fire. Dice it into really thin, small little dices, and toss that right in.

Squeeze in the other half of your lime and add a tiny bit of salt for flavor.

3. Smash it Up!

Grab a fork and go ahead and mash it up until it reaches a relatively smooth consistency (or leave it chunky if that’s your preference).

My Ziploc Bag Hack: If you’re making a lot of guacamole for a crowd, you can actually make it in a large Ziploc bag! Put all your ingredients in the bag, seal it, and instead of smashing with a fork, you just smush it around with your hands. It’s the greatest way to make a large batch.

4. Serve

Give it a taste. Add a bit more salt if it needs it, and put it in a serving dish. Serve immediately alongside the Pico de Gallo. You would normally want to use tortilla chips, but pita chips work perfectly fine too!

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FAQs

Why do you remove the center of the tomatoes for Pico de Gallo?

The middle section of the tomato holds all the seeds and the most moisture. If you chop the whole thing up and put it in your bowl, the salt will draw out that water and leave your pico de gallo super soupy. Removing the centers keeps your salsa perfectly chunky and scoopable.

How do I control how spicy my jalapeños are?

The heat of a jalapeño lives inside the white ribs and the seeds inside the pepper, not the green flesh! If you want flavor without the fire, slice the pepper open and scrape out the seeds and ribs. If you want a kick, chop the whole thing up, seeds and all.

Can I make a giant batch of guacamole easily?

Yes! If you are making a massive batch of guacamole and don’t want to tire out your arm mashing it with a fork, use the Ziploc bag hack. Throw your scooped avocados, cilantro, lime, and salt into a large resealable bag. Squeeze the air out, seal it, and just smush it with your hands until it’s the perfect consistency.

Is guacamole supposed to be smooth or chunky?

It is entirely up to you! Authentic Mexican guacamole is often served slightly chunky, mashed lightly in a traditional stone molcajete. However, in my kitchen, Just mash it with your fork until you hit the texture you personally love.

Homemade Guacamole & Pico de Gallo Duo

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: AppetizersCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Calories per serving

180

kcal

Total time

minutes

Skip the grocery store! This fresh, vibrant, and incredibly easy homemade Pico de Gallo and smooth Guacamole come together in minutes. Perfect for dipping with your favorite chips.

Ingredients

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Mixing bowls
Fork or potato masher
ingredients:
For the Pico de Gallo:
450g (4–5 medium) Roma tomatoes
75g (1/2 medium) red onion
1/4 large jalapeño pepper (with seeds)
15g (1/4 cup) fresh cilantro
15ml (1 tablespoon / 1/2 lime) fresh lime, juiced
3g (1/2 teaspoon) sea salt
For the Guacamole:
450g (3 whole) ripe Hass avocados
15g (1/4 cup) fresh cilantro
1/2 small jalapeño pepper (ribs and seeds removed)
15ml (1 tablespoon / 1/2 lime) fresh lime, juiced
3g (1/2 teaspoon) sea salt
Pita chips or tortilla chips (for serving)

Directions

Prep the Tomatoes: Cut Roma tomatoes into quarters. Carefully carve out and remove the watery, seedy centers. Finely dice the remaining firm tomato walls and place in a mixing bowl.
Chop the Veggies: Finely dice the red onion into tiny pieces. Mince the 1/4 jalapeño (keeping the seeds). Mince the fresh cilantro. Add all to the bowl with the tomatoes.
Season the Pico: Squeeze in the lime juice and add the sea salt. Stir well, taste for seasoning, and set aside to let the flavors marry.
Prep the Avocados: Slice the avocados in half, twist to open, and pop out the pits. Scoop the flesh into a separate mixing bowl.
Chop for Guac: Mince the cilantro and the seeded jalapeño half into very fine pieces. Add to the avocados.
Mash and Season: Squeeze the remaining lime juice over the avocados and add the sea salt. Mash with a fork to your desired consistency (smooth or chunky).
Serve: Taste the guacamole and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Notes

Watery Pico Tip: Do not skip removing the centers of the tomatoes! The tomato seeds hold the most water and will instantly turn your salsa into a soupy mess.
Heat Control: Remember, jalapeño heat lives in the ribs and seeds. We keep them in for the Pico de Gallo for a nice bite, but take them out for the Guacamole so it stays smooth and cool.
Big Batch Hack: If you are doubling or tripling the guacamole for a party, put all the guac ingredients into a large Ziploc bag. Seal it tightly with the air pushed out, and use your hands to smush it until mashed. It saves your arms from fork-fatigue!
Storage: Guacamole browns quickly when exposed to air. If storing leftovers, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the guacamole to block out the air, then put it in the fridge.

Homemade Guacamole & Pico de Gallo (Way Better Than the Grocery Store!)

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Why You’ll Love This