Homemade Guacamole Recipes

This Friday is National Guacamole Day, but we have to admit we celebrate guacamole every day. So how should we make Friday's celebration special? By making one or two (or more) of the spectacular guacamole recipes we discovered, of course. From classic to creative, these homemade guacamole recipes are exactly what you need to turn National Guacamole Day into a fiesta.

Homemade Guacamole Recipes: The Classics

Obviously avocado is at the heart of all guacamole recipes, but these three classics have a few more ingredients in common: chile peppers (serrano or jalapeño), cilantro, onion and salt.

Classic Guacamole by Roberto Santibañez

Bon Appetit writer JJ Goode co-authored two Mexican cookbooks with Chef Roberto Santibañez and got schooled in the art of guacamole. One of the biggest takeaways for this authentic guacamole recipe? Go easy on the lime juice, both for the sake of taste and texture. Another key lesson was to let the avocados ripen longer. Finally, he swears by crushing the onion, chile, salt and cilantro into a paste before adding the chunks of avocado.

Guacamole en Molcajete by Rosa Mexicano

Before you object to a guacamole recipe from a New York City restaurant, know that they were among the first eateries in the US to prepare guacamole tableside in a molcajete. In fact, we've had guacamole at Rosa Mexicano, and it's outstanding. Similar to Chef Roberto, their recipe calls for making a chile paste first. Then add the remaining ingredients, including seeded and diced tomatoes.

The Guac by Alton Brown

We adore Alton Brown, and his guacamole recipe is a lot like the guac we usually whip up at home. That said, after reading the secrets from Chef Roberto Santibañez and Rosa Mexicano, we're considering a few tweaks to Mr. Brown's recipe. We suggest making the chile paste using the onion, cilantro, jalapeño and salt, but then stir in the cumin, cayenne pepper and garlic before incorporating the avocado and tomato.

Mr. Brown also uses a molcajete, so we're three for three among guacamole experts who recommend this prep tool. Plus guacamole just looks more authentic served in a molcajete.

Homemade Guacamole Recipes: Get Creative

Say you've mastered the classics and you want to change up your guacamole. We found three delicious ways to do just that.

Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole by Katie at the Kitchen Door

Like two of the classics above, this recipe calls for making a chile paste, but with garlic instead of salt. Salt is added at the end, along with mango chunks and pomegranate seeds. Katie's recipe is adapted from this one on Epicurious, and we like how she substituted garlic in place of lime juice.

Grilled Corn Guacamole by The Pioneer Woman

We're already big fans of fresh corn on the cob, so we love the idea of adding it to guacamole. The Pioneer Woman approaches guacamole similar to Alton Brown: dice it all up and mix it all together. We still advocate for making a chile paste to coat the avocado chunks first. Then fold the other ingredients into it, including as much grilled corn as you like.

Spiced Black Bean Guacamole by Good Habits and Guilty Pleasures

Like The Pioneer Woman's recipe above, this one from Good Habits and Guilty Pleasures mixes all the ingredients together at once. Be advised this is definitely a spicy guacamole recipe -- there's both jalapeño and Tabasco in there! The addition of green onions is intriguing too. We would scale back on the lime juice and use minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Definitely try spreading this one on toast, or use this guacamole as sandwich filling!