Easy Guacamole for One Recipe

Whether you just have one avocado that you need to use or want guacamole but have no one to share it with, this is the recipe for you.

I’ve never really lived alone. I shared a room with my brother in the beginning of my childhood, and even when we did get our own space, I still had to walk through his room to get to mine. I went to boarding school for high school, with a new roommate each year, and lived in a hall filled with other too-smart-for-our-own-good teenagers. I stayed in the dorms all four years of college, serving as an RA the latter half to help cover the expense of attending a private university. And in my decade plus of living in New York City, I’ve always had at least one roommate. My current one I’ve been with for over eight of those years, and now her fiancé is in the mix too, making us a modern day Three’s Company.

And then the pandemic happened.

The three of us sheltered in a place for the first couple of weeks in our sizable-for-New York City-standards-but-still-small-compared-to-anywhere-else apartment, but the lack of both indoor and outdoor space coupled with the pull of a new niece drew them to her sister’s house in Ohio. And they’ve been there ever since.

I could have gone with if I wanted to, but the idea of being by myself for a while felt like a challenge I should face. And so I have. While I miss the opportunity of physical contact with another human, I’ve appreciated the ample solo time for my thoughts to roam free. Although they can get to be too much at times, I have decided to take advantage of this space that I have now—however long it may last.

But should you find yourself in a similar situation and in need of an escape from the caverns of your mind—or just have one avocado that you need to use up—making guacamole to enjoy by yourself is a pleasant distraction. You can use this simple guac recipe as a base to come up with your own concoction. And when the time comes that we are able to reunite with friends and family, you can multiply your recipe to share it with them.

What Can I Make with One Avocado?

If you’re tired of avocado toast, then guacamole is obviously the answer. Of course, many people usually make guacamole in large batches for a crowd of people, but it also scales down perfectly to feed a party of one.

How Do You Make Guacamole from Scratch?

Making guacamole starts with ripe avocados. You can tell if an avocado is ripe by pressing it gently and if there’s some give then you’re a good to go. You don’t want them to be completely mush or else they might have gone too far. You can help ripen your avocados by placing them in a sealed brown paper bag at room temperature until softened.

Once ripe, cut open the avocados, discard the pit, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork, mix in the rest of the ingredients that you’re using, and season with salt to taste. And voila! That’s all it takes to make guacamole.

Basic Guacamole Ingredients

In my opinion, all you really need to make guacamole are ripe avocados, lime juice, and salt. Everything else is extra. Sure, you can add things like diced red onion, roasted tomatillos, ground cumin, chopped fresh cilantro, or diced jalapeño chiles to tailor it to your specific tastes, but you can make guacamole that’s absolutely sublime with just three ingredients.

What Can I Use Instead of Lime in Guacamole?

Acid is key to a good guacamole, which is usually provided by fresh-squeezed lime juice. If you don’t have any limes in your kitchen, a substitute that I’ve enjoyed is the liquid from a jar of pickled jalapeños. Other things you could try are other fresh citrus fruit juices (i.e. lemon, grapefruit, or maybe even orange) or a splash of vinegar.

How to Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown

The avocados in the guacamole turn brown because of exposure to air after an extended period of time. Even if the guacamole does turn brown, it is still safe to eat—though it probably doesn’t look as appetizing. The best way to keep guac from browning is to store it in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed up against the surface of the dip so that there isn’t any contact with air.