Guacamole Seasoning

If you want to make fresh guac at the drop of a hat, keep a stash of homemade guacamole seasoning in your cupboard. It’s got all the right elements you want in a classic guacamole without overpowering the delicate flavor and texture of the avocado. This guacamole seasoning recipe features a bit of sharpness from onions, depth from garlic, and mild heat from spices and chiles.

When the next game night or impromptu potluck hits your calendar—or when you stumble upon perfectly ripe avocados at the store—you’ll be glad to have guacamole seasoning at the ready.

Guacamole Seasoning Ingredients

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• Dried cilantro flakes: Dried cilantro doesn’t have the same intense zip as fresh cilantro, and this may work in your favor when you’re feeding diners who don’t love the taste of cilantro (it is a polarizing herb). If you have fresh cilantro in your garden, learn how to dry herbs so you can preserve it for months to come.
• Garlic powder: You can find dried garlic in all sorts of forms: minced, sliced, granulated, flaked and powdered. The powdered form dissolves well into other ingredients.
• Ground cumin: Cumin isn’t traditional in guacamole, but its flavor is right at home. Ground cumin adds a familiar, aromatic earthiness that complements the herbaceous flavors in guac.
• Salt: Salt is an essential part of a guacamole seasoning recipe. If you prefer the feel of larger salt crystals when you eat, go for kosher salt. Or, simply choose any type of salt you prefer.
• Onion powder: Like garlic, dried onion comes in many forms. The powdered version has a slightly sweet, sharp flavor without the harsh raw onion taste.
• Cayenne pepper: This spicy type of pepper rates around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). If this packs too much heat for you, try something lower on the scale, like paprika or Anaheim pepper. Or, simply skip it!

Directions

Step 1: Mix everything together

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In a small bowl, combine the cilantro flakes, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, onion powder and cayenne.

Editor’s Tip: Mix the seasoning well so no one gets a bite of guac full of cayenne. Stir everything together with a small whisk to break up any clumps. You can also place everything in a small jar, then seal it and shake well.

Step 2: Store the guacamole seasoning

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Store the seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to six months. When you’re ready to used the seasoning, mix it with two mashed ripe avocados.

Editor’s Tip: You know that fresh herbs will turn mushy and rancid after a week or two in the fridge, but do spices expire? They sure do. They’ll eventually lose their potent aroma, color and flavor after anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on the spice or dried herb.

Recipe Variations

• Use or add Tajin: Tajin is a delicious Mexican seasoning made from dried and ground red chilis, sea salt and dehydrated lime juice. Add a sprinkle or two to your homemade guacamole seasoning recipe for heat and lime flavor.
• Sub fresh herbs and garlic: Swap in finely chopped fresh cilantro and garlic for the dried cilantro and garlic. (Use our fresh to dried herb conversion chart to do the math.) You’ll have to use this mixture up quickly, though, since the fresh ingredients will go bad within a week. Store fresh guacamole seasoning in an airtight container in the fridge for three to seven days.
• Toast and grind cumin seeds: For unmatched aroma and flavor, toast and grind your own cumin seeds instead of using the stuff in a jar. Follow the directions from our cumin-roasted carrots recipe.
• Add some smoke: A little smoke goes a long way in enhancing other flavors. Add a pinch of smoked paprika or guajillo chile powder to your guacamole seasoning recipe.
• Try dried lime zest: As a key ingredient in guacamole, lime zest would be awesome in this seasoning. If you can’t find dried zest at the store, make your own using our lime salt recipe.

How to Store Guacamole Seasoning

Light, heat and humidity are the enemies of dried herbs, spices and seasonings. Store your homemade guacamole seasoning in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and temperature swings. A cabinet or cupboard is probably perfect. Avoid keeping your spices above the oven/stovetop or in front of windows.

How long does guacamole seasoning last?

If stored properly, your guacamole seasoning will last up to six months. It will still be edible beyond that, but its potency will drastically decline over time.

Guacamole Seasoning Tips

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What else can you put in guacamole?

Guacamole is a friend to many fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, so you can get pretty creative with add-ins. Tropical, summery fruits like pineapple and mango are excellent when incorporated into guac. Our mango avocado salsa is good inspiration.

Tender leafy herbs like basil, mint and parsley bring new dimensions of flavor to your guac, so experiment with what’s in your garden.

Instead of adding raw onion to your guac, as many recipes call for, add grilled onion. It will add a charred sweetness that even onion skeptics will embrace.

Once you’ve gotten your guac right where you want it, have fun experimenting with ways to top your guacamole. Fruits, corn, beans, cheeses—there’s no limit here.

How else can you use guacamole seasoning?

This guacamole seasoning recipe would be excellent in other Mexican-inspired dishes. Add it to ground meat or a tofu mixture for a taco or burrito filling. Fold it into softened butter to make a flavored butter recipe that you can smear over breakfast tortas, Machaca beef dip sandwiches or Mexican cornbread.

How much guacamole seasoning do you need to make guacamole?

To make your fresh guacamole using this seasoning, simply mix the prepared seasoning with two ripe avocados. Mash the guacamole to the texture you prefer, whether chunky or silky smooth.