Spicy Guacamole Recipe With One Avocado (Quick & Easy)

Wondering what to do with a single avocado? Try this spicy guacamole recipe! With one avocado, you can easily make up to two portions of this deliciousness and add heat using your favorite type of chili pepper. 🌶️

spicy guacamole recipe with one avocado in bowl

Speaking of heat, you can use more than just a chile to spice up this guac (more on that below). The best part? Since you’re cooking for one, you’ll likely finish it in one sitting — no need to worry about leftovers in the fridge. 😀

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

bowl of freshly made spicy guacamole

This recipe uses just seven ingredients (or six if you want to make a guacamole recipe without cilantro).

Guac can go on so many things — like dips, tacos, soups, eggs — or you can eat it straight out of the bowl. Bonus: The healthy fats in the avocado help keep you feeling full.

I love this easy guacamole recipe because it’s perfect when I need something scaled down. Or when I want something simple and healthy (no junk food today—ha!).

In my opinion, the best guacamole recipe with one avocado makes use of what you already have in the kitchen and leaves no waste. (And is delicious, of course!) That’s exactly you’ll find here. 😀

Guacamole Ingredients

spicy guacamole ingredients on a cutting board
Spicy Guacamole Recipe Ingredients
  • Avocado: Make sure it’s ripe (it should squish a bit when pressed). If your avocado is rock-hard, let it sit for a couple of days.
  • Salt: Kosher or sea salt (1/4 teaspoon) enhances the guacamole flavors. Don’t use iodized (table salt) because it can create a metallic taste.
  • Onion or Shallot: Red, yellow, or white onions (1 tablespoon minced) all work. Otherwise, use 1/2 a minced shallot.
  • Garlic: One minced clove or a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder works. (Omit if you’re not a fan of garlic.)
  • Lime: Use freshly squeezed lime juice from 1/2 a lime or 1 tablespoon of pure lime juice.
  • Pepper: You can use any diced pepper you want, but Mexican chiles like Jalapeno (milder), Serrano (spicier), or Habanero (hot) are commonly used in guacamole. Note: Remove the pepper seeds and membrane for less heat.
  • Cilantro (optional): Use 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro if you’d like, but this simple guacamole recipe is delicious without it!

How to Make This Spicy Guacamole Recipe With One Avocado

These easy steps take about 10 minutes and make two servings of guacamole.

Prepare the Onions

Soaking onions and salt in lime juice
Soaking Onions & Salt in Lime Juice

Mince your onion or shallot and add it to a small bowl. Add the salt and lime juice, then mix everything. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Note: Soaking the onion or shallot in lime juice helps mellow its raw flavor. This prevents it from overpowering the other ingredients.

Cut the Avocado

Adding one avocado to make the spicy guacamole
Preparing & Adding Avocado

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit — either scoop it out or carefully tap it with a knife and twist it loose. (1) Peel the skin from one half of the avocado and mash it with a fork in a separate bowl. (2)

Now, cube the second half of the avocado by slicing it lengthwise and crosswise with a knife. (3)

Mix Everything Together

Mashing Spicy Guacamole

Pour the lime juice mixture into the bowl with the mashed avocado and mix to combine. Add the remaining ingredients — garlic, pepper, and cilantro (if using) — and stir everything together.

(Note: You can also spice up your guacamole with these variations.)

Fold in the cubed avocado, mashing it until you reach your desired texture. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper if you like.

Recipe Notes

  • Too Spicy? Add more avocado (if you have it), or stir in a spoonful of sour cream to tone it down.
  • Leftovers? If you don’t finish all your guac, you can store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. To keep it fresh, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to minimize air exposure and help prevent browning. (More on storing leftovers safely.)

Variations on How to Make Guac Spicy

cayenne pepper with dried peppers
Ground Cayenne Powder

If you’d like to make a spicy guacamole recipe without Jalapeños or other peppers, here are a couple of suggestions:

  • Pepper powder: Cayenne (or a Cayenne pepper substitute) provides a nice medium heat, but feel free to use any powder you enjoy. Start with 1/8 teaspoon, then taste test and add more in small increments until you reach your desired level of heat and flavor.
  • Hot sauce: Begin by mixing in 1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce or Sriracha. Taste, and then add more as needed to get the perfect flavor and heat combo.

Note: I don’t recommend red pepper flakes because their chunkier texture doesn’t flavor the guacamole as evenly as a powder.

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Equipment Suggestions

You don’t need any special tools to make this recipe, but here are some items that make things easier.

  • Chef’s Knife: A sharp knife is essential for chopping and dicing the ingredients in this recipe. Plus, it makes removing the avocado pit much easier!
  • Garlic Press: Skip the hand mincing — use a garlic press to get perfectly minced garlic with just one squeeze.
  • Avocado Keeper: Keep your leftover avocados fresher for longer (an extra 2 to 3 days) in the fridge.
spicy guacamole recipe with one avocado in bowl

Spicy Guacamole Recipe With One Avocado

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Cooking for one? This spicy guacamole recipe is perfect for using up that last avocado. Add it to tacos, eggs, soup—or just enjoy it straight out of the bowl!

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon onion or 1/2 a shallot minced
  • 1/2 lime juiced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp diced Jalapeno (milder), Serrano pepper (spicier), or Habanero (hot)
  • Optional: Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: 1-2 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro

Instructions

  1. Combine your onion or shallot, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a fork to mash half of the avocado in a separate bowl.
  3. Pour the lime juice mixture into the avocado bowl and combine. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir everything together.
  4. Cube the remaining half of the avocado and add it to the bowl. Mash the mixture until it has the texture you prefer.
  5. Taste your spicy guacamole. Add more salt if needed. Finish with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper if you like.

Notes

  • Heat Level: Remove the pepper seeds and membrane for less heat. If your guac is too spicy, add more avocado (if you have it), or mix in a spoonful of sour cream to tone it down.
  • Variations: You can use 1/8 teaspoon of pepper powder or 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or Sriracha in place of fresh peppers. Taste as you go, adding more to achieve your ideal flavor and heat balance.

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AUTHOR

Jenny is the creator of Grow Hot Peppers. She is a self-taught gardener and has been growing peppers and a plethora of veggies for over 10 years. When she’s not writing or gardening, she loves eating spicy foods, hiking, and going to the ocean.

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