3-Ingredient Tomatillo Guacamole

From the kitchen of Carly

Tomatillo salsa brightens creamy avocado in this bare-bones guacamole that takes three minutes flat. The green tang cuts through richness while lime and salt keep everything balanced. It's guac stripped to its essentials, bold and fresh.

3-Ingredient Tomatillo Guacamole

Tomatillo salsa does the heavy lifting here, cutting through rich avocado with bright acid and a touch of heat while you skip the knife work. The result is chunky, slightly tangy guacamole that tastes intentional, not like you ran out of time. Fresh lime juice keeps the color locked in.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
n/a
Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 3avocados, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cupmild or medium heat tomatillo salsa
  • 1 tbspfresh lime juice
  • 1/2 tspkosher salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the avocado, salsa, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl, then work everything together with a fork until you have a rough, textured mash. Taste it and dial in the seasoning with more lime juice or salt as needed.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Use a fork to break down avocado coarsely, leaving some texture. Over-mashing makes it feel mushy and loses what makes guacamole worth eating.
  • Taste before you serve. Tomatillo salsas vary wildly in salt and heat, so adjust lime and salt in small increments until the avocado comes forward.
  • Make this just before serving or within 30 minutes. Avocado oxidizes fast, so minimize time between mixing and eating.

Variations

  • Charred jalapeño: Char a jalapeño under the broiler, mince it, and swap in for some of the salsa for a smoky edge.
  • Cotija crumble: Finish with a scatter of cotija cheese and a crack of black pepper for salty, funky depth.
  • Cilantro version: Tear in a small handful of fresh cilantro right before serving if you love the herb.
  • Poblano swap: Use mild charred poblano salsa instead of tomatillo for earthier, less acidic guac.

Make ahead and storage

Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to block air, then refrigerate up to 4 hours. Not a freezer candidate. If it browns slightly on top, scrape that layer off and the good stuff underneath is fine.