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How To Make Guacamole In A Molcajete

October 4, 2017 By Patrick 13 Comments

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In addition to mind-bending salsas, the molcajete can also make a lip-smacking batch of guacamole that might have you re-evaluating your kitchen gear.

Crushing an onion-jalapeno-cilantro mixture in the molcajete releases additional flavors that meld effortlessly with the avocado, and you’re left with a batch of Guac that’s more cohesive than traditional guacamole recipes.

In other words, it tastes really good.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

How To Make Guacamole In A Molcajete

The alternative title for this post is…

The World’s Most Subtle (And Best) Guacamole

Partly because we’ve always been a big fan of keeping guacamole simple, but mostly because the molcajete will allow you to keep it even simpler.

Crushing the veggies in the molcajete releases a burst of flavor that you won’t get from traditional chopping, so you’ll need even less veggies to begin with.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

You can start by finely chopping 1/4 onion, 1/2 jalapeno and 10 sprigs of cilantro.  You’ll have extra of each veggie but that’s perfect because there is some taste testing down the road and you might need a little more.

Our starting point for the onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste is:

2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Here’s what that looks like:

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

Doesn’t look like much does it?  But don’t forget that you’re using one of these:

You might be surprised the first time you try salsa made in a molcajete. Crushing the veggies releases additional oils and creates an explosion of flavor that traditional salsas don't have. So good! mexicanplease.com

Our previous post on making salsa in a molcajete has tips on working with these beauties if you are new to them.

Add the chopped ingredients to the molcajete along with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of a single lime.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

For your future batches of Guac, a good ratio to keep in mind is 1/4 teaspoon of salt per avocado.  That’s what we’re starting with here, but you are welcome to undershoot a little bit and leave some room for a final seasoning at the end.

Use the pestle to crush these ingredients into a paste-like substance.  Keep a spatula close by to help corral the paste.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

Crushing these ingredients will release additional oils that lie dormant when lightly chopped, so don’t skip this step!  It’s the primary reason that molcajetes are making such a big comeback.

Add the flesh of three ripe avocados and use the pestle to show them who the boss is.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

They will instantly transform from avocados into guacamole under the weight of your new favorite kitchen tool.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

And now take a taste!

I’m always surprised how complete it tastes with so little effort involved.  I do think that the vast majority of guacamole recipes have too many fixings that end up stealing the show from the main attraction (the avocados).

I know some of you will want a little more oomph, but I think it’s worth trying out this World’s Most Subtle Version.  It’s so good when the avocados are seasoned well and there is just a hint of flavor from the onion-jalapeno-cilantro mixture.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

And of course, the burst of acidity from the lime brings it all together.  Keep an extra lime around for some final tweaking.  I added another squeeze of lime and a final pinch of salt to this batch.

I also think it tastes best when the heat can barely be heard in the background, but remember that you’ve got leftover chopped jalapeno so you can always add a bit more.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

With regards to additional fixings or amping up the flavor, one thing to keep in mind is how you’re going to use the guacamole.

I’d say 9 out of 10 times I make this I’m using it in tacos, burritos, or enchiladas that already have loads of flavor.  That’s a perfect fit for the super subtle version we’ve made here today.

Of course, if the Guac is the star attraction of the appetizer table then it might be more appropriate to load it up with a few more fixings (tomatoes, garlic, more cilantro and jalapeno, etc.)

But there’s a good chance this simple Molcajete version will be high on your list the next time you’re craving some Guac.  It’s so satisfying and it’s definitely willing to accommodate your taste buds with a few final tweaks.

Buen Provecho.

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

How To Make Guacamole In A Molcajete

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 (2-3 cups)
Calories: 124kcal
Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 3 avocados
  • 2 tablespoons onion
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeno
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 limes

Instructions

  • Start by chopping up 1/4 onion, 1/2 jalapeno, and 10 sprigs of cilantro. 
  • Add 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno, and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro to the molcajete along with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of 1 lime.  Grind into a paste using the pestle.
  • Add the flesh of three ripe avocados to the mixture and combine well. 
  • Take a taste for seasoning.  I added another pinch of salt and another squeeze of lime to this batch.
  • Serve immediately and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Notes

You'll probably have leftover onion, jalapeno, and cilantro that can be use to add additional flavor after some final taste testing.  
 
A good ratio to keep in mind for future batches is 1/4 teaspoon of salt for each avocado that you use. 
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

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Filed Under: Appetizers/Sides, Mexican Cooking 101, Most Recent

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelvin

    April 30, 2022 at 7:33 pm

    Been going to Mexico for 20 plus years. Always wanted a molcajete but th weight in my luggage prevented me from getting one. Was down in March and bought an authentic one. YOUR RECIPE IS THE BOMB!! Just made a batch. Thank you for sharing.

    Kelvin

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 5, 2022 at 3:53 pm

      Ahh awesome, so glad you tried out some Guac in a real deal molcajete! Cheers.

      Reply
  2. Bette W

    January 16, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this, Patrick! I just made a small batch because I only had two viable avocados (the third was overripe and brown inside and I had to get rid of it-always sad) and it was delicious – I just used slightly less of everything and it turned out great. I got a molcajete for Christmas and this is the first thing I’ve made in it. Used a clove of garlic and a Serrano pepper instead of the jalapeño. It smelled amazing as soon as I started to make the paste! Can’t wait to try a salsa in my new toy!!!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      January 17, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      Ahh good to know Bette, so glad to hear that you’re a fan of Guac as it used to be made 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  3. Liz

    July 20, 2021 at 3:32 pm

    What size molcajete do you recommend? We are a family of 6.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 23, 2021 at 11:44 am

      Hey Liz! I use the 8-inch molcajete and I think that would be a good option for a family of 6. You can see that one in action on the molcajete page. Cheers.

      Reply
  4. Lolly

    January 18, 2021 at 12:22 pm

    I bought the very same mortar and pestle recently. I’ve been intrigued by what this ancient tool can do and this guacamole is the first recipe I tried out using it.

    This guacamole doesn’t just taste good. Good isn’t enough word to describe it.

    It’s sublime.

    Yes, every word of what you wrote was true. I could actually taste the onion, not so much the cilantro, but the jalapeno was amazing. I don’t like the heat of jalapenos, but I love the flavor so I roasted mine and each bite of this guac had the terrific essence of jalapeno flavor in it, not just heat.

    This is how I’ll make guac from now on.

    Thank you for the directions and the beautiful pics too.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      January 18, 2021 at 1:03 pm

      Thanks Lolly, I’m so glad you’ve now got a molcajete in the house! Such a gamechanger 🙂

      Reply
  5. Jane

    October 27, 2020 at 8:36 am

    5 stars
    So easy to make and tastes so much nicer than shop bought !

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 28, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      🙂

      Reply
  6. Andrew Lee

    May 3, 2020 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    This came out amazing. I didn’t have a molcajete so I made do with mashing a mason jar (as my pestle) in a mixing bowl. I think the oils still came out!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 4, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      Yup that should do it, thanks much for mentioning this adjustment Andrew! Cheers.

      Reply
  7. Diana

    January 6, 2019 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! I’m just getting started with my molcajete and love “unadulterated” guacamole! I didn’t have jalapeño so I substituted a chili guerito and added a dash of pepper at the end.a

    Reply

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