This bold and flavorful guacamole recipe combines creamy avocados, sautéed shrimp, garlic, fresh lime juice, and simple seasonings for the ultimate appetizer. It’s the best guacamole for tacos, chips, or entertaining — easy to make and packed with fresh, punchy flavors.

This is an image of a bowl of guacamole with a shrimp on top. It's sitting on a beige towel surrounded by tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime

Some recipes are just recipes — and then there are the ones that stick with you, the kind you crave for years and recreate with your own twist. This Best Guacamole Recipe is that kind of recipe for me. It’s creamy, bright, loaded with fresh flavor… and yes, there’s shrimp in it. Trust me on this.

Back in high school, I worked at a local Mexican restaurant called Agave, and they served a shrimp and garlic guacamole that completely changed the game for me. It was bold, unexpected, and somehow made chips and dip feel like a five-star appetizer. I was hooked. So years later, I brought that memory into my own kitchen and made it mine — with fresh lime, ripe avocados, and garlicky sautéed shrimp.

This guacamole isn’t just a dip — it’s a moment. It’s perfect for entertaining, taco nights, or honestly, just spoiling yourself after a long day. It’s also one of those dishes that reminds me why I started this blog in the first place: to share recipes that connect us, that turn ordinary evenings into memories, and that feel just as good to make as they do to eat.

Whether you’re prepping for a backyard get-together or just want to elevate your snack game, this Best Guacamole lives up to the name.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS GUACAMOLE RECIPE

Ripe avocados

Roma tomatoes

Red onion

Jalapeno

Garlic cloves

Cilantro

Fresh lime

Salt and pepper

Fresh or frozen shrimp

Butter

HOW TO MAKE THIS GUACAMOLE RECIPE

First, grab your ripe avocados — give them a good peel, remove the pits, and mash them up in a large mixing bowl until they’re nice and creamy. Don’t worry if it’s a little chunky, that just adds texture!

Next, it’s time to whip up a quick and fresh Pico de Gallo. In a separate bowl, toss together your finely chopped garlic, onion, and jalapeño. This is going to bring so much flavor and a little kick to the mix!

Now, add in the roughly chopped cilantro, squeeze in some bright, zesty lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give everything a good stir to bring all those fresh ingredients together.

Scoop about 1 cup of your homemade Pico de Gallo into the bowl with your mashed avocados, and gently fold it in. The flavors will start to marry beautifully!

Next up: the shrimp. If you’re using frozen shrimp, just run them under cold water to thaw — super quick and easy.

This is an image of uncooked shrimp sitting in a pan

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s nice and bubbly, add your shrimp, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook until they turn that gorgeous pink color and are cooked through.

Once they’re done, remove the shrimp from the pan, chop them into small, bite-sized pieces, and add them straight into your guacamole mixture.

This is an image of a bowl of guacamole surrounded by cooked shrimp, salt, and cilantro
This is an image of a bowl of guacamole with cooked shrimp on top surrounded by salt and cilantro

Give everything a good stir to combine, making sure the shrimp is evenly distributed. And there you have it! Serve it all up in a big bowl with your favorite tortilla chips and get ready to watch it disappear — I think after trying it you’ll agree that it’s the best guacamole recipe.

This is an image of guacamole with cooked shrimp on top. It's sitting on a beige towel and surrounded by tortilla chips, salt, and cilantro

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I have to add the shrimp?

Nope! If you’re not a fan of shrimp, simply omit it from the recipe.

This is an image of crispy chicken on a taco with elote on the side. It's sitting on a white plate

Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Elote

Easy, flavorful Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Elote — a simple weeknight dinner that is packed with bold flavors.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ripe avocados mashed
  • 3 roma tomatoes diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • Cilantro
  • 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 lb. Fresh or frozen shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions
 

  • Peel your avocados, remove the pits, and mash them up in a large mixing bowl until they’re nice and creamy. Don’t worry if it’s a little chunky, that just adds texture!
  • In a separate bowl, toss together your diced tomato, finely chopped garlic, onion, and jalapeño. This is going to bring so much flavor and a little kick to the mix!
  • Stir until the ingredients are combined and serve in a large bowl with your favorite tortilla chips.
  • Add in the roughly chopped cilantro, squeeze in some lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give everything a good stir.
  • Scoop about 1 cup of the pico de gallo into the bowl with the mashed avocados, and gently fold it in.
  • If you’re using frozen shrimp, run them under cold water to thaw.
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add in the shrimp, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
  • Remove shrimp from pan and cut into small pieces, then add to the guacamole mixture.
  • Stir until the ingredients are combined and serve in a large bowl with your favorite tortilla chips.