Ingredients
- 3 –4 ripe avocados
- 1/2 sweet pepper finely chopped (or 1–2 jalapeños)
- 1 tomato finely chopped
- 1/2 red onion finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 pinches of salt
Instructions
- Peel the avocados, remove the pits, and cut into small cubes. Place them in a bowl.
- Add the chopped cilantro, garlic, red onion, pepper, and tomato.
- Drizzle in the olive oil and lime juice, then sprinkle with salt and paprika. Gently mix everything together until well combined. Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips for the Best Avocado Salsa
- Check ripeness with the stem test: Flick the small stub at the top of the avocado. If it comes off easily and the spot underneath is green, it's ready. If the spot is brown, skip it — that avocado is past its prime on the inside.
- Rinse your red onion: A 30-second cold-water rinse on the chopped onion tones down the sharpness without removing flavor. It's an old restaurant trick for any raw-onion application.
- Don't skip the chill: 15 minutes in the fridge makes a real difference. The lime and garlic settle into the avocado and the whole thing tastes more cohesive. Serving it immediately out of the bowl means raw, sharp garlic up front.
- Fresh lime juice only: Bottled juice is flat and slightly bitter. This recipe has so few ingredients that the quality of each one matters — squeeze real limes.
- Taste before serving: Avocados vary in saltiness and fat content depending on ripeness. Always do a final season adjustment right before it goes on the table.
- Use smoked paprika, not regular: Regular paprika adds color but not much flavor. The smoky version is what makes people ask what's different about this salsa. Don't swap it out.