The Mexican dip made from mashed avocado, lime juice, and cilantro is guacamole.
Guacamole is traditionally prepared by mashing ripe avocados with salt, often using a molcajete, a Mexican mortar and pestle. Lime juice and cilantro are common additions, while onion, jalapeño, tomato, and other ingredients vary by household and region. It may be served as a dip, spread, salad, or condiment.
The name comes from Classical Nahuatl āhuacamōlli, meaning “avocado sauce,” combining words for avocado and sauce. Avocados have been cultivated in Mesoamerica for thousands of years: avocado seeds found in Mexico’s Tehuacán Valley date to roughly 9,000–10,000 years ago, and domestication followed later.
Guacamole is sometimes confused with salsa verde or pico de gallo because all may accompany tortilla dishes, but they are different preparations. Guacamole’s defining base is mashed avocado. Its green color can darken when exposed to air because avocado enzymes oxidize, which is why tightly covering the surface helps slow browning.