Learn to Make Guacamole for a Crowd

If you’re hosting a watch party for the big game, a birthday celebration, or simply a gathering of friends at your home, you want to be the host with the most — the most guacamole, that is.

We don’t doubt that your friends love dipping into always good guacamole. But have you ever made your world-famous guacamole for a crowd? Nothing kills a party faster than a dry guac bowl, so it’s important to make sure there’s enough to go around.

If you’ve never made guacamole for a crowd, you may be wondering, “How many avocados per person do I need for guacamole?” or even “How much guacamole do I need per person?” These tips and tricks will help you make enough guacamole for everyone (even pesky party crashers) to enjoy, all while keeping things fresh.

How Many Avocados Do I Need?

Calculating how many avocados per person for the right amount of guacamole doesn’t have to be overly complicated. It depends on your guacamole recipe, but a good rule to follow is roughly half an avocado per person. Count your guests and divide by two to yield the number of avocados you’ll need. It’s not rocket science, it’s guac-it science.

Picking Avocados in Time for the Party

Making guacamole for a crowd calls for the right avocados — ripe avocados. A good rule of thumb is that the darker the avocado, the riper it is. You can also give an avocado a light squeeze; if it gives a little, it’s ready to party.

To make enough guacamole for a crowd, consider getting your avocados a couple of days in advance. Here’s a cheat sheet for perfect timing:

• If the party is today or tomorrow, buy dark green avocados with bumpy skin that are slightly soft when you squeeze them.
• If the party is in two or three days, buy green, firm avocados. Leave them on the counter until the day of the party — they’ll ripen just in time!
• If the party is in four or five days, buy green and firm avocados and store them in the refrigerator. Two or three days before the big day, take them out and let them ripen on the counter.

See what we mean in this video:

How to Make Guacamole for a Crowd

Basic guacamole is mashed Avocados From Mexico, lime juice, and salt. Traditional ingredients include chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, and cilantro — you can’t go wrong with that. But since everyone has different tastes, making guacamole for a big crowd means you’ll need to make something for everyone. Good thing guacamole is the most customizable snack food in the world.

When you’re preparing guacamole for a crowd, here are some things to consider:

1. Spice: Some like it hot, others do not. If you have fire-eaters coming over, consider making a bowl of spicy guacamole just for them. Here’s our pepper-picking guide.
2. Texture: Are you a chunky guac person? Or do you keep things smoooooth?
3. Allergies/Diets: Do any of your guests have allergies or diets to consider? Don’t give up on the guacamole. It’s easy to make gluten-free guacamole, and there are plenty of vegan options, too, like this vegan guacamole recipe with tofu.
4. Crazy Ingredients: Some guests may enjoy horseradish- or gochujang-infused guacamole, but not everyone will appreciate such a unique twist on the party food. We say follow your heart, but maybe serve up something more traditional, too.

A fun solution to make sure everyone at your shindig has the perfect guacamole: Set up a DIY guacamole bar. Not only will this take the guesswork out of calculating how much guacamole to make per person, but guests can mash their own custom dip and make things as simple, spicy, or wacky as they want. Win-win-win-etc.

How to Store Leftover Guacamole

When the party’s a-rockin’, folks are a-guacin’. But when the fun ends and your guests head home, you might have some leftover guacamole. Lucky you! Even if you’ve accurately calculated how many avocados per person you need for guac, there might be some extra. The good news about leftover guac: You can store it for later.

When avocado flesh is exposed to oxygen, it oxidizes and turns brown. Our favorite way to prevent guac from turning brown is to squirt lime juice over the guac and cover it with plastic cling film. Make sure the cling film is pressed firmly against the surface and has no air pockets. Store it in the refrigerator, and your guac will remain bright green, fresh, and delicious for a couple of days. The party lives on!

Get more avocado inspiration on our recipes page.