The History and Origins of Guacamole

Who invented guacamole? The guacamole we know today is a result of modernization. But we do know that guacamole’s base ingredient, the avocado, was an essential source of sustenance for the Aztecs between the 14th and 16th centuries. In one of their dishes, the Aztecs mashed avocado with a mortar and pestle before adding chopped tomatoes, green chiles, and salt before enjoying this meal with warm tortillas. Sounds familiar, right?

The Aztecs named this avocado dip ahuacamolli, which is a combination of the native words for avocado (ahucatl) and sauce (molli). Ahuacamolli might just be the OG (original guac).

In 1519, Spanish conquistadors reached modern-day Mexican shores and quickly developed a taste for ahuacamolli. They began to adapt the original avocado dish to their tastes, incorporating ingredients they had brought to the Americas from Europe, including onions, lime, and cilantro, and christened the dip “guacamole.”

The Spaniards also introduced lard, which they used to fry the tortillas that traditionally accompanied the original Aztec guacamole. The crispy bits of fried dough made it easier to scoop up the delicious dip.

Guacamole history doesn’t end with the conquistadors. The dip dish that the Spaniards created forms the basis for the guacamole that modernity munches on. More than 400 years after the conquest of the Aztecs, Hass avocados made their way to America, and the popularity of the fruit — and the delicious dip — gradually grew. Today, there are so many versions of guacamole — from meat lovers’ mixes to fresh fruit favorites.