Spicy Guacamole (Mexico City–Style Avocado Salsa)

Name: Spicy Guacamole (Mexico City–Style Avocado Salsa)
Yield: yields
Ingredients: 16 cups water; 2 1/2 cups dried hibiscus; 1 cinnamon stick, ideally Mexican, broken into pieces; Sugar, to taste (start with 1 cup)

servings

1½–2 cups

Prep

cook

Last updated on

February 21, 2026

If you’ve spent any time eating your way through Mexico City, you already know that “guacamole” doesn’t always mean the chunky avocado dip people think it is. In CDMX, guacamole is often thinner, brighter, and spicier. This style shows up everywhere: at restaurants, in people's homes, and in neighborhood taquerías. It’s meant to be spicy, limey, and alive, not subtle. It’s the kind of guac that makes people ask, “Wait… what did you put in this?” and the answer is always: more lime than you think. This salsa is perfect for almost anything: tacos, grilled meats, eggs, or snacking.

Notes & Tips

Consistency: Add water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable but still thick texture.
Storage: Stays green longer than most guacamoles, but is still best within a few days.
Flavor tip: Don't be shy with the lime! If you want, you can omit the water and substitute all lime juice. This recipe is very customizable and forgiving.

Salsas

Spicy Guacamole (Mexico City–Style Avocado Salsa)

serves

1½–2 cups

prep in

minutes

cook for

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
1–6 serrano chiles (or jalapeños)
2–4 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 4 large limes (The lime juice is doing heavy lifting here. Don’t skimp!)
1 small handful fresh cilantro
About ½ cup water, plus more as needed
Salt to taste

Directions

Remove the stems from the chiles. You can remove or leave the seeds — just handle them carefully.
In a blender, add the serranos, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, ½ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.
Scoop in the avocado and blend again until smooth. Add more water as needed to reach your preferred consistency — it should be thick but blendable.
Taste and adjust: add more lime if it needs brightness, more salt if it tastes flat, or another chile if you can handle the heat.
Serve immediately. This guacamole doesn’t brown quickly thanks to all the lime juice, but it’s still best fresh.