Is Guacamole Vegan? (Yes: Here’s What to Watch)

Guacamole is mashed avocado with lime and vegetables, and it is vegan by default. The only thing to watch is a rare addition of dairy. Here is how to be sure.

Key Takeaways

• Guacamole is vegan: mashed avocado, lime, onion, cilantro and chili.
• Authentic guacamole has no dairy at all.
• A few restaurants stretch it with sour cream or mayonnaise.
• If it is pale and creamy, or the menu lists “crema,” check for dairy.

TL;DR: Guacamole is vegan: mashed avocado with lime, onion, cilantro, chili and salt. The only thing to watch for is a rare addition of sour cream or mayonnaise.

What’s in guacamole

• Avocado: the base.
• Lime juice: keeps it green.
• Onion, cilantro, tomato, chili, salt: the seasoning.

All plant-based.

The one thing to watch

A few restaurants stretch guacamole with sour cream or mayonnaise. Authentic guacamole has neither: if the texture is creamy and pale, or the menu lists “crema”, it may have dairy.

The bottom line

• Vegetarian? Yes.
• Vegan? Yes: just confirm no sour cream or mayo.

See our Guacamole dish guide for the full breakdown.

Check before you eat. The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a photo and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Jain and more). Download on the App Store - Android is coming soon.

Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.

Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.