Is Guacamole Vegan? Sour Cream, Mayo and Restaurant Guac

Traditional guacamole is vegan. It's mashed avocado with lime, onion, chilli, coriander (cilantro), tomato and salt. Some store-bought and restaurant versions add sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise or cheese to stretch it or make it creamier, and those aren't vegan.

Where dairy sneaks in

• Creamy guacamole dips: often avocado mixed with sour cream or cream cheese.
• “Avocado dip” or “avocado ranch”: usually dairy-based, not true guacamole.
• Restaurant guac topped with cotija or queso fresco: ask for no cheese.
• Guac with mayo: some recipes use mayonnaise (egg) to stop browning and add creaminess.

Store-bought guacamole

Most chilled guacamole tubs and high-pressure-processed packs list avocado, onion, jalapeño, salt, lime juice and garlic. Check “dips” more carefully than products called simply guacamole. Ingredients like ascorbic acid (E300) and citric acid (E330) are plant-based antioxidants: see E300 and E330.

At Mexican restaurants and chains

Chipotle's guacamole is made from avocado, lime, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño and salt, and chains like it generally list guac as vegan. Independent restaurants vary. The guac is less often the problem than what it comes with: refried beans cooked with lard, rice cooked in chicken stock, and tortillas made with lard. See are tortillas vegan.

Simple vegan guacamole

1. Mash 2 ripe avocados with the juice of 1 lime and a good pinch of salt.
2. Stir in 2 tbsp finely chopped white onion, 1 chopped jalapeño, a handful of chopped coriander and 1 diced tomato.
3. Taste and add more lime or salt. Press cling film onto the surface to slow browning.