Bacon Guacamole With Cotija Cheese (Printable)

Smoky bacon and tangy Cotija elevate classic guacamole with bold Mexican-American flavors in just 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 3 ripe avocados
02 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
03 - 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

→ Meats

07 - 6 slices bacon

→ Dairy

08 - 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled

→ Pantry

09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Cook bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble once cooled.
02 - Halve avocados, remove pits, and scoop flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork to achieve your desired consistency.
03 - Add diced red onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocados. Mix gently until combined.
04 - Fold in majority of crumbled bacon and Cotija cheese, reserving small portions for garnish.
05 - Transfer guacamole to serving bowl and top with reserved bacon and Cotija cheese. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns a familiar dip into something people actually talk about after the party ends.
  • The crispy bacon adds a texture contrast that keeps every bite exciting instead of monotonous.
  • Cotija cheese brings a tangy, crumbly richness that sour cream could never match.
  • It comes together in under half an hour, most of which is just waiting for bacon to crisp.
02 -
  • If you make this ahead, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to keep air out; a layer of lime juice on top helps, but contact is what really prevents browning.
  • Do not skip seeding the tomato—I learned this the hard way when my guacamole turned into soup halfway through a party and I had to frantically mash in another avocado to thicken it back up.
  • Taste before you add all the salt; bacon and Cotija are both salty, and oversalted guacamole is impossible to fix.
03 -
  • Let the bacon cool completely before crumbling it; warm bacon releases grease that makes the guacamole slick and separates the fat from the avocado.
  • Use a fork to mash the avocados instead of a food processor, which turns them into baby food and kills the rustic texture that makes guacamole feel homemade.
  • If Cotija is hard to find, crumbled feta works, but rinse it briefly under cold water first to tame the brine and bring it closer to Cotija's drier, milder profile.
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