My avocado crema recipe is silky smooth and refreshing, with just a bit of tang thanks to a squeeze of fresh lime juice. This cream sauce is perfect for dipping and drizzling on all your favorite Mexican foods from street tacos to nachos. And it only takes 5 minutes using a small handful of ingredients!
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Avocado crema is a play on a traditional crema that is used for topping a variety of foods, but especially for toning down spicier fare.
It makes a great pairing with my authentic chimichurri sauce and my quick and easy chamoy sauce. Or any of my salsa recipes.
📖Why Make My Avocado Cream Sauce
- Avocados enhance the texture and mouth feel of the crema.
- Additionally, I have added fresh cilantro and spices, such as garlic and cumin to add a light background flavor without overwhelming the palate.
- This creamy avocado sauce recipe is naturally gluten-free. It is a cream version of my vegan/ dairy-free avocado sauce recipe.
🧾Crema Ingredients
- Avocados- see the FAQs below for tips and tricks on selecting the perfectly ripe avocado
- Sour Cream- you can substitute Greek yogurt but sour cream will give you more of the tang associated with Mexican crema
- Milk- I prefer milk to thin down the crema but you can use heavy cream or buttermilk as well
- Lime- you need fresh lime because this recipe uses both the zest and the fresh lime juice
- Garlic- I prefer using fresh garlic but you can also use ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of each garlic clove
- Cumin- just a little bit, but this untraditional ingredient jazzes up
- Cilantro- a controversial ingredient, you can skip it but this recipe does use a small amount of fresh cilantro to maximize the end flavor
💭 Spicy Avocado Crema Variation
You can add any hot pepper you like but I recommend a serrano pepper. Start by adding half of the pepper to the blender. Taste and add more as desired.
For a spicy and smoky flavor try adding a roasted poblano pepper. You can make a roasted poblano pepper using any one of my favorite roasted pepper methods.
⏲️How to Make Avocado Crema
This is a simple recipe. The most important step is to adjust the seasoning and the texture to your specific taste.
In this recipe, all ingredients go into your blender at once. Don't worry about exact measurements because you can adjust in the next step.
You can also use a regular food processor or mini-food processor, but the blending time will be longer, and you will need to scrape the bowl down.
Process on high until smooth. Depending on the ripeness of your avocados, this could take 60 to 90 seconds.
Season to taste. If you are unsure if the cumin or cilantro is spot, let it sit for an hour and taste. Adjust accordingly, but neither flavor should overwhelm.
🥗How to Use Avocado Cream Sauce
In addition to all the traditional Mexican food pairings, I use this crema as a dipping sauce for my homemade gluten-free chicken nuggets. And as a spread on my blackened chicken sandwiches, drizzled over bavette steaks, and as the perfect topping on my favorite crockpot shredded beef.
My roasted salsa, Greek yogurt buffalo chicken dip, and my habanero mango salsa make for a good pairing with this recipe on a chips and dip platter.
👩🏻🍳 Tips for Making Crema
- For a thinner avocado cream add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- For a thicker avocado cream add one-quarter of a fresh avocado at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
More Delicious Sauce Recipes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
How to Pick a Ripe Avocado
Gently squeeze the avocado with the palm of your hand, it should be soft and not squishy. I prefer to buy my avocados slightly firmer and use the below method to ripen.
The skin should be a green-purple color. Too green the avocado will be too firm. Purple to black and you risk the chance of the avocado being overripe.
Will avocado crema turn brown?
The acidity of the sour cream and the lime juice will reduce the speed at which the crema sauce browns bu it will still get dingy on top. To prevent this from happening squeeze a bit of extra lime juice on top. Place plastic wrap tightly against the surface.
How to Quickly Ripen Avocado
Avocados ripen after picking, not while on the tree. So often finding a perfectly ripe avocado can be tough. Ripening an avocado at home will take a day or two using the following method.
Just like a tomato, when avocados are exposed to ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone, they ripen faster. Place your avocado in a bag with a banana and close. Trapping the gas will speed up the process. You can also use an apple.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Avocado Crema with Lime and Cilantro
Ingredients
- 2 avocados peeled and pitted
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves loosely packed (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender. Process on high until smooth.2 avocados, ¼ cup cilantro leaves, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 lime, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cumin
- Add more milk for a thinner consistency. Add more salt to taste. Serve immediately.
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