Creamy Avocado Lime Crema

Fans of Mexican food are in for a real treat with this delicious Avocado Crema recipe. It's a creamy, tasty sauce that's so easy to whip together in less than 5 minutes with a few simple ingredients! This irresistible tangy condiment is made with rich avocado, peppery cilantro leaves, and bright lime juice, and it's sure to take your taco night to the next level with its fresh flavors  Trust me, you're gonna wanna dollop it on everything!

Want some ideas to dollop your crema sauce on? Try it on some delicious carne asada, on a juicy lucy burger, crispy french fries, or over churrasco steak!

The Best, Easy, Creamy Avocado Lime Crema Recipe - perfect on any taco!

I love making homemade sauces, especially taco sauces like taquera salsa or salsa verde, and especially when the weather is finally warm and the produce is back in the farmers' markets so all those ingredients are in season.

But this tangy avocado cream sauce? It's perfect for tacos , no, scratch that -- it's the perfect complement to just about anything. But let me tell you: birria tacos with a little of this? Oh you haven't lived, honey.

Avocado lime crema is a creamy sauce perfect for just about any dish, from tacos to burgers and even to use it as a salad dressing.

Not only is it made with only a handful of ingredients and flavors like cilantro and lime, it takes like 3 minutes to make, but y'all this stuff has got us obsessed it's so delish.

Now honey, let me tell you something about this recipe I'm sharing with y'all: it's so good, my husband couldn't resist putting some on his brisket tacos last night while I was setting up in my studio. Half the batch was gone before photos, I had to make more, which wasn't much of a problem, it's such a simple sauce.

We ended up using it as a dip for tortilla chips and watching "That's My Jam," and he ate the other half of that batch like it was his job. It's really that good.

Make this any time you are setting down for Taco Tuesday or whenever you want a bright, creamy, avocado sauce with your dinner!

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Jump to:

• The Best, Easy, Creamy Avocado Lime Crema Recipe - perfect on any taco!
• Why you'll love this recipe for avocado lime crema
• What is avocado crema?
• Equipment
• Ingredients
• How to Make Avocado Crema
• Variations and Substitutions
• Pro Tips
• What Can I Serve Avocado Crema with?
• Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Delicious Sauce Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe for avocado lime crema

• So easy, so simple to make - this recipe requires no cooking skills whatsoever, but it's fabulous on literally anything.
• The perfect accompaniment to hot salsas - this crema pairs well with a variety of salsas and hot sauces; it's a refreshing, cooling break from all the heat!

What is avocado crema?

To get to know the avocado part, we have to first know the crema. Traditional Mexican crema is a super close latino cousin to creme fraiche...which is just a looser, French sister to sour cream. Made with at least 30% butterfat (to sour cream's 20%) it's creamier, richer, with a higher fat content, and isn't likely to curdle when mixed into hot dishes like sopa or enchiladas. Mexican crema is made with heavy cream and buttermilk, much like my crème fraîche recipe, using the cultures to thicken the heavy cream.

Avocado crema is a creamy condiment made with sour cream, ripe avocado, lime juice, and other herbs and spices. It is usually used as a topping for all types of tacos and nachos, burritos, chips... pretty much anything.

There are many different recipes, but the basic ingredients used are ripe avocado, fresh limes, and regular sour cream or Mexican crema. You can also add other herbs and spices, such as cilantro or garlic, to give it more flavor.

Make avocado crema as a topping for tacos, nachos, and other Mexican dishes. It can also be used as a salad dressing or a dip for chips and it pairs well with fish tacos or any dishes with seafood.

Equipment

• High-Powered Blender, a Mini Food Processor, or Immersion Blender - While any blender will do, the real powerhouse models like Vitamix will whip this up into a velvety smooth texture that you’re gonna want to put on everything.
• Mason Jar - Optional, but great for easy storage, especially if you use a wide-mouth mason jar and immersion blender. Bonus points if you use a flip-top lid for easy pouring!

Ingredients

• Ripe Avocados - Hass avocados are preferred because the avocado flesh have a creamy texture and rich, nutty flavor that really stands out in recipes like this creamy avocado sauce.
• Sour Cream - I always opt for full-fat sour cream. The light and nonfat versions are usually loaded with stabilizers and artificial ingredients, and they just don’t taste as good! Feel free to use crème frâiche, Mexican crema, or even plain Greek yogurt as substitutes.
• Fresh Lime Juice - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — fresh is always best, especially when it comes to lemon and lime juice! 
• Fresh Cilantro - My family and I LOVE this stuff. If you’re one of the unfortunate souls who taste nothing but soap, consider swapping in lemony parsley instead.
• Sea Salt - Because seasoning = life. Even a pinch of salt will bring vibrancy to your creamy avocado sauce.
• Garlic Powder - Garlic powder has allium complexity, but with a milder, sweeter flavor than a fresh garlic clove. 
• Ground Cumin - For a touch of warmth. If you only have whole cumin seeds on hand, give them a quick toast in a dry pan until fragrant, about 45 seconds, then pulverize them in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
• Chili Powder - Believe it or not, this is actually a spice blend made from various chile peppers and spices like cumin. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to swap in a mild ground chili variety like sweet paprika.

How to Make Avocado Crema

Step 1: Blend. Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Adjust as needed. For a thinner crema, add a little lime juice or a little water and pulse till it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice until it's a perfect flavorful sauce.

Variations and Substitutions

While I think this avocado cilantro crema is condiment perfection, you’re welcome to make it your own with any of the following variations:

• Lighter Version - Swap in plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream for a lighter, probiotic-packed dressing that’s perfect for dipping tacos.
• Make a Vegan Avocado Lime Crema - Feel free to use your favorite plant-based sour cream alternative instead of dairy cream to make this a vegan avocado crema that everyone will enjoy.
• Spicy - Add half (or all) of a seeded jalapeño for a little kick (or a lot of kick!). You can also swap in a spicier chili powder like cayenne or hot paprika if you prefer.
• Fancy Fraiche - Use creme fraiche instead of sour cream. And instead of buying it at the store, make your own with heavy cream and buttermilk!

Pro Tips

• Pick the best avocado - Look for a dark brown, almost black skin on your avocado, and pop off the stem at the grocery store. It should come off with no resistance and have a green color on the flesh under it. If the flesh is brown and the avocado feels mushy, it's overripe!
• Avoid avocado hands - use a spoon to scoop out both the pit and the avocado flesh.

What Can I Serve Avocado Crema with?

• Top your grilled fish tacos, crispy carnitas, or steak fajitas with a little avocado crema!
• Drizzle some over any tasty protein! Try it on this easy honey chipotle salmon, spoon it onto slices of smoked tri tip steak, or as a dressing on a chicken bacon salad.
• Use it as a dipping sauce for soft pretzel bites, roasted potatoes, delicious crispy chicken wings, or my mama's amazing coconut shrimp.
• It also makes a great spread on sandwiches, too. It's incredible in grinder salad sandwiches, on a smoked brisket sandwich, or a crispy chicken sandwich!

Storage Instructions

If the avocado crema is stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it can last for 3-5 days.

However, it's important to note that due to the avocado’s tendency to oxidize, it may start to brown after a day or two. While this can affect its appearance, it doesn't necessarily mean it has gone bad.

To prevent browning, add a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on top of the surface of the crema before sealing the lid to minimize air exposure and slow the oxidation process.

FAQs

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