Avocado Crema
Try this quick avocado crema for a rich, creamy, and buttery addition to all your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. Made with fresh ingredients like avocados, lime juice, garlic, and spicy chiles, this simple-to-make sauce is guaranteed to be a hit!
💚 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Creamy: The avocados provide an incredibly smooth and velvety texture. Once everything is blended together, you won’t believe how creamy it becomes.
- Easy to make: All you need is a blender or a food processor and a few minutes to create this versatile and flavor-packed recipe.
- Versatile: Don’t reserve avocado crema only for Mexican dishes! It can add flavor to just about anything, from falafel pitas to Buddha bowls.
- Customizable: Adjust the spice level, add more zest, or change the consistency to suit your preferences. You can really make this recipe your own!
If you love avocado lime crema, you should check out our vegan Alfredo sauce, San Marzano tomato sauce, vegan ranch, and vegan Caesar dressing.
🥑 What is avocado crema?
Inspired by classic guacamole, this avocado crema is a luscious sauce that elevates the flavors of any dish. Made from a simple blend of ripe avocados, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and other savory seasonings, it’s perfectly rich, tangy, and spicy.
The color is a stunning vibrant green, thanks to the avocados and cilantro, and it boasts the most addictingly smooth and creamy texture. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in a blender and hit start, making it a quick addition to lunch or dinner.
Some of our favorite ways to serve this avocado crema recipe are as a topping or dip with dishes like tacos, burritos, vegan empanadas, sweet potato fries, and potato wedges.
🌱 Is avocado crema vegan?
This avocado crema recipe is vegan as written since it doesn’t contain any dairy-based ingredients or other additives.
If you’re ordering something similar at a restaurant, you should always double-check that it doesn’t contain cheese or sour cream, which are two popular ingredients.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Avocado: Provides a rich and creamy base. Plus, avocados are high in folate, potassium, and healthy fats. For the best taste and texture, use Hass avocados.
- Jalapeño: To create a hint of spice, we love to add jalapeños. For more heat, replace it with serrano or habanero. If you’re sensitive to spice, use poblano peppers or Anaheim peppers, or omit the chiles altogether.
- Cilantro: Adds a fresh, citrusy, and herbaceous flavor. Not a fan of cilantro? Omit it or swap it with parsley.
- Lime: Brings a bright acidity with hints of sweetness. If you don’t have limes available, you can use lemon juice instead.
- Garlic: Imparts a sharp, savory element that rounds out the flavor of this avocado lime crema. For a milder flavor, use garlic powder or roasted garlic.
- Olive oil: Creates an ultra-smooth and creamy texture and adds richness. Use extra-virgin olive oil, or substitute it with avocado oil.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the sauce. Use sea salt for the most balanced taste.
- Water: To thin the avocado crema recipe to your preferred consistency.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make avocado lime crema
Step 1: Prep the ingredients
First, slice open the avocado and remove the pit. The best way to do this is with a chef’s knife. Carefully strike the pit with the blade, then twist the knife and the pit should come loose. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to scoop the pit out.
Scoop out the flesh and place it in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil and water.
Step 2: Blend the crema
Blend the mixture on high until you achieve a smooth consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Turn the blender down to low-medium speed and slowly pour in the olive oil.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preferences. Add jalapeño for more spice, water to thin the sauce, lime juice for more tang, or salt to bring out the flavors. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this avocado crema recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🌮 How to serve avocado crema
There are so many ways to incorporate this avocado crema recipe into your favorite meals. Here are some of our favorite ideas:
- Served inside or on quesadillas.
- Dolloped on sweet potato salad.
- As a dip with tortilla chips.
- Paired with air fryer sweet potatoes.
- As a spread with falafel pita.
🌡️ Storage
Store your avocado lime crema properly to maintain its freshness and quality by following these simple tips:
- Fridge: Keep it in an airtight glass container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: We don’t really suggest freezing avocado crema, since the texture will change once it’s thawed. If that’s your only option, it can be stored in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You may need to re-blend it once it’s thawed.
- Prep ahead: Although we suggest making it fresh since it’s so quick to make, you can prepare the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge until needed.
♻️Variations
- Chipotle: Blend in chipotles in adobo for a smoky, tangy, and spicy flavor.
- Greek yogurt: Blend in some vegan Greek yogurt or sour cream for extra richness.
- Mango: Add ripe mango in the blender for a sweet and tropical twist.
- Roasted red pepper: Mix in roasted red peppers for a slightly smoky and sweet variation.
- Cucumber dill: Try adding cucumber and fresh dill for a cool and refreshing variation similar to tzatziki.
- Pesto: Add a few tablespoons of vegan pesto for an herbaceous twist.
- Hot sauce: Drizzle in Valentina, Cholula, or Sriracha for a spicy kick.
- Salsa: Blend in some salsa taquera or your favorite salsas to add extra flavor.
- Curry: Add curry powder and a splash of coconut milk for an Indian-inspired version.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use ripe avocados: Ripe avocados are an absolute necessity for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
- Adjust the spice: Add more or less jalapeño to adjust the heat to your liking.
- Scrape the sides: Remember to blend scrape down the sides and blend the sauce until it’s completely smooth.
- Thin the sauce: You can add more water or plant-based milk to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Don’t over-mix: This can cause the sauce to become too thick and heat the ingredients.
💬 FAQ
Yes, but the texture will be more similar to guacamole. You can mash the avocado with a fork and finely chop the other ingredients, then mix everything together.
The lime juice helps prevent browning, but storing the sauce in an airtight container with a thin layer of lime juice or water over top will prevent oxygen from browning the avocado.
Yes, you can use serrano or Anaheim peppers, depending on your desired level of spiciness.
Absolutely! Leave the oil out completely, but just know the sauce may not be as rich and creamy.
🍴 More sauce recipes
If you enjoyed making this avocado crema recipe, be sure to check out some other delicious sauces like these:
- Vegan Tzatziki: A cool and creamy sauce for vegetables, crackers, chips, and more.
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing: A 5-minute dressing that will revolutionize the flavor of all of your favorite salads.
- Homemade Hummus: A simple hummus made using traditional methods.
- Vegan Tartar Sauce: Dairy-free tartar sauce that tastes just like the original.
Ultra-Creamy Avocado Crema
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded
- ¾ cup cilantro
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ cup water to thin, or to preference
Instructions
- First, slice open the avocado and remove the pit. The best way to do this is with a chef’s knife. Carefully strike the pit with the blade, then twist the knife and the pit should come loose. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to scoop the pit out.
- Scoop out the flesh and place it in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil and water.
- Blend the mixture on high until you achieve a smooth consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Turn the blender down to low-medium speed and slowly pour in the olive oil.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preferences. Add jalapeño for more spice, water to thin the sauce, lime juice for more tang, or salt to bring out the flavors. Happy eating!
Notes
- Use ripe avocados: Ripe avocados are an absolute necessity for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
- Adjust the spice: Add more or less jalapeño to adjust the heat to your liking.
- Scrape the sides: Remember to blend scrape down the sides and blend the sauce until it’s completely smooth.
- Thin the sauce: You can add more water or plant-based milk to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Don’t over-mix: This can cause the sauce to become too thick and heat the ingredients.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.