This Avocado Cilantro Lime Crema is a tangy, creamy sauce that's so easy to make. Use this delicious lime crema sauce as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, condiment, or spread!
Often in cooking, it's the sauces, marinades, dips, and spreads that add so much extra flavor and texture to the dish. A really delicious sauce can take an ordinary dinner over the top to the next level!
Can you imagine honey mustard chicken wraps without the tangy honey mustard sauce? Or think about how a rich vegan buffalo sauce or buffalo ranch sauce can complete a meal of breaded chicken tenders. And Instant Pot BBQ ribs without this sweet BBQ sauce just wouldn't be the same.
So if you make a Mexican dish or a Tex-Mex recipe from the blog, try adding a drizzle, dollop, or swirl of this Avocado Cilantro Lime Crema. It adds a creamy, tangy, zingy layer of flavor to your favorite tacos, nachos, soups, grilled meats, salads and so much more!
Jump to:
❤️ Why you will love this recipe
There is SO much to love about this creamy cilantro lime sauce!
- Easy - This is a very basic, easy sauce recipe that anyone with a blender or food processor can make!
- Minimal ingredients - You only need 8 fresh ingredients, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator.
- Flavorful - Your taste buds will love how this zesty cilantro lime crema adds big flavor to any dish!
- Great for meal prep - I love making sauces for meal prep to help boost flavor and keep meals interesting, and this is such a good one!
- Versatile - This is a truly versatile sauce that you can use in so many different ways! See the Serving Ideas below for just a few ideas.
🛒 Ingredient notes
To make this avocado cilantro lime crema recipe, you only need a few simple ingredients that you can easily find in local grocery stores:
- Avocado - I just use one large avocado, pitted and peeled. But you can add more if you want to make this into a thicker dip.
- Cilantro - Lots of fresh cilantro leaves add that delicious herbal flavor!
- Lime - Be sure to use fresh lime juice for the best results.
- Green onions - Just a bit of chopped green onions add a little bit of sharpness and brightness to this crema. You can leave this out if you prefer.
- Sour cream - Plain sour cream adds extra creaminess to this crema. You can substitute plain greek yogurt if you prefer. I use my favorite dairy-free sour cream to keep this a dairy-free crema, and it works great!
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil helps emulsify the crema and give it a rich silky texture.
- Water - Just a little water helps balance out the liquids. Use more if you want a thinner crema; you can also add a little heavy cream. Use less if you want a thicker crema.
- Salt - A bit of kosher salt helps balance out the flavors.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
This is such a great recipe for beginning cooks and pro chefs alike! You'll find the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are the step-by-step photos to show you just how easy peasy it is to make this versatile condiment!
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-powdered blender.
- Blend on medium, for about 15-30 seconds, then blend it on high.
- Blend just until the crema is smooth and most of the ingredients are well blended, but you can still see some cilantro pieces.
That's it! Super easy, right?
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can also easily adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your personal taste preference.
Yes! If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. The lime juice and other ingredients should keep the avocado from browning. But if you find a thin layer of brown at the top of the crema, simply remove it with a spoon and use the rest underneath.
🍽 Serving ideas
This is a truly tasty sauce that you can use with SO many different dishes. Here are just a few ideas:
- Fajita topping - Elevate your beef, pork, or chicken fajitas with a dollop of avocado lime crema, adding a creamy and tangy contrast to spicy flavors.
- Seafood taco sauce: This cilantro lime crema is especially delicious with shrimp tacos or fish tacos.
- Dipping sauce - Serve as a dipping sauce for vegetables, grilled chicken skewers, French fries, chicken tenders, and more.
- Salad dressing - Drizzle this cilantro lime dressing over a Southwest-inspired salad for a creamy texture and refreshing citrus twist.
- Burrito bowls - It's the perfect sauce to add to vegetarian burrito bowls as the final bright layer of flavor.
- Burger sauce - Instead of BBQ sauce, spread this crema onto burgers for a gourmet touch, bringing richness and acidity to every bite.
- Nachos topping: Spoon or drizzle over nachos for a creamy, citrus-infused upgrade that complements the layers of melted cheese and savory toppings.
- Add flavor to grilled meats and seafood - We love drizzling this avocado lime crema over grilled chicken, grilled or air fryer steak, grilled salmon, or pork chops.
- Simple snacking - Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy as a dip!
Make a batch for Cinco de Mayo and serve with Mexican recipes and Tex-Mex recipes. It's great with Tex-Mex Vegetarian Nachos, Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas, Shrimp Tacos, and Taco Bowls.
🍷 Drink pairings
If you're serving this with Mexican or Tex-Mex flavors, pair it with a Yuzu Margarita or a Spicy Mango Margarita.
For a wine pairing, opt for a crisp dry white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc.
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this cilantro lime sauce recipe? You really just need one main appliance to make this delicious sauce & dip!
- Blender - You'll need a high-powered blender. Or, you can use a food processor.
More dip and sauce recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Cilantro Lime Crema
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ large avocado, peeled and pitted
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- juice of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. But be sure not to overmix it if you want some of the cilantro leaves to still be visible.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Leave a Reply