This avocado crema recipe is made with lime, cilantro, and sour cream. It makes a great avocado cream sauce for tacos, or use it as a dip or spread. Ready in 5 minutes!
All you have to say is avocado and I'm interested! This Mexican avocado crema recipe gets zing from freshly squeezed lime juice and creaminess from sour cream—is it a dip, or a sauce, or a spread? Yes to all these things!
You can make it in the food processor in 5 minutes, so there's no excuse not to try it. Use it anywhere you would use avocado or sour cream, already a great flavor pairing so why not combine them in one bowl?
Can't get enough avocados? Try these simple avocado recipes! Mango avocado salsa is so quick and easy, baked eggs in avocados takes me back to breakfast at my favorite retreat in Mexico.
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Avocado crema ingredients
- Ripe avocados: Use Hass avocados for their creamy texture. You'll know they are ripe if they give slightly when you press on the skin.
- Sour cream: I prefer the full-fat sour cream because it complements the creaminess of the avocado, but you can substitute low fat.
- Fresh lime juice: Only and always freshly squeezed lime juice for all of your favorite Mexican recipes! Not the stuff in the little plastic container...
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro really brings the flavor of the lime and avocado together in the crema. I like to use a lot of it in this recipe! Be sure to use the tender stems as well as the leaves, they have a lot of flavor.
- Kosher salt: Give the salt a few minutes to meld with all the other ingredients before serving.
How to make avocado crema
Step 1: Juice the limes
Juice the limes and set aside. Check out the tips section below to find out how to get the most juice from every lime every time!
Step 2: Slice the avocado
Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a small paring knife to carefully cross hatch it into cubes.
Pro tip
It's important to cube the avocado just a bit, because the blades of the food processor can create heat which could cause it to discolor. The less work the machine has to do, the prettier your crema will be!
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Step 3: Blend the crema and serve!
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. I use my mini food processor, it's so much easier for smaller amounts like this.
Allow the avocado crema to stand for about 5 minutes so the lime and all the other flavors (including the salt) have time to meld together. Serve with tacos or chips or whatever your heart desires!
Expert tips
- Make sure your limes are at room temperature: Citrus fruits are very hard to juice if they are cold! Keep them at room temperature, then gently press down on them and roll around on the counter before slicing and juicing. You'll get so much more juice out of them!
- Add a bit of water if the avocado crema is too thick: If you want to thin out the sauce, you can easily change the texture by adding about 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Make sure your avocados are ripe: Ripe avocados should be dark in color—almost purple—and should give just a little when gently pressed. Look under the stem to be sure that area is still green and not brown.
- You might need to adjust the amount of lime juice: If your avocados are on the larger side, you might want to add a bit more lime juice. Start with 3 tablespoons then taste and see if you need more.
Variations and substitutions
This creamy avocado crema is a recipe that is delightful as it is, but it's also the perfect canvas for your ideas to change up some ingredients when the mood strikes.
- Substitute full-fat Greek yogurt for the sour cream, or use Mexican crema if you'd like a looser texture.
- To make dairy-free or vegan avocado crema, use a dairy-free sour cream or yogurt.
- Add fresh grated garlic or garlic powder.
- Make it spicy with some diced jalapeño peppers or a dash of hot sauce.
- Top it with crumbled Mexican cotija cheese.
How to serve avocado crema
- Avocado crema is a perfect sauce for shrimp tacos!
- My husband and I love to eat this as a dip with tortilla chips along side mezcal margaritas.
- Spread avocado lime crema on sandwiches or turkey burgers.
- Thin it out just a little with water and use it as a salad dressing.
- Serve it on the side with grilled meats, roast chicken, or baked fish.
Storage
I don't recommend making avocado crema ahead of time, because even though there is plenty of lime juice in it, it will darken over time.
If you do have leftovers, place it in an airtight container, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on top of it so it is touching the surface of the avocado cream, then put the lid on the container. It will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If it darkens on top, just remove that layer and serve.
More Mexican recipes
- Easy Mexican Black Beans don't require an overnight soak, yet they still have full-bodied flavor!
- Elote Dip is like Mexican street corn you can scoop up with a chip.
- Green Chilaquiles are the best idea for brunch!
Avocado lime crema is a quick sauce or dip!
- Only 4 ingredients!
- Ready in 5 minutes!
- Serve avocado crema as a sauce for tacos or a sour cream dip for chips.
- Cilantro adds freshness.
- Make this creamy avocado sauce recipe your own with add-ins and toppings!
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Recipe
Avocado Crema Recipe
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Equipment
- mini food processor or regular food processor
Ingredients
- 2 avocados
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice or more if desired
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro tightly packed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Juice the limes and set aside. Check out the tips below to find out how you get the most juice from every lime every time!
- Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a small paring knife to carefully cross hatch it into cubes. (This is important so the avocado breaks down fast without getting discolored from the heat of the food processor blades.)
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Allow the avocado crema to stand for about 5 minutes so the lime and all the other flavors (including the salt) have time to meld together.
Notes
- Make sure your limes are at room temperature: Citrus fruits are very hard to juice if they are cold! Keep them at room temperature, then gently press down on them and roll around on the counter before slicing and juicing. You'll get so much more juice out of them!
- Add a bit of water if the avocado crema is too thick: If you want to thin out the sauce, you can easily change the texture by adding about 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Make sure your avocados are ripe: Ripe avocados should be dark in color—almost purple—and should give just a little when gently pressed. Look under the stem to be sure that area is still green and not brown.
- You might need to adjust the amount of lime juice: If your avocados are on the larger side, you might want to add a bit more lime juice. Start with 3 tablespoons then taste and see if you need a bit more.
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