Avocado Crema

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Creamy and vibrant in flavor, avocado crema is an easy, delicious sauce for using on all of your favorite Tex-Mex and Mexican-inspired dishes. It only takes a few minutes to whip up!

Tacos are a regular thing around here, which means I’ve always got to be prepared with topping options for the whole family.

One son loves salsa roja and cotija, while the other always wants pickled red onions.

My husband will eat anything, but I tend to go for avocado crema.

This creamy avocado sauce is ideal for Mexican and Southwestern style dishes, from fish tacos to burrito bowls. 

Unlike chunky guacamole, the avocado is blended smooth with sour cream, lime, and other ingredients for a drizzle or dipping sauce you’ll want to make again and again.

Plus, it whips up in minutes, making it a perfect last-minute addition to any dinner!

Ingredients for avocado crema

You’ll need:

Avocado – You will need two medium avocados. I always recommend getting more avocados than the recipe calls for.

Often an avocado that seems fine on the outside is not on the inside, so having an extra or two on hand can help combat that.

You want the avocados to be soft so they will blend properly. Remove any browned spots when scooping out the flesh.

Sour cream – Both full fat and low fat sour cream will work in this recipe. Use whichever you prefer!

Garlic – Garlic cloves vary a lot in size. Some also don’t like a lot of garlic flavor, so I recommend using as much garlic as you like. You can even omit it, or use garlic powder instead!

Lime – Lime juice not only gives this avocado crema a tart, zesty lift, but it also helps prevent the crema from browning after it is made.

I use just lime juice here, but you can also add lime zest if you love a sour punch.

Cilantro – Hear me out, cilantro haters! Cilantro is essential to the flavor of this recipe, and I promise you won’t get that soapy taste that can come from fresh cilantro leaves.

Salt – I use fine sea salt in this recipe. Salt the crema to taste, keeping in mind what you plan to serve it with.

How to make this recipe

I love how simple this avocado crema recipe is to make!

Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh.

Put avocado in a food processor (or blender) along with the rest of the ingredients. I add only half the salt to start with.

Blend until completely smooth.

If you want the crema thinner, add a little more lime juice, olive oil, or water. Keep in mind that if you add water, it can separate during storage and will need to be mixed back in.

Taste the crema and add more salt as desired.

That’s it! You now have a creamy, zesty sauce to use on your favorite dishes.

Storage tips

Avocado crema is best served immediately, but it can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To store the crema, spoon into an airtight container. I like to use restaurant deli containers for things like this.

Spread the top of the crema so it is even and flat.

Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it over the crema. Gently press the plastic wrap down into the container so it is touching the crema, leaving none of the crema exposed.

Place on the container lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Variations and substitutions

In place of the sour cream, you can use Mexican crema. Crema comes in two varieties, a thicker version that is similar to sour cream, and a thinner, more pourable crema. Either variety is delicious!

You can also swap in plain yogurt, such as Greek yogurt, for the sour cream.

If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in place of the clove.

Serving suggestions

I love having avocado crema on hand for tacos like butternut squash tacos, slow cooker chicken tacos, or cauliflower tacos.

It’s also excellent with green chile chicken enchiladas, arepa con queso, or baked Southwestern egg rolls.

Enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips or veggies. Thin out the crema to use for a chopped salad.

You’ll love how easy and versatile this avocado crema can be!