This simple 4-ingredient vegan avocado crema is light, flavorful and so versatile. Perfect Mexican-style condiment to dress up tacos, enchiladas, buddha bowls and so much more. Dairy-free and naturally gluten-free.
This vegan avocado lime crema (or avocado cream sauce) is going to be amazing for your next taco night!
Similar to a sour cream, it is a luscious avocado sauce that can add such a nice tangy flavor to many meals, such as enchiladas, tostadas, bowls, quesadillas, burritos and even burgers. It is so fluffy, smooth and light, yet full of character. Absolutely addictive!
This version includes lime juice for a nice zesty punch, plus some garlic for added flavor. Also made using a few cashews, so it really feels like a rich cream, even if made totally dairy-free. You can also personalize it with fresh cilantro or other spices, but typically this sauce is meant to be very simple.
Makes for a great Mexican-inspired condiment that can be done within 25 minutes and will add all the flavor you need to bring a very simple dish to the next level!
Hope you enjoy! 💚
What is avocado crema?
Avocado crema is a creamy sauce similar to a sour cream, but usually a little more tangy or sour and made using avocado. It often includes dairy sour cream or greek yogurt, although many plant-based versions will use nuts or non dairy cream based sauces to make it.
It might remind you of a guacamole and you can use this sauce just the same as a sour cream to generously smother over various Mexican inspired dishes. Also makes for a tasty and healthy dipping sauce!
What's to love about this recipe
- Easy and quick
- 4-Ingredient simple recipe that's also very flavorful
- Dairy-free yet so rich and creamy
- Very versatile! There are so many ways to customize the flavor or to serve it
- Stores better than regular guacamole and can be used in similar ways
Ingredients you'll need
- Avocado: you will need one large ripe avocado.
- Raw cashews: for added creaminess without the dairy products.
- Lime: freshly squeezed is better than bottled juice (can be swapped for lemon juice if that's all you have).
- Garlic: for flavor, omit if looking for a sauce that's smoother in flavor.
- Water: to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.
How to make a vegan avocado crema
Soak
You will have to quickly soak the cashews in very hot water. This will soften them and help them blend to a smoother consistency. I'll usually do a quick soak of 20 minutes. Once done soaking, then drain the nuts very well.
Blend
Transfer all the ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. You will have to take a few breaks to stir and scrape the walls to ensure no pieces of cashews were left unblended.
Also, add more water as needed to thin out the consistency.
Adjust flavor and serve
Taste the sauce and add more lime juice or salt if you want more punch in flavor. Serve right away or chill for 20 minutes before serving.
Watch how to make it
Helpful tips
- I like to transfer the avocado cream into a squeezing bottle such as these ones from Homestead Choice. They make it easier to drizzle sauces over dishes and help storing the leftovers as well. I use them to store my buffalo sauce and chipotle mayo regularly so I can drizzle in sandwiches or over bowls in a pinch.
- You will have to adjust consistency to your liking depending on how you want to serve it. You can add less water if using as a dipping sauce, but then thin it out more to use leftovers as a salad dressing.
Adds-on ideas
This recipe makes for a simple cream sauce that can be paired with so many meals. But, also has some room to be flavored with more ingredients depending on your taste.
Try adding a handful of fresh cilantro to the blender to boost the flavor even more, but also experiment with oregano, a little onion, smoky chipotle powder and fresh jalapeño for a nice kick. Don't hesitate to add more lime juice for more zesty flavor!
Storage tips
Even though lime juice will slow down the oxidation process, avocados typically turns brown pretty quickly after being exposed to ambient air. This limitation makes this recipe best when made within an hour of serving.
If you do have some leftovers, then try to keep them in an air-tight container as much as you can and even place cling wrap right over the cream, touching its surface, before closing the container. I also found that the sauce kept better in one of these squeezable bottle.
Serving suggestions
This sauce is the ultimate basic Mexican cream sauce! It goes so great on just about anything! Tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, tofu scramble, in veggie burgers, over nachos, etc.
Also, try it over my Southwestern salad to add a creamy touch and would be such a perfect match over a chipotle Mexican style buddha bowl. Leftovers can be spread in breakfast sandwiches or drizzled over a cajun bean skillet.
If you want to use this sauce as a salad dressing, then you might want to thin it out just a little bit more.
FAQs
A good quality blender will help you reach a smoother consistency that becomes almost pillowy and very fluffy, but a regular blender should work too. I have seen recipes made using a food processor as well, although expect more texture in that case.
You can omit the cashews all together, although you won't need nearly as much water to make the sauce (start with just a little bit of water and add more as needed). Also, I love making sauces using hemp seeds (instead of cashews), which could be a good option here. Also start with less water in that case.
More avocado recipes
- Avocado broccoli pasta
- Black bean avocado toast
- Avocado peanut butter smoothie
- Avocado green goddess dressing
- Avocado ranch dressing
- Baked avocado sushi rolls
- Avocado chocolate pudding
- Cucumber avocado gazpacho
I hope you like this vegan avocado crema as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Vegan Avocado Lime Crema
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews - soaked in boiling water for about 20 minutes
- 1 large avocado
- 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 2 small cloves of garlic
- ¾ tsp salt - or to taste
- ¾-1 cup water - or more to reach desired consistency
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 15-20 minutes. Then drain well.
- Add the soaked cashews, avocado, lime juice, garlic, salt and water to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Take a few breaks to scrape the walls of the blender and add a little more water as needed to help blending to your desired consistency.
- Serve right away or chill for 20 minutes before serving. Goes great with tacos, enchiladas, burritos, buddha bowls, roasted veggies and so much more.
Video
Notes
- This sauce is best when fresh as the color will darken over time. But, you can keep it in the fridge for 24-48 hours in an air-tight container if you have some extra. Try to cover the sauce with a plastic cling touching the surface of the sauce to limit contact with ambient air.
- Feel free to add some cilantro, chipotle or chili spices and more lime juice if you want the sauce to be more flavorful.
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