Avocado Crema

Quick and easy avocado crema is a tangy, delicious topping for tacos, nachos, burritos, and more. Made with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll find yourself making this recipe every Taco Tuesday!

There’s something I love about a quick and easy condiment that can dress up a ton of different meals. 

Like, if you have guests over for dinner and put out a jar of homemade ranch dressing, they’ll immediately think you’re fancier than you really are. (Don’t tell them how easy it is to make!)

Same thing goes for this avocado crema. If you put out a bowl of avocado crema on a taco bar, your friends will totally think you spent tons of time and energy on it. Our secret is that it only took about 5 minutes and 4 ingredients to make.

How to make my avocado crema

Avocado crema takes just a couple of minutes to mix together, so it’s a simple sauce to throw together on any night of the week.

Ingredients you’ll need

The base of this recipe uses only 4 simple ingredients. You’ll need:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 mashed avocado
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• Salt to taste

If you don’t like to use sour cream or don’t keep any on hand, you can substitute plain yogurt or plain greek yogurt instead.

I do recommend using fresh lime juice for the best flavor, although bottled lime juice will work in a pinch.

Making this recipe

I typically make this avocado crema by hand. I mash the avocado really well with a fork, then stir in the sour cream, lime juice, and salt.

If you want a super smooth crema or mashing the avocado by hand is not accessible for you, feel free to use a mini food processor instead! Simply pop all of the ingredients in there and process until well combined and smooth.

You can use the crema right away or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If storing it, I recommend pressing a piece of plastic wrap to the top to help prevent the avocado from browning too quickly.

Optional additions

When you’re short on time or making this avocado crema on the fly, I think the basic 4 ingredients are delicious.

If you want to dress this sauce up a bit, consider adding some or all of the following:

• Garlic: Add a minced garlic clove or several dashes of garlic powder.
• Cilantro: Add a small handful of fresh cilantro leaves. Mince the leaves finely if you are making the crema by hand.
• Hot sauce: Add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. I like Cholula or Tapatio, or try a chipotle hot sauce for a smoky flavor!

The more you make this recipe, the more you’ll find ways to make it your own and have some fun with it. And that’s what cooking is really all about, after all!

Serving suggestions

So what can you serve this easy avocado crema with? Just about anything you like!

Tacos are a great place to start. Shrimp tacos and flank steak tacos are both delicious with it, as are chipotle quesadillas. 

It’s also delicious on burritos or burrito bowls. Try it on make-ahead breakfast burritos or throw together a burrito bowl with copycat chipotle barbacoa, mango and black bean salsa, and some of this avocado crema. 

I also love it on refried bean tostadas, huevos rancheros, and enchilada chicken chilaquiles. Honestly, it’s something you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!