5 Minute Dairy Free Avocado Crema

Whenever taco night shows up at our house, I'm already reaching for this dairy free avocado crema before Brent even sets the table. It's creamy, zesty, and honestly kind of magical. Taco Tuesday just doesn't feel complete without it.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Substitutions
• Can I make avocado crema without sour cream?
• What's the difference between avocado crema and guacamole?
• Step by step
• What to serve with
• Tips
• Storing
• Recipe
• Hi, I'm Kaleena!

I first started making a dairy free version after my very first Whole30 back in 2017. Back then I was missing that tangy crema you get at Mexican restaurants, but I didn't want the sour cream. So I played around with avocados and lime and a couple of tweaks until I landed on this. Now it lives in our fridge most weeks.

Sometimes I drizzle it over stuffed peppers, sometimes it ends up on a plate of bison tacos, and sometimes I just dunk tortilla chips straight in the bowl while the dogs circle my feet hoping for a bite. It's quick, it's fresh, and it makes anything on the table taste like I tried harder than I really did.

Grab your apron and let's get started!

Ingredients

Can I make avocado crema without sour cream?

Yes, totally! If you don't have dairy free sour cream on hand, you can blend in plain coconut yogurt, cashew cream, or dairy free greek yogurt. I've even tried a splash of vegan mayo once when the fridge was looking sad, and it worked just fine.

What's the difference between avocado crema and guacamole?

Guacamole is chunky, the kind of thing you scoop up with salty chips while sipping a skinny marg or Aperol spritz (that's me most weekends). It's usually just mashed avocado, lime, cilantro, maybe a little onion or tomato tossed in. Crema is smoother, silkier, like a sauce. You blend it all the way until it's pourable, with garlic, lime, and a little dairy free sour cream to give it that velvety texture. I use guac when I want a hearty dip, but crema when I want something I can drizzle all over tacos, burrito bowls, or even roasted veggies.

Step by step

1. Add the ripe avocado, dairy free sour cream, jalapeno, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, garlic, and salt to a food processor.
2. Blend on high till you get a smooth consistency.

What to serve with

This creamy sauce makes a perfect topping for so many dishes! The sky is the limit on how you can use this sauce.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:

• Use as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips
• On top of burrito bowls
• On top of veggie burgers
• Add a little olive oil or avocado oil to make a creamy avocado dressing. It makes for a perfect salad dressing!
• Dip your favorite veggies in it

Storing

 Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Avocados do what avocados do… they brown. To slow it down, I press a piece of plastic wrap or parchment right against the surface before I pop the lid on. Lime juice helps too, so don't leave it out. If it thickens up a little after a day or two, just stir it around and it'll smooth right back out.

Recipe