Vegan avocado crema can be drizzled over your favorite meals or simply enjoyed as a dip! Only a handful of ingredients such as creamy avocado, a roasted-to-perfection jalapeño, fresh garlic, and a squeeze of lime are needed. And best of all... this smooth bowl of spicy perfection comes together in two simple steps!
This incredibly easy-to-make avocado crema, or cream sauce, goes so well with lots of different dishes. I like to whip up a bowl of it any time we’re eating Tex-Mex or Mexican food, which is quite often!
It’s perfect for tacos, nachos, burritos, chiles rellenos, tostadas, and veggie fajitas. You can dip tortilla chips or quesadillas in it, or use it as a dressing for your Southwest-style salads.
Make sure to keep this vegan avocado crema recipe in mind for your next game day, potluck, or taco Tuesday!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- The variety of dynamic flavors marry into an irresistible creamy sauce.
- Just a few ingredients and a couple of steps is all it takes!
- Although it’s creamy, it’s entirely dairy-free.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Avocado - Avocado is the main component of this crema. The recipe calls for one small one, but feel free to toss a large one into the blender for even more of its creamy deliciousness!
Jalapeño - One large jalapeño is cooked for a few minutes under the broiler to bring out its amazing roasted pepper flavors. Remove the seeds if you’d prefer less spicy heat.
Lime - A squeeze of half a lime, or about 1 tablespoon of lime juice, adds a tasty acidic element to the crema.
Garlic - Either 2 medium or 3 large garlic cloves are tossed into the blender, whole. However, if you have a garlic lover in your house as I do, you can certainly add more!
Dairy Replacements - Plant-based milk and vegan sour cream serve as dairy replacements here. I tend to use oat milk, but soy, almond, or cashew would work as well.
How to Make Vegan Avocado Crema
Here are some quick recipe step directions. The full recipe with exact measurements can be found within the recipe card below.
Roast the Jalapeño - Broil a jalapeño in the oven for 5-7 minutes on each side until the skin has blackened and started to bubble. Remove it from the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes.
Blend the Crema - Add all of the ingredients, including the roasted jalapeño to a blender. Set it to purée for 2-3 minutes or until the avocado sauce is smooth and creamy.
Enjoy! - Drizzle the avocado crema over your meal, like this chile relleno pictured below, or enjoy it as a dip!
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Add a pinch of cilantro before blending for added flavor.
- Remove the seeds from the jalapeño if you want to reduce the spice level.
- Oat milk is used in this recipe but cashew, soy, or almond would work as well.
- Add more plant-based milk if you want a thinner crema for drizzling over food.
Leftovers & Make-Ahead
You can make this vegan avocado crema a day or two in advance and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Although the lime does extend the life of the avocado, I wouldn’t make it more than two days ahead of time.
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I hope you loved this Vegan Avocado Crema! Please leave a star rating and comment below.
Vegan Avocado Crema
Ingredients
- 1 large jalapeño
- ½ cup vegan sour cream
- ¾ cup plant-based milk
- 1 small avocado
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (half a lime)
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven broiler. Place the jalapeño on a baking sheet and into the oven. Let it roast for 5-7 minutes until the peel has darkened and is bubbling. Flip it over and cook it for another 5-7 minutes. Remove the jalapeño from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a blender: vegan sour cream, plant milk, avocado, lime juice, peeled garlic cloves, and salt. Cut the stem off the jalapeño and add it to the blender as well. Blend everything for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Video
Notes
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Add a pinch of cilantro before blending.
- Remove the seeds from the jalapeño if you want to reduce the spice level.
- Oat milk is used in this recipe but cashew, soy, or almond would work as well.
- Add more plant-based milk if you want a thinner crema for drizzling over food.
Leftovers & Make-Ahead
The crema is good in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 days. The nutrition information below is an estimate.Nutrition
The nutrition information is estimated and can vary depending on brands and measurements used.
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