Avocado Crema

Not only is Avocado Crema one of the easiest sauces you'll ever make, but it also falls into the category of "most delicious" as well.

Silky-smooth, tangy, and over-the-top creamy, all you need to whip up this gorgeous condiment is a blender (or a food processor), ripe avocados, lime juice, sour cream, cilantro...and about five minutes! It's guaranteed to take any Southwest or Mexican recipe to a "next-level" kind of delicious. You can use it as a dip for tortilla chips, veggies, or quesadillas, or as the taco topping to end all taco toppings.

Try this crema drizzled over the top of a sizzling fajita taco, as a spread for green chili turkey burgers, or a quick and easy dip for chicken flautas!

HOW TO MAKE AVOCADO CREMA

1. Cut the Avocado - Cut the avocado in half and scoop the flesh into either a blender or a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. 
2. Add Remaining Ingredients - Add the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro leaves, salt, and garlic powder to the blender.
3. Blend - Blend until the mixture is smooth and pureed. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to use!

INGREDIENTS

• Avocados
• Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt)
• Lime Juice
• Cilantro
• Salt
• Garlic Powder

If you don't happen to have lime, and only have lemons on hand, make this easy Avocado Spread instead!

HOW TO KNOW WHEN AVOCADOS ARE RIPE

There's nothing worse than getting home from the grocery store, only to discover you've picked an avocado way past its prime or an underripe avocado with a rubbery interior. Rest assured, picking out the perfect avocado is easier than you think.

Here are tips for picking out perfect avocados every time:

• Buy blackened avocados, but avoid those with a white powdery coating.
• To feel for ripeness, run your fingers over the skin. The avocado should feel full and give slightly when pressure is applied.
• Lastly, avoid avocados with any noticeable dips or crevices under the skin upon touch.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH AVOCADO CREMA

As mentioned above, Avocado Crema is more than a sauce and it's function certainly doesn't stop at tacos! You can use it to enhance the flavor of quite literally any dish with a Tex-Mex, Mexican, or Southwest vibe! It's great on top of nachos, as a spread for burgers, wraps, pitas, and more.

You can also serve it on the side as a dip for quesadillas or empanadas. Below, are just a few of our top picks for serving alongside your Avocado Crema!

• 

  Flautas de Pollo (Chicken Flautas Recipe)

• 

  Southwest Chicken Salad

• 

  Veggie Quesadillas

• 

  Chicken Empanadas

• 

  Fajita Nachos

• 

  Fajita Tacos

And, of course, no one could blame you for grabbing a bag of tortilla chips and going straight to town on this deliciously addictive, creamy avocado sauce!

On the other hand, if you're looking to keep things light, enjoy it over grilled chicken, fish, or dollop it over a nice, big bowl of black beans for vegetarian delight! The serving possibilities are almost endless.

IS THIS SAUCE HEALTHY?

Although avocados are considered one of the fattiest foods on the planet, they contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. In lamens terms? It's the good fat. Avocados also contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals and are a particularly wonderful source of vitamin K, folate, and vitamin C.

In fact, it might even surprise you to learn that just one serving of avocado contains more potassium than a banana!

Now, with all those marvelous things being said about the mighty avocado, the same love can't necessarily be given to the sour cream portion of this sauce. Wamp, wamp, wamp. Sour cream is full of fat...and, not the good kind.

So is Avocado Crema healthy? Well, as mentioned above there are all kinds of health benefits to eating avocados, but that doesn't necessarily make this condiment a "healthy choice." 

If you're watching your calories, swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt, and you'll be shaving down both the calorie and the fat count, while simultaneously upping the protein level.

Looking for more ways to spruce up your dishes? Check out our Condiments, Sauces, and Marinades! 

AVOCADO VS. GUACAMOLE VS. CREMA (THERE'S A DIFFERENCE)

Mashed avocado (like what you would find on avocado toast) and guacamole are not the same things.

Guacamole is often spruced up with lime juice, salt, and cilantro. Authentic guacamole is served rusticly mashed and is not smooth and pureed. You may also find it housing an array of finely chopped veggies like jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and fresh garlic. 

Avocado Crema, on the other hand, is silky smooth thanks to the whir of a blender and the rich, creamy texture of a key ingredient: Sour cream. It is tangier and much richer in flavor than guacamole.

All three are delicious but make no mistake, they are very different.

HOW TO STORE AVOCADO CREMA

Keep your Avocado Crema stored in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly across the surface of the sauce. This keeps it from being exposed to air, which in turn keeps it from turning brown. It will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

5 MORE MEXICAN SAUCES YOU’LL LOVE

• Chipotle Sauce
• Ranchero Sauce
• Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Chipotle Ranch Dressing
• Tomatillo Avocado Salsa