This Avocado Creme is a healthy, creamy and flavorful dip or sauce that pairs well with tacos, burgers, burrito bowls and chili or used as a salad dressing! Make up a batch to serve with all of your favorite dishes. With only 5 simple ingredients, it can be made in less than 10 minutes! (Vegan, paleo & gluten-free)
Table of Contents
Homemade Avocado Creme
In my opinion, nothing beats a delicious dip or spread, especially when they’re as tasty as this avocado lime crema recipe.
In our family, we love getting creative with avocados and not only incorporating them into things, like burgers and wraps, BUT we’ve also been using them to whip up delicious dips like guacamole, and of course, this delicious sauce!
You might recognize this crema from my Stuffed Black Bean Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Burrito Bowls. Since it has made a guest appearance twice so far, I figured it was about time it became the star of the show!
Better yet, it only requires five simple ingredients, so it literally takes no time at all to prepare. I like to make up a batch in my Ninja blender and store it in the fridge for a few days and put it on EVERYTHING we eat.
It has the most wonderful velvety smooth texture and tastes absolutely delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Avocado Cream Sauce
- Healthy: This dip is full of natural and fresh ingredients so it’s a dip you can feel great about enjoying! It’s packed with healthy monounsaturated fats and is also low in carbs with no added sugar. You can also adjust the level of sodium according to taste, unlike many of the sodium-laden store-bought condiments.
- Quick and easy: This recipe only requires five simple ingredients and takes no more than ten minutes to make, so there’s no excuse not to try it!
- Dairy-free: Usually this sauce is made with sour cream or yogurt, but we used coconut milk as a substitute. It not only creates a smooth and creamy texture, but it also adds a great flavor to this vegan avocado crema recipe.
- Versatile: You can serve this vegan avocado crema along with so many different dishes. It’s such a versatile condiment! Try serving it as a dip, spread, sauce or salad dressing.
Ingredient Notes
- Avocados: Avocados are not only a great source of potassium, but also a source of vitamin E and monounsaturated fats which are amazing for the heart, eyes, and skin! They also provide healthier fats that can help absorb those fat-soluble vitamins and protect against heart disease. Choose avocados that are ripe, but still green (not browning), for a creme with a vibrant green hue.
- Coconut milk: Use canned coconut milk rather than cartoned for this recipe. The canned milk is much thicker which provides that delicious creaminess. I recommend using full-fat for a rich and creamy texture, but you can also use light if preferred.
- Lime juice: Adds a zesty flavor and helps slow down the browning of the avocado. Use fresh lime juice as it’s much more fresh and zingy than the bottled variety. If in a pinch, you can also sub in lemon juice.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds a great herby freshness. If you don’t like cilantro, you can swap it for parsley.
- Fresh garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor. Adapt according to taste. Start with one clove, taste and increase garlic if you prefer a more garlicky flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the avocado, coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Notes:
- Use ripe avocados for this recipe as they will break down in the blender more easily for the ultimate smooth and creamy sauce. Just be sure to use avocados that are still green, and not overripe and brown since the crema won’t maintain its vibrant green colour for very long if made with brownish avocados.
- I recommend using a high power blender such as the Ninja blender since it will be able to power through the ingredients and create a nice creamy texture with no lumps present.
- Depending on the type of blender you use, you may wish to stir the ingredients half way through the blending process to ensure that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed and nothing gets left on the bottom of the blender.
- Adjust the garlic to taste. Start with one clove, and then taste. If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, add another one and blend until smooth. You may also wish to roast the garlic first to add a delicious roasted garlic flavor.
How to store
Store leftover crema in the fridge sealed in an airtight container for up to two to three days. It’s ready to use right out of the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to tell if an avocado is ready to use is to gently squeeze it. It should give a little, but not so much that it feels mushy. Ripe avocados also tend to have a darker pigmented skin, but this is not the case all the time, so it’s best to go with touch.
A high speed blender is the quickest and easiest way to make this smooth and creamy sauce. It also results in a more velvety consistency. If you don’t have one, you can make it by hand by mashing the avocados and mixing everything together. It likely won’t be as smooth and creamy, but it will still be delicious!
Generally, the sauce will start to brown within a 2-3 days. Lime juice (which is an acid) is added to the sauce, which not only adds flavor, but can also help delay the browning process.
To further delay browning, place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly on top of the creme and seal it in an air-tight container to limit exposure to oxygen which is what causes the browning to occur.
If you really need to freeze this you can, but it’s generally best to avoid freezing if possible. Because the coconut milk has a high fat content, the ingredients can separate. You can freeze it for up to a month and defrost it in the fridge and bring it back together by mixing it well.
Yes! Just thin it out with a bit of water or oil for a delicious dressing!
What Goes Well with Avocado Crema
This vegan avocado creme is delicious paired with a variety of dishes!
Try it with these favorites:
- On tacos (like these spicy shrimp tacos or other seafood tacos)
- On enchiladas
- As a veggie dip
- As a spread on burgers, sandwiches or wraps
- As a topping on chili
- To spruce up burrito bowls
- To jazz up taco stuffed sweet potatoes
- As a dipping sauce for sweet potato fries or tater tots
- Served along with eggs
- With tortilla chips like a non-spicy guacamole
- Or even as a creamy salad dressing!
Substitutions & Variations
- Use regular dairy: I created this recipe to be plant-based, but you can certainly use Greek yogurt or a little sour cream instead. Consider using less than needed and adding a little water to keep the same texture.
- Dig into the spice cupboard: No time to prep fresh garlic? Use up to 1/2 tsp garlic powder and let the creamy avocado sauce rest for at least 30 minutes for the dried spices to rehydrate. You can also add a smoky flavor with a shake of smoked paprika, and consider adding a little heat with cayenne pepper or dried chipotle powder.
- Add spicy peppers: Blend 1-2 jalapenos or serrano peppers into the cream for a really spicy dipping sauce. It’s always better to start with less and add more if needed! You can also add a tablespoon or two of adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers for a smoky, spicy flavor.
- Add lime zest: This avocado cilantro crema already has a punch of lime from the freshly squeezed juice, but if you’re a lime lover, you know you can always add more! Try zesting the limes before juicing them for a really tangy flavor.
More Dip & Sauce Recipes
- Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
- Dairy-Free Pesto
- Healthy Stir Fry Sauce
- Healthy BBQ Sauce
- Plant Based Spinach Artichoke Dip
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Avocado Creme {5-ingredients}
Ingredients
- Flesh from 2 ripe avocados
- 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- Juice from 1 lime or more to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Place the avocado, coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Use as a topping on tacos, stuffed sweet potatoes, on chicken, burgers or in these black bean meal prep bowls.
Notes
- Use ripe avocados for this recipe as they will break down in the blender more easily for the ultimate smooth and creamy sauce. Just be sure to use avocados that are still green, and not overripe and brown since the crema won’t maintain its vibrant green colour for very long if made with brownish avocados.
- I recommend using a high power blender such as the Ninja blender since it will be able to power through the ingredients and create a nice creamy texture with no lumps present.
- Depending on the type of blender you use, you may wish to stir the ingredients half way through the blending process to ensure that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed and nothing gets left on the bottom of the blender.
- Adjust the garlic to taste. Start with one clove, and then taste. If you prefer a stronger garlic flavour, add another one and blend until smooth. You may also wish to roast the garlic first to add a delicious roasted garlic flavour.
- Store this crema in the fridge sealed in an air-tight container for up to two to three days. It’s ready to use right out of the fridge.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted August 2018 and was updated June 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Adapted from the Oh She Glows Cookbook
Deborah says
What can I sub for the coconut milk?
Elysia Cartlidge says
So sorry for the delay! I haven’t personally tried it, but you could maybe try subbing in some sour cream. Keep me posted if you try it out!
Vicky says
😀👍
Elysia Cartlidge says
Thanks for the thumbs up! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!