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    Home » All Recipes » Salsas

    Cilantro Lime Crema Recipe

    Published: Nov 1, 2024 by Maggie Unzueta

    This Cilantro Lime Crema recipe is a keeper. It is bold, bright, and herby. Whip it up in minutes and serve with chips or drizzle on top of tacos.
    Jump to Recipe
    A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of creamy green dip on a wooden surface. Fresh cilantro and lime are nearby, along with other tortilla chips.
    A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of creamy green dip on a wooden surface. Fresh cilantro and lime are nearby, along with other tortilla chips.

    This Cilantro Lime Crema recipe is hard not to love. It’s ready in minutes and requires only a handful of ingredients. 

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    The result is a deliciously creamy sauce that you can put on everything!

    Looking for something with a little more kick? Try Chipotle Mayo Sauce.

    Table of Contents

    • 1 🌱 Ingredients
    • 2 Substitutions
    • 3 🥣 Instructions
    • 4 🌶️ Spice It Up
    • 5 🫙 Storing Instructions
    • 6 🍴 Serve With
    • 7 😋 Hungry for More?
    • 8 Cilantro Lime Crema recipe
      • 8.1 Ingredients
      • 8.2 Instructions
      • 8.3 Notes
      • 8.4 Nutrition

    🌱 Ingredients

    Ingredients for a sauce on a wooden surface: a bunch of fresh cilantro, a lime, a bowl of sour cream, and a plate containing garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
    • Cilantro
    • Salt
    • Garlic Powder
    • Onion Powder
    • Lime
    • Sour Cream

    Substitutions

    Substitute sour cream for half mayonnaise and half heavy whipping cream. OR, crema mexicana, Greek yogurt, or plain yogurt. Don’t have lime? Swap it out for yellow lemon.

    🥣 Instructions

    A top view of a blender with fresh cilantro inside. Next to it, there is a cutting board with a halved lime. On the left, there are two small decorative bowls, one empty and the other with a brown sauce. The countertop is wooden.
    • Add all the ingredients to the blender. 

    To reduce the tanginess, add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or heavy whipping cream. 

    Optional: ½ bar of cream cheese. For an extra creamy sauce, simply add softened cream cheese to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients. 

    A hand pressing down on the lid of a blender. Nearby are a lime cut in half on a wooden board, a small floral dish with liquid, and a decorative blue and white bowl. The scene is on a rustic wooden surface.
    • Blend until smooth. 
    • Pour into a bowl and serve with chips!

    🌶️ Spice It Up

    This cilantro lime crema recipe is not spicy. To make it spicy, add a roasted jalapeno (extra spicy) or roasted poblano pepper (spicy) to the blender. For a mild spice, add a can of green chilis to the blender. 

    A bowl of creamy green dip garnished with a spoon, surrounded by tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and lime halves on a wooden surface.

    🫙 Storing Instructions

    • This can be done days ahead of time. Place in an airtight container and put in the fridge. Best to consume within 5 days.
    • Unlike this easy mole sauce, cream sauces do NOT freeze well. They tend to separate when thawed. That’s why freezing is not recommended.
    A spoon holds a creamy, green avocado salsa above a bowl. Surrounding the bowl are tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and half a lime on a wooden surface.

    🍴 Serve With

    • Tacos Gobernador
    • Ensenada Fish Tacos
    • Tacos de Camaron
    • Empanadas de Atun

    You’ll make this Cilantro Lime Crema recipe over and over again. It’s creamy, tangy, and loaded with bright flavors. Goes great on just about everything! 

    😋 Hungry for More?

    Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest for my latest recipes and videos.

    A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of creamy green dip on a wooden surface. Fresh cilantro and lime are nearby, along with other tortilla chips.

    Cilantro Lime Crema recipe

    This Cilantro Lime Crema recipe is a keeper. It is bold, bright, and herby. Whip it up in minutes and serve with chips or drizzle on top of tacos.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 cup
    Calories: 475kcal
    Author: Maggie Unzueta
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    Ingredients

    • ½ bunch Cilantro
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ½ Lime (juiced)
    • 1 cup Sour Cream

    Instructions

    • Place all the ingredients in a blender.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Substitutions and Additions
    • Substitute sour cream for half mayonnaise and half heavy whipping cream. OR, crema mexicana, Greek yogurt, or plain yogurt. 
    • To reduce the tanginess, add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
    • Optional: ½ bar of cream cheese. For an extra creamy sauce, add softened cream cheese to the blender. 
    Spice It Up: To make it spicy, add a roasted jalapeno (extra spicy) or roasted poblano pepper (mildly spicy) to the blender. For a mild spice, add a can of green chilis to the blender. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 2401mg | Potassium: 371mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1720IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

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    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the face behind In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been publishing Mexican recipes and creating delicious recipes since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

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    1. Gerardo M Vega

      November 13, 2024 at 9:47 pm

      Thank you for the cilantro lime crema recipe, made a double batch with jalapeños. Everybody love it.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        December 04, 2024 at 12:21 am

        You’re welcome. So glad everyone liked it!

        Reply

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    iBienvenidos! I'm Maggie. Welcome to my blog! My passion is authentic Mexican food and traveling throughout Mexico to bring you the very BEST in culture and cuisine.

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