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Vegan Avocado Crema transforms avocados, silken tofu, lime, and cilantro into the best condiment for tacos and tortilla chips. So vibrant, creamy, and fresh, you’ll hardly believe it’s dairy-free! Vegan and Gluten-Free, Soy-Free Option.
This Vegan Avocado Lime Crema is here to make your tacos, grain bowls, and enchiladas even better! Made from silken tofu and avocado for the creamiest texture, plus lime juice, cilantro, and garlic for bright, zippy flavors, it’s a Mexican-inspired sauce you’ll want to drizzle on everything. Just 6 ingredients and less than 10 minutes for the best vegan condiment ever!
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What is Avocado Crema?
Avocado crema turns avocados, sour cream, lime, and a handful of simple seasonings into a velvety-smooth condiment for Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine. While it’s traditionally made with sour cream, I wanted a dairy-free version that was just as good as the classic.
Let me tell you, this Vegan Avocado Crema delivers! Instead of using store-bought vegan sour cream, vegan mayo, or coconut milk as the base, I went with silken tofu + avocado. Together, they give the sauce a mild flavor, letting the lime juice and cilantro shine through without skimping on the creamy texture.
And the best part? This vegan avocado sauce actually streeeeeetches your ripe avocados into 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Normally, I’d make my Restaurant-Style Guacamole Recipe as soon as my avocados ripen and scarf it down ASAP before it browns. The crema stays vibrant and creamy for longer—just chuck it in the fridge and take it out whenever you need a tasty chip dip or a taco sauce.
What You Need for Vegan Crema
I love how this vegan avocado dressing only calls for 6 ingredients, making it easy to make again and again! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Silken Tofu: most vegan crema recipes are made with a base of vegan mayonnaise, dairy-free sour cream, or coconut milk. I opted for silken tofu because of its neutral flavor and how it becomes light, smooth, and airy when blended. And as a bonus, it’s less calorically dense and a sneaky source of plant protein.
- Avocado: try to pick up a ripe avocado if you can find one. It should feel soft, but not too soft. And if it’s not quite ripe yet, I shared a quick tip on how to quickly ripen avocados in the FAQs below.
- Cilantro: everything, from the cilantro leaves to the stems, is going into the crema. They add little flecks of green throughout and a nice pop of freshness.
- Lime: lots and lots of lime! Both freshly squeezed lime juice and lime zest add a punch of acidity to the crema, instantly making this naturally creamy sauce feel brighter and lighter.
How to Make Vegan Avocado Crema
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Serve the crema immediately or store it in the fridge for later. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- For a totally smooth crema, finely chop the cilantro before blending it with the rest of the ingredients in a high-speed blender with a tamper or an immersion blender instead of a food processor.
- Customize the flavor of your crema: When I’m serving this crema on top of these Mango Curry Jackfruit Tacos, I’ll add a pinch of cumin for more warmth. I’ll also blend in some nutritional yeast for a subtle cheesy flavor that goes great with vegan nachos. And when I’m feeling bold, I’ll blend in a (small) pinch of cayenne for heat!
Serving Suggestions
Avocado crema is a seriously versatile sauce. Besides enjoying it as a dip with tortilla chips and veggies, here are just a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- It’s the perfect taco sauce for these Crispy Avocado Tacos, these Oyster Mushroom Tacos, and really any vegan taco I can get my hands on.
- As a dressing on salads and grain bowls, like this Vegan Taco Salad and these Mango & Chipotle Quinoa Buddha Bowls.
- I always dip these Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadillas in some.
If you’re looking for more easy vegan sauces and condiments, you’ll also love this Vegan Yum Sauce, this Easy Peanut Sauce, and this Vegan Chipotle Mayo!
How to Store Vegan Crema
If you don’t plan on using the crema right away, I recommend storing it in an airtight container or a covered squeeze bottle in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Keep in mind that the sauce will darken slightly over time as the avocado oxidizes. To slow this down, press a small piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce where it’s exposed to air.
Freezing isn’t recommended.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tofu Substitute: For a soy-free crema, blend 1/4 cup of soaked cashews with 1/3 cup of water until smooth, then add it to the food processor with the remaining ingredients.
- More Optional Add-Ins: Besides the simple spices, you can also blend in a jalapeno pepper (seeds and veins removed) for heat or a dollop of non-dairy yogurt for some extra body.
Recipe FAQs
There are a bunch of tricks for ripening avocados even faster on the internet, but my favorite is adding the avocados to a brown paper bag with a banana. After a day or two, the avocados are soft and ready to use!
Sure. I recommend using a blender with a tamper just to save you from having to stop and scrape down the sides as often.
Avocado crema is a smooth, blended sour cream and avocado sauce that’s perfect for drizzling over tacos and salads. Guacamole is a chunky dip made from mashed avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Easy Vegan Avocado Crema (5 Min + No-Chop)
Ingredients
- 6 ounces silken tofu
- 1 avocado skin and pit removed
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro leaves and stems roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest about 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons lime juice about 1-2 limes
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Optional Ad-Ins:
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Blend: Add all ingredients to a food processor with an S-blade attachment. Process for 45 to 60 seconds until smooth, scraping the sides of the food processor as necessary. The cilantro will leave some texture to the sauce, but overall it should have the consistency similar to a pancake batter.
- Serve & Store: Serve immediately, or store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce may darken slightly because of the avocado oxidizing – to prevent this, I recommend putting a small piece of plastic wrap over the top of the sauce where it is exposed to the air.
Recipe Notes
- Soy-Free: Instead of the tofu, blend 1/4 of soaked cashews with 1/3 cup of water in a high-speed or bullet blender for 45 to 60 seconds, or until smooth. Add to the food processor with the remaining ingredients!
- For a Smoother Crema: For a smoother crema, finely chop the cilantro and blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender with a tamper or use an immersion blender instead of a food processor.
