Vegan Avocado Crema

Why We Love This Recipe

• Vegan twist on a Mexican crema: This recipe is an oil free, dairy free, and gluten free take on a Mexican crema, with the added flavors of avocado, cilantro, and lime. Traditional crema is a tangy, creamy, thick condiment, similar to sour cream. It's often used as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, soups and more!
• Perfect pairing for spicy dishes: This vegan avocado crema is the perfect accompaniment to spicy dishes that need some cooling creaminess to tame the heat. I love it on top of these spicy cauliflower and black bean tacos or our homemade sofritas tofu!
• Ridiculously easy: Just soak the cashews, then add everything to the blender, blend until creamy and enjoy. It takes about 5 minutes (once the cashews are soaked), and requires very little clean up.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this cashew-based vegan avocado crema:

Ingredient Notes

• Be sure to use raw, unsalted cashews in this recipe, and be sure to soak them for at least one hour. If you use roasted cashews, they won't soak up enough water, and it will affect both the texture and flavor of your crema. If you're nut free, you can sub the cashews out for 3.5 ounces of silken tofu.
• Use a ripe avocado. If it's too firm, it won't blend well and won't be as creamy or flavorful.
• Freshly squeezed lime juice is always best for maximum refreshing and tangy flavor! The bottled stuff just doesn't quite taste the same.
• Cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can sub it out for parsley.
• Garlic powder: You can also use 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic for a stronger flavor.
• Water is essential to make sure the cashews are able to blend into a super smooth cream.

Instructions

(PREP) Soak cashews in room temperature water for 1-2 hours to soften for blending. If you're short on time, you can soak for 20-30 minutes in super hot water.

(1) Drain the cashews and add to a small blender or food processor with the water, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and spices.

(2) Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Tips and FAQs

• Use a small blender or food processor container: A large blender or food processor container will be too big for this quantity of ingredients, meaning it won't blend well. If that's your only option, we suggest doubling this recipe. You can always freeze and save the leftovers!
• Soaking the cashews: For the easiest prep and the creamiest crema possible, soak the cashews for 4-6 hours. If you're short on time, soak them for at least one hour to ensure a super smooth avocado crema. If you're really short on time, you can boil the cashews for around 10 minutes, or you can soak them in hot tap water for 30 minutes.
• Cashew allergy? You can replace the ½ cup of cashews with 3.5 ounces of silken tofu. Your crema will still be creamy and delicious!
• Since this is such a simple recipe, using the freshest ingredients possible will really help to make it taste great. Try to use the freshly squeezed lime juice and fresh cilantro. You can also use lemon juice if that's what you have on hand.
• Crema too thick? Blend in some additional water to thin out the texture a bit.
• If you want to add a bit of spice, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper and/or ¼ teaspoon of chili powder.
• Storage: Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
• Freezing: You could try freezing this in an airtight container, where it will keep for 3-6 months. You can thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight, and then re-blending or stirring. The texture and may be affected negatively by the freezing and reheating process.
• Serving suggestions: Here are our favorite ways to enjoy this vegan avocado crema:
  • As a topping for your favorite tacos, burritos, nachos, and more!
  • Stirred into soup or chili for extra creaminess
  • Atop spicy enchiladas, chilaquiles, and more

More Avocado Recipes

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