• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Two Cloves Kitchen logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Work with Me
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Meal » Condiments

    Published: May 22, 2023 · Modified: Jun 8, 2023 by Genevieve · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Cilantro Lime Crema

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    Crema in a dish surrounded by limes, garlic and cilantro with the words Cilantro Lime Crema and the web address two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Crema in a dish surrounded by limes, garlic and cilantro with the words Cilantro Lime Crema and the web address two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Crema in a dish surrounded by limes, garlic and cilantro with the words Cilantro Lime Crema and the web address two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Crema in a dish surrounded by limes, garlic and cilantro with the words Cilantro Lime Crema and the web address two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Crema in a dish surrounded by limes, garlic and cilantro with the words Cilantro Lime Crema and the web address two cloves kitchen dot com.

    This zesty cilantro lime crema is a tangy, creamy, fresh condiment made from sour cream, mayo, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic! It's delicious on tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, served with grilled meats, dolloped on salads, or as a dip for quesadillas.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Cilantro lime crema in a white and green dish surrounded by lime halves, fresh cilantro, and garlic cloves.

    Why You'll Love This Lime Crema Recipe

    Having lived my whole life in California, I've been singularly lucky to have amazing traditional Mexican food available to me. It's part of our lifeblood here. 

    I take for granted that not everyone has a Mexican market in their neighborhood where they can easily pick up crema.

    So, I've used some common ingredients to replicate traditional Mexican crema, and I've added lime juice, garlic, and cilantro to turn it into a sauce that can be used on everything from nachos to salads. It's creamy. It's tangy. It will disappear from your fridge.

    One of my favorite ways to turn an easy dinner like grilled chicken into something special is with this delicious cilantro crema. Just spoon a little crema onto grilled meats or a plain quesadilla and you've got a pretty spectacular meal.

    Plus, it's quick and easy to make, and only 5 ingredients (if you don't include the salt). All you need to do is chop some cilantro and garlic, then mix all the ingredients together and you're done!

    What You'll Need for Cilantro and Lime Crema

    Two Cloves Kitchen, as an Amazon Affiliate, makes a small percentage from qualified sales made through affiliate links at no cost to you.

    The labeled ingredients for cilantro lime crema sit on a white marble counter.
    • Sour Cream I recommend using full-fat sour cream for this recipe.
    • Mayonnaise Use your favorite brand. Or, if you do have access to Mexican crema, you can use that in place of the sour cream and mayo here.
    • Garlic Fresh garlic is key to this recipe. I would not recommend swapping this for garlic powder. If you can't get fresh garlic, try using jarred garlic instead.
    • Fresh Cilantro This is another ingredient I would not replace. If you can't find fresh cilantro, try having just a lime and garlic crema!
    • Lime Juice If you're having trouble finding limes for fresh lime juice, you can buy bottled lime juice from most grocery stores.
    • Salt My recommendation is always kosher salt when cooking. It is less salty per teaspoon than sea salt or table salt, making it easier to taste as you go and harder to oversalt your food. Plus, it has a unique texture that coats food more evenly!

    How to Make Cilantro Lime Crema

    Minced garlic with a head of garlic in the background on a butcher block cutting board

    Step One Mince the garlic or grate it into a bowl using a Microplane.

    Chopped fresh cilantro is shown on a white cutting board with a kitchen knife in the background.

    Step Two Finely chop the cilantro.

    The ingredients for cilantro lime crema in a silver bowl.

    Step Three Place all of the ingredients in a bowl.

    Cilantro lime crema in a silver bowl.

    Step Four Stir well to combine. Season with salt to taste and stir again.

    Cilantro lime crema in a white and green dish surrounded by lime halves, fresh cilantro, and garlic cloves.

    Step Five Serve!

    Recommended Equipment

    Kitchen Knife

    Cutting Board

    Microplane (optional - for grating the garlic)

    Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons

    Bowl

    Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    What is crema?

    Traditional crema is made with buttermilk and heavy cream. However, you can recreate this taste pretty easily with mayonnaise and sour cream.

    What can I use in place of Mexican crema?

    You can use a 2 to 1 combination of sour cream and mayonnaise in place of Mexican crema. This will mimic the creamy, tangy flavor, and smooth texture, of traditional crema.

    My crema is too thick. What should I do?

    Crema can thicken the longer it sits in the fridge. If you find that your crema has become too thick for your liking, add a splash of lime juice and stir to thin it out.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Mexican Crema You can use store-bought Mexican crema in place of the sour cream and mayonnaise mixture if you'd like.

    Blended If you'd prefer a uniformly smooth texture, you can place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

    Spicy You can make this recipe spicy by adding some finely chopped jalapeno pepper.

    Avocado Try adding avocado for an extra creamy crema.

    Storing Leftover Cilantro Crema

    Fridge Store leftover crema in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. 

    Freezer I do not recommend freezing this recipe. The texture of the crema won't be the same when it defrosts.

    Reheating This dish does not really need to be reheated, but if you'd like, you can let the crema come to room temperature before serving.

    Expert Tips

    • Be sure to combine all of your ingredients thoroughly. The garlic, cilantro, and salt in particular, need to be evenly distributed throughout the sauce. If a wooden spoon isn't cutting it, try using a rubber spatula to cut across the mixture, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, and stir.
    • For a more even distribution of garlic taste, using a Microplane to grate the garlic, as opposed to mincing the garlic, creates a paste that will more easily integrate into the creamy sauce.
    • Sauce taste a little bland? Try adding a pinch of salt and an additional squeeze of lime juice to make it more flavorful.

    How to Serve this Cilantro Lime Crema Recipe

    This crema is great for any dish that could use a creamy, tangy kick of flavor. Try the suggestions below!

    Carne Asada This carne asada recipe is the best I've ever tried. You can grill it up outside, or cook it on a grill pan in the house.

    Enchiladas Chicken slow cooker enchiladas will keep the house cool during the summer heat. Try a dollop of this lime crema sauce on top!

    Quesadillas are super easy to make. Whether it's a cheese quesadilla or a carne asada quesadilla, it'll benefit from a spoonful of this tangy sauce.

    Grilled Chicken This crema is absolutely delicious with this cilantro lime grilled chicken or this Tajin grilled chicken!

    Tacos Fish tacos are a great pairing with cilantro crema!

    Salads Try adding a bit of tangy cilantro lime crema to your favorite salad. It's great with tacos salads and simple side salads!

    Sandwiches Spread a bit of crema on a sandwich of your choosing. You can swap out the chipotle sauce in this turkey avocado sandwich for crema!

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!

    More Sauce Recipes to Try

    • Overhead shot of creamy salsa dressing in a glass jar surrounded by cilantro, fresh tomatoes, and a halved lime.
      Creamy Salsa Dressing
    • Chipotle sauce in a glass jar sits on a wooden cutting board with a spoon, parsley and a red linen.
      Chipotle Southwest Sauce
    • Pineapple habanero sauce in a glass jar with two habaneros on a butcher block counter.
      Pineapple Habanero Sauce
    • A jar of honey jalapeno lime vinaigrette sits on a cutting board surrounded by limes, cilantro, and jalapenos.
      Honey Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette

    📖 Recipe

    Cilantro lime crema in a white and green dish surrounded by lime halves, fresh cilantro, and garlic cloves.

    Cilantro Lime Crema

    This zesty cilantro lime crema is a tangy, creamy, fresh condiment made from sour cream, mayo, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic! It's delicious on tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, served with grilled meats, dolloped on salads, or as a dip for quesadillas.
    5 from 51 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment, Sauce
    Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
    Keyword: cilantro crema, cilantro crema recipe, cilantro crema sauce, cilantro lime crema, cilantro lime crema recipe, cilantro lime crema sauce, cilantro lime garlic crema, lime cream sauce, lime crema, lime crema recipe, sour cream lime sauce
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 2-tablespoon servings
    Calories: 104kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Bowl
    • Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
    • Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup sour cream
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
    • 1 to 2 limes juice of
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt to a bowl.
    • Mix well to combine. Taste for seasoning, add more salt if needed, and serve.

    Notes

    General
    1. You can swap the mayonnaise and sour cream for 1.5 cups of Mexican crema. 
    2. For a completely smooth crema, you can add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
    Storage and Reheating
    1. Fridge Store leftover crema in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. 
    2. Freezer I do not recommend freezing this recipe. The texture of the crema won't be the same when it defrosts.
    3. Reheating This dish does not really need to be reheated, but if you'd like, you can let the crema come to room temperature before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    More Condiments

    • A jar of hot harissa vinaigrette on a wooden cutting board.
      Hot Harissa Vinaigrette
    • A jar of celery with a fork on a wooden cutting board.
      Quick Pickled Celery
    • Pickled white onions in a glass jar on a wooden cutting board surrounded by white onions, a fork, and a pink linen.
      Quick Pickled White Onions
    • Closeup shot of homemade blackening seasoning on a copper spoon.
      Homemade Blackening Seasoning Mix
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Photo of a blonde woman in a blue dress with a gray sweater sitting in front of bookcases.

    Hi, I'm Gen! Welcome to Two Cloves Kitchen. I am a professional chef, lifelong recipe creator, writer, and editor. As a native Californian and a major food lover, I am constantly developing new California-inspired dishes with bold flavor to share with you here on the site.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • A turkey smash burger on a wooden cutting board in front of subway tile.
      The Best Turkey Smash Burgers
    • Overhead shot of red and yellow lobster ravioli on a white plate.
      Sauce for Lobster Ravioli
    • Pickled serrano peppers are shown in a glass jar surrounded by garlic, serrano peppers, and a fork.
      Quick and Easy Pickled Serrano Peppers
    • Grilled, sliced ranchera meat is shown on a black stone plate surrounded by lime and orange slices and cilantro.
      Ranchera Meat

    The Best Summer Recipes

    • Sliced carne asada sits on a light blue plate surrounded by sliced oranges, limes, a bunch of cilantro, tortillas, and a glass of beer.
      The Best Carne Asada Marinade
    • A closeup side view is shown of an air fryer turkey burger on a light blue plate.
      The Best Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
    • Arugula caprese salad on a white plate next to two forks, a white linen, and a small glass pitcher of balsamic glaze.
      Arugula Caprese Salad Recipe
    • An overhead shot of garden fresh salsa in a white bowl.
      Fresh Garden Salsa Recipe (Pico de Gallo)

    STAY UP TO DATE!

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    for California-inspired recipes, weekly meal planning inspiration, and lots of bold, fresh flavor!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Disclosures

    Contact

    • Work with Me
    • Contact

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Two Cloves Kitchen

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Close