Lime Crema

Lime Crema is a zesty, creamy Mexican sauce that's great on fish tacos, fajitas, nachos, and burgers, or as a dipping sauce for wings or veggies. Ready in 5 minutes with 4 simple ingredients.

Lime crema is a creamy, tangy sauce made with a combination of soured cream, lime juice, garlic, and salt.

It is most commonly used as a condiment, topping, or dip for Mexican and Latin American cuisine.

We love using lime crema in fish tacos, burritos, and fajitas. It is a great way to add a bright, citrusy flavor to dishes!

I get totally addicted to lime crema and usually make a big batch to also use as a fry dip, salad dressing, or veggie platter dipping sauce. Try it as a dip for Coconut Shrimp or Crispy Battered Fried Wings.

Plus, it's super easy to make in just a few minutes with only 4 simple ingredients.

Jump to:

• What is Mexican crema?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Ways to use Lime Crema
• Instructions
• Variations
• Traditional Method for Mexican Crema
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is Mexican crema?

Crema is a popular Mexican condiment that's also called crema especa or cream fresca.

It is traditionally prepared with buttermilk and heavy cream that are mixed together and strained overnight to create a thick, smooth, tangy cream that's similar to sour cream.

Although the traditional crema is easy to make, it takes a while, so substitutes are sour cream, creme fraiche, or plain Greek yogurt. However, traditional crema isn't quite as sour as sour cream.

Mexican crema can be flavored with ingredients such as lime, garlic, and cilantro.

It's typically used on tacos, enchiladas, fajitas etc...

Why This Recipe Works

• Lime crema is a quick way to add lots of great flavor to dishes.
• It's ready in just 5 minutes or less.
• You only need 4 simple ingredients.
• It's a traditional Mexican sauce.
• This sauce is really easy to make at home from scratch.
• You can scale up the recipe to make a big batch for a party.
• It's versatile: use it on dishes from tacos and burritos to wings, fries, salads, and raw veggies.

Ingredients

• Sour Cream: You can substitute creme fraiche, plain Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise.
• Lime: First, zest your lime with a zester, then juice it. I roll it on the countertop before juicing to soften the lime, which means you can extract more juice. If using bottled lime juice, you'll need 2 tablespoons.
• Garlic: I prefer crushed fresh garlic. If you don't have any or don't want tiny chunks, you can substitute ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder.
• Salt: Salt helps to balance all the flavors.

See the recipe card for the full method and quantities.

Ways to use Lime Crema

This sauce is so good, you'll find so many ways to use it! It's obviously perfect for Mexican dishes, but you can use it on other meals too.

1. Tacos - try it on Baja Fish Tacos
2. Enchiladas
3. Fajitas
4. Burritos
5. Taquitos
6. Topping for Nachos
7. Vegetable dipping sauce
8. Wing sauce
9. Salad dressing
10. Salsa topping
11. Fry sauce or sauce for Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
12. Drizzle it over air fryer tuna steak

Instructions

If you're wondering how to make this easy lime crema recipe, don't worry, it's easy!

Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.

This is a super simple recipe!

Add all ingredients to a bowl.

Stir well to combine, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Variations

• Instead of sour cream, try it with plain yogurt, creme fraiche, or mayonnaise.
• Add a little chipotle paste for a bolder flavor.
• Add the ingredients to a blender, with a small handful of chopped cilantro and blend.
• Swap the lime for lemon for a different flavor.
• Add a little finely chopped chili pepper such as Serrano, jalapeno, or habanero, if you like it hot.
• If you like your lime crema thinner for drizzling, you can whiz it all in a blender, and add a little splash of water, if required.

Traditional Method for Mexican Crema

If you want to make your lime crema the traditional way, here's how!

Instead of using sour cream, stir 2 tablespoons of buttermilk into 1 cup of heavy cream.

Cover it well, then leave it on the counter, out of direct sun, for 12-24 hours.

Then add the remaining flavor ingredients as per the recipe card below.

📖 Recipe