When I first went vegan, I had a hard time finding a good plant-based sour cream alternative. I wasn’t a huge fan of the store-bought vegan sour cream varieties (because they are mostly made of oils and also very processed). And most of the vegan crema and sour cream recipes called for soaked or boiled cashews (which takes more time than I would like).
This vegan cilantro lime crema recipe is nut-free (no soaked cashews needed), made from whole foods, oil-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. It takes about 5 minutes to make, so you won’t feel overwhelmed making an extra sauce after making dinner. Plus, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a while, so you can make it ahead of time!
How to Make Vegan Cilantro Lime Crema
Step 1: In a small food processor or blender, add garlic, tahini, cilantro, lime juice, water, salt, and pepper of choice. Blend these ingredients until smooth. scraping the sides when necessary.
Step 2: Because these ingredients can vary in taste and size (some limes are juicier than others, some bunches of cilantro are slightly larger, etc.), adjust the ingredients to your own taste preferences and blend once more. Some adjustment suggestions are listed below and in the recipe notes.
Recipe Adjustments
If the sauce is…
- To Thick: Add more water if it tastes limey, or add lime juice if you can’t taste the lime.
- Too Thin: Add more tahini until it is the right consistency.
- Not Salty: This recipe calls for the least amount of salt you would need so that you can adjust to your liking. Add as much salt as you would like.
- Not Spicy: Add in half of a serrano or jalapeño pepper. I don’t recommend adding two whole peppers because it makes this sauce start to taste more like a salsa than a creamy sauce. Remember to use a hotter pepper next time like a Serrano.
Vegan Cilantro Lime Crema
Equipment
- mini food processor
Ingredients
- 1 bunch cilantro stems included, about 1 cup packed
- 1-2 garlic cloves start with 1 and adjust to taste
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup lime juice about 2 limes
- 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 jalapeño see notes for spice level
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mini food processor and blend until smooth, scraping sides as needed.
- Adjust ingredients to taste! See notes for suggestions.
Video
Notes
- Mild: Use one jalapeño with the seeds removed.Â
- Medium: Use one jalapeño with seeds.Â
- Spicy: Use one serrano pepper with seeds.Â
- To Thick: Add more water if it is already limey, or add lime juice if you can’t taste the lime.Â
- Too Thin: Add more tahini until it is the right consistency.Â
- Not Salty: This recipe calls for the least amount of salt you would need so that you can adjust to your liking. Add as much salt as you like.Â
- Not Spicy: Add an additional half of a serrano or jalapeño pepper. I don’t recommend adding two whole peppers because the sauce starts to taste more like a salsa than a creamy sauce. Remember to follow a different spice level next time.Â