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Cilantro Lime Crema is zesty, tangy, creamy, and the perfect finishing touch for so many dishes. Only 5 ingredients and it blends up in minutes and adds a fresh and creamy kick to tacos, burrito bowls, grilled meats, tacos, a dipping sauce for taquitos, and so much more! The fresh lime juice and cilantro keep it bright while the crema makes it rich and balanced.

Cilantro Lime Crema Recipe

Cilantro lime crema is a creamy sauce commonly served with Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. It combines Mexicana crema (which is a Mexican sour cream) with fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro for a bright, refreshing flavor. The smooth texture and citrusy creamy taste pair perfectly with Mexican-inspired foods and grilled meats.

This easy Mexican-inspired sauce comes together in just minutes with only 5 simple ingredients. The “secret ingredient” to that creamy, tangy, drizzable sauce is the Mexicana Crema. If you’re looking for a quick homemade crema recipe that tastes restaraunt-quality, this lime crema is exactly what you need.

A bowl of lime sauce with a spoon scooping some out

You are going to love the endless serving possibilities of this crema sauce. Whenever a recipe calls for ‘your favorite taco toppings’ – think burrito bowls, tacos, taco bowls, enchiladas, etc – then make this crema as a topping or as a dip for so many things.

I always make this lime crema recipe when I make my Crockpot Mexican Haystacks, these Best Steak Fajitas, or as a dipping sauce for Quick & Easy Chicken Flautas and Ground Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Cilantro Lime Crema

🌿 Ready in just minutes!
🌿 Made with simple, fresh ingredients
🌿 Perfect for tacos, fajitas, nachos, burrito bowls, and dipping
🌿 Creamy, zesty, and full of fresh cilantro flavor
🌿 Keeps well in the fridge – so use it for multiple dinners

Overhead pic of the cilantro lime cream with limes and cilantro next to it.

Only 5 Simple Ingredients Needed

Crema Mexicana Sour Cream : I use the LaLa brand and the jar will be specifically labeled with ‘Mexicana Crema’ which is a Mexican-style sour cream. Another brand is called Cacique.
Fresh Cilantro : One bunch of fresh cilantro, make sure it’s washed well before adding the entire bunch to the blender.
Limes : The juice of 2 limes
Garlic Clove : One garlic clove that has been minced or pressed, or use garlic paste, or chopped garlic from a jar.
Kosher Salt

How To Make Cilantro Crema (Printable Recipe Card)

Add all of the ingredients, in the order listed, into a blender or food processor. Pulse and blend until thoroughly mixed, creamy, and smooth.

Transfer the cilantro lime cream to a jar or airtight container. This can be served right away but for the best results, I highly recommend letting it refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours (or overnight) before serving.

How To Store Cilantro Lime Crema with Mexicana Sour Cream

This lime crema sauce should be stored in an airtight container, or glass jar, in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. Stir before serving to ensure it’s fully incorporated. This means you can enjoy it anytime with multiple meals throughout the week.

Personally, I think it tastes best when eaten within one week, but the ingredients used can be in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Serving Suggestions For Cilantro Lime Crema

The possibilities are endless because it really is the perfect sauce! Here are some ways that I have served this creamy sauce.

Nachos – Make oven baked nachos or use this Mexican cream in a nacho bar – it’s so yummy drizzled over top some nachos.
Tortilla Chips – It makes a great dip for tortilla chips.
Chicken Tostadas – Drizzle the creamy sauce over top tostadas.
Dipping Sauce – This cilantro lime cream is the perfect dipping sauce for quesadillas or taquitos; try my family’s favorite Easy Chicken Flautas or Creamy Ground Beef Flautas.
Use it as a salad dressing.
It makes a great creamy condiment on burgers.
Drizzle it over top your favorite grilled steak or grilled chicken; try this Marinated Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken.
Taco Bowls or Burrito Bowls – Drizzle it over top for the perfect finishing touch in any taco or burrito bowl; try my Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls.
Tacos, Burritos, and Enchiladas – The best ‘taco topping’ for any taco recipe, burritos, or enchiladas.
Crockpot Mexican Haystacks – I always make this cilantro lime crema when I make this family favorite dinner.
Fish Tacos – Make my Easy Fish Stick Tacos and drizzle the sauce over top, it’s so good!

Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen

“One bunch of cilantro” means the entire thing – yes the stems, leaves, everything. Give the cilantro a good rinse before adding the entire bunch directly into the blender.
I use the LaLa brand of Mexicana Crema which is a Mexican sour cream, it’s not exactly like sour cream, but very similar. Look for the jar labeled ‘Mexicana Crema’ or Mexican sour cream at the grocery store. Another brand is the Cacique brand.
The cilantro must be fresh – no freeze dried or dried cilantro will work.
I don’t recommend substituting regular sour cream or plain greek yogurt for the Mexicana Cream – if you want to experiment you can, but you won’t get the same flavor or thin, drizzle texture as what the recipe produces.
This sauce tastes much better after it has time to chill and the flavors to deepen and blend together. I highly suggest making it ahead of time and allowing it to refrigerate for a few hours before serving. I make it the morning of and refrigerate it for close to 6-8 hours before serving.

Recipe FAQ’s

Why Does “One Bunch” of Cilantro Mean?

When it says ‘one bunch’, it means all of the cilantro. The leaves, stems, and everything. Many of cilantro’s key flavors come from the teas, so they are important in this dish. So, you will not be picking the leaves off or cutting off the stems from the bunch; but rather you will use the entire bunch. Don’t forget to remove the the band or twist tie from the bottom before using it, and I also recommend giving the cilantro bunch a nice rinse to remove any dirt.

Can I Replace The Mexicana Sour Cream With Something Else?

I do not recommend using anything other than the Mexican Sour Cream in this recipe. It has a thinner consistency which makes it easier to pour or drizzle, and it has a tangier more zesty taste to it than regular plain sour cream of plain greek yogurt does. If you wanted to experiment, you could try using plain greek yogurt or sour cream in it’s place – but I don’t recommend doing that because I just don’t think the sauce will have nearly the same flavor or consistency.

What Is The Difference Between Mexican Crema and Sour Cream?

Crema is similar to sour cream but has a much thinner consistency and tends to be tangier. Because of its thinner consistency, it pours more easily over dishes. I think Mexicana Crema has so much more flavor than regular sour cream and with a much thinner texture.

Do I Need To Chop The Cilantro Before Adding It Into The Blender?

No, there is no need to chop up the cilantro, as the blender will do all the work for you. I would make sure you rinse it first to remove any dirt from the cilantro. Remember to use the entire bunch of cilantro for this recipe.

Cilantro Lime Crema

Author Jessica – Together as Family

Course condiments, Sauce

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Ingredients

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients, in the order listed, into a blender or food processor. Pulse and blend until thoroughly mixed, creamy, and smooth.
1 jar (15 oz) Mexicana Crema Sour Cream, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 limes, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Transfer the cilantro lime cream to a jar or airtight container.
^{*This can be served right away but for the best results, I highly recommend letting it refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours (or overnight) before serving.}

Notes

“One bunch of cilantro” means the entire thing – yes the stems, leaves, everything. Give the cilantro a good rinse before adding the entire bunch directly into the blender.
I use the LaLa brand of Mexicana Crema which is a Mexican sour cream, it’s not exactly like sour cream, but very similar. Look for the jar labeled ‘Mexicana Crema’ or Mexican sour cream at the grocery store. Another brand is the Cacique brand.
The cilantro must be fresh – no freeze dried or dried cilantro will work.
I don’t recommend substituting regular sour cream or plain greek yogurt for the Mexicana Cream – if you want to experiment you can, but you won’t get the same flavor or thin, drizzle texture as what the recipe produces.
This sauce tastes much better after it has time to chill and the flavors to deepen and blend together. I highly suggest making it ahead of time and allowing it to refrigerate for a few hours before serving. I make it the morning of and refrigerate it for close to 6-8 hours before serving.
Nutrition information is for the full recipe; 2 cups of sauce.

Nutrition

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