Cilantro lime crema is a refreshing creamy sauce that adds a burst of fresh flavor to any dish. Drizzle it over your tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, or use as a dipping sauce. So easy and so good!

Cilantro Lime Crema is being drizzled from a spoon to a jar. Limes and cilantro in the background.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this easy dish:

Sour cream – makes a creamy base for the sauce. Alternatively, use creme fraiche. You can also use thick yogurt (such as Greek yogurt) and add more lime juice but it really is best with sour cream.
Limes – we’re using lime juice and zest for the best flavor. Use only freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor!
Cilantro – adds amazing herby flavor, it’s really worth adding it although you could omit it. If you don’t have any cilantro on hand, you could try adding some dried coriander to the sauce.
Mayo – makes the sauce more creamy and thick but you can omit it, it’s also good without it.
Garlic – the best is fresh garlic but you can also add garlic powder.

How to make it step-by-step

Cilantro on paper towels. Grated lime zest and garlic on a plate. Lime juice in a bowl.

Prepare the ingredients: wash the cilantro and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels (this is very important, if you don’t dry the cilantro well, the sauce will be too thin). Zest and juice the lime, peel the garlic.

All the ingredients for Cilantro Lime Crema in a food processor bowl.

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

Cilantro Lime Crema in a food processor bowl.

Season to taste with salt.

Enjoy!

Note: you could also make this without the food processor – just press the garlic through a garlic press, chop the cilantro very finely, and whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Serving suggestions

Cilantro lime crema is perfect as a sauce or dip to serve with chicken, fish, or seafood. Serve it with tacos, rice bowls, burritos, quesadillas, or roasted vegetables. It’s also amazing as a salad dressing (any salad, really, also a simple salad such as chopped romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers).

Storage

This sauce/dip stores very well in the fridge for up to 5 days and tastes just as freshly made. Stir well before using. It will thicken slightly in the fridge, but if it gets too thick add a small amount of water or lime juice to thin it out.

More delicious dipping sauce recipes you may like

Avocado cilantro lime dressing in a jar on a green plate surrounded with avocado, limes and cilantro.

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!