This spicy vegan cilantro lime crema will take all your Mexican-style foods to the next level! This creamy cilantro lime sauce is perfect for drizzling on tacos, nachos, burritos, and soups.

A top view of a bowl of vegan cilantro lime crema with cilantro and limes on the side.

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Why make this recipe

This cilantro crema has a fresh light taste and brightens up just about any meal. If you are like me and can’t get enough cilantro and lime, this recipe is for you!

This recipe is similar to my garlic cilantro sauce, but the crema is made with vegan sour cream or vegan heavy cream as well to give it a richer and creamier flavor.

You can use it instead of salsa on just about everything. It’s even delicious poured over mashed potatoes, tofu scramble, or a vegan omelet. You can even use it as you would pesto and pour it over pasta!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Cilantro – you must use fresh cilantro for this recipe. You will need a large bunch of fresh cilantro.
  • Garlic – fresh garlic cloves are important for a great flavor.
  • Lime Juice – you will need the juice of 2-3 fresh limes.
  • Jalapenos – optional for a fresh spicy flavor. You can also swap this out with 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
  • Salt – for flavor
  • Oil – any neutral-flavored oil will work like canola or light olive oil. I don’t recommend extra virgin olive oil. You can also omit the oil – the sauce will just be less creamy.
  • Vegan Sour Cream – you can use my homemade tofu sour cream recipe or you can use vegan yogurt, cashew cream, or mayonnaise instead of sour cream.

Helpful tools

  • A Food Processor – or a blender to mix it up very fine.

How to make vegan cilantro lime crema

Step 1 – Wash the fresh cilantro bunch and cut off any long stems.

Step 2 – Place the washed cilantro, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1 fresh jalapeno (with the stem and seeds cut out), and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a food processor.

Step 3 – Blend until all ingredients are chopped fine, then slowly add 1/3 cup of oil while the food processor is running. Scrape the edges if needed and blend until creamy.

A food processor filled with cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, and lime juice.
Place everything in the food processor except for the sour cream and blend.
Blended cilantro lime crema in a food processor.
Add the sour cream and blend another time.

Step 4 – Add 1/3 cup vegan sour cream to the food processor and blend again until smooth and creamy. (You can also use vegan yogurt, vegan Greek yogurt, cashew cream, silken tofu, or mayonnaise.)

Uses for the cilantro lime crema

Use this cilantro lime sauce drizzled on the following meals

Use it as a dipping sauce for the following

Tempeh tacos with pickled Mexican onions and vegan cilantro live crema on them.
Vegan Tempeh tacos with pickled onions and cilantro lime crema

Storage

Refrigerate: This vegan cilantro lime crema will keep well in the fridge for 1 week in an airtight container. You can also freeze leftover lime cilantro crema for up to 3 months.

A brown bowl filled with vegan lime and cilantro crema with limes on the side and a spoon in the sauce.

More vegan sauces

Vegan cilantro lime crema recipe

A bowl of vegan cilantro lime crema with limes, jalapenos, and cilantro on the side.
Diet
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Cilantro Lime Crema

Yield: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A fresh-tasting spicy sauce made from garlic, fresh cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos. and vegan cream.
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups cilantro, (one large bunch)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, (fresh squeezed)
  • 1 jalapeno, (seeded) or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup vegan sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Wash the fresh cilantro bunch and cut off any long stems.
  • Place the washed cilantro, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1 fresh jalapeno, (with the stem and seeds cut out) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a food processor.
  • Blend until all ingredients are chopped fine, then slowly add 1/3 cup of oil while the food processor is running. Scrape the edges if needed and blend until creamy.
  • Add 1/3 cup vegan sour cream to the food processor and blend again until smooth and creamy. (You can also use vegan yogurt, cashew cream, silken tofu, or mayonnaise.)

Notes

Adding the oil slowly at the end helps to emulsify the sauce and make it creamier than if you just added it all together.
Add the sour cream after all other ingredients have been blended.  This helps the sauce get thicker and creamier.
Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Sodium: 195mg, Potassium: 39mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 293IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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