Vegan Lime Crema

Just as I have my favorite dressing I make often I also have my favorite crema. This Vegan Lime Crema is a creamy sauce packed with bold flavors of cilantro, lime, and coconut. It pairs perfectly with tacos, fish, or even salads.

dairy-free vegan lime crema in glass jar with cashews and lime halves surrounding

If you’re looking for a vegan crema for tacos then look no further! This delicious non-dairy dressing can be made in minutes. This creamy cashew mixture originated when I was making vegetarian tacos and wanted a dairy-free sauce. It brought the entire flavor of the tacos together.

As a sauce and condiment lover who will find any reason to top off their meal with just a little something extra, I highly recommend this recipe. Not only is it vegan, which can be a huge plus if you’re cleaning up your diet or are in fact vegan, but it’s also extremely versatile. The flavor isn’t too overpowering so you can use it as a dip for chips or veggies, or even a dressing for a burrito bowl or a salad.

This would be a great addition to Fried Shrimp Tacos too. If you love this dairy-free sauce then try some Bang Bang Sauce next, it can also be made dairy-free.

Ingredients Needed

The ingredients in this recipe are simple and most of them you can keep stored in your pantry.

  • Canned Coconut Milk
  • Raw Cashews (unsalted)
  • Salt
  • Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
  • Fresh Cilantro
process shots for making lime crema

How to Make Vegan Crema for Tacos

There’s really only one step to this recipe, two if you’d like the texture to be extra creamy.

  • Soak. Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with warm water. Let soak for 20 minutes before draining.
  • Blend. Place the cashews, coconut milk, salt, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor and pulse until completely smooth.
Vegan lime crema in a jar with a spoon.

More Flavor Options

  • Chili Lime Crema: Add 2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce.
  • Avocado Crema: Replace the coconut milk with 1 full avocado, pit removed.
  • Sriracha Lime Crema: Add 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce.
lime crema over burritos on a wooden plate with cilantro

Serving Suggestions

  • Tacos: If you’ve ever wondered what to put in vegan tacos or you’re making plant-based tacos then this dairy-free vegan crema is a perfect sauce. Just drizzle it on top. It’s also the perfect vegan crema for fish tacos.
  • Salads: This creamy crema is a great plant-based cilantro lime dressing option that makes a tasty Whole30 dressing as well.
  • Sauce: Maybe you’re eating Whole30 or Paleo and would like a delicious sauce that won’t ruin your lifestyle. This crema is that sauce. Place it over steak, fish, or even chicken.
Lime crema in a glass jar surrounded by cashews and lime halves.

Vegan Crema Recipe

Just as I have my favorite dressing I make often I also have my favorite crema. This dairy-free Vegan Lime Crema is a creamy sauce packed with bold flavors of cilantro, lime, and coconut. It pairs perfectly with tacos, fish, or even salads.
4.89 from 26 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 75kcal
Author: Aimee Mars

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Canned Coconut Milk
  • 1/2 cup Cashews
  • 1/4 teaspoon Coarse Salt
  • 3 ounces Lime Juice
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro

Instructions

  • Combined all the ingredients above in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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About The Author

Aimee

I’m thrilled you’ve stopped by my space here and love to connect with new friends through food. I’ve always felt sharing meals brings people together, which is one of the many reasons I began this site.

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30 thoughts on “Vegan Lime Crema

  1. So I too made it and it ended up pretty runny. But, I also didn’t see to soak the cashews. I did find a fix for this however. If you put it in pan and heat it up and whisk it for a bit, it will thicken. Then set in fridge til ready to eat. Hope this helps.

    1. Hey Corey, I’m glad you found a fix for the crema. Soaking the cashews helps to create a smooth and creamy texture, but I think you’ve found a quick fix if you don’t have time to soak them. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hey, I know how challenging nut allergies can be! I would substitute soaked sunflower seeds and tahini in place of the cashews. You can do equal parts of each or just one or the other.

  2. Disappointing. Used canned coconut milk and it came out soupy. Good flavor but I don’t think I can use it on my fish tacos. Maybe as a dressing

    1. Hey Jaime, I completely understand! If you’d like to keep this recipe dairy-free I recommend trying silken tofu instead of the canned coconut milk. If dairy isn’t your concern then I would recommend greek yogurt. You can also use any dairy-free milk options like oat milk or almond milk, but those will cause it to be a bit runnier (still delicious, just not as thick).

  3. 5 stars
    I was so glad to see this recipe, I was making Peruvian chicken and needed a crema for my daughter who cannot have dairy or eggs — and this was fabulous – arguably better than the one that goes with the Peruvian chicken! As you suggested I added a small avocado but it was on the thick side so I added in half the coconut milk – then I also added one jalapeño pepper with half the seeds, and a clove of garlic – man. Awesome. I think I’ll just make this forever.

  4. 4 stars
    I followed the recipe to the letter but mine definitely does not look like that – It’s so runny! Should I add more cashews to make it creamy?

    1. I’m so sorry to hear this and sometimes the smallest thing can make a difference. I’m happy to help troubleshoot! Since it’s runny I would suggest adding more cashews as you mentioned. When using the coconut milk I prefer to use canned and grab some of the super creamy sediment at the top of the can. Let me know if that works!

  5. 5 stars
    This beautiful lime crema looks amazing! It’s ideal for summertime meals, including a lavish drizzling over a crisp garden salad.

    1. Think some folks might miss the instruction to soak cashews for 20 minutes before blending. That might relate to the runniness issue. Including in the recipe to use only the creamy part of the canned coconut milk would also help there. I am going to try it with a little less but all cream full fat coconut milk, 1 full pitted avocado and the lime etc. Should be amazing! Thank you for the inspiration!

      1. Hey DeeGee, thank you for pointing that out. I’ll make notes on the recipe card and highlight them more in the actual post. I appreciate you feedback and hope you love this crema as much as I do.

  6. 5 stars
    We’ll definitely be using this all summer long! Pairs so well with our favorite dishes. Thanks for the suggestion about adding the avocado for the avocado lime variation too. It’s so good!!

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