Cilantro Lime Crema

When you hear the word crema, do you first think of espresso and the layer of foam on top of it? If you drink espresso, you probably do. However, there’s another type of crema that’s near and dear to my heart, one usually made with heavy cream and buttermilk or sour cream. Creamy and tangy, it’s a great complement for spicy foods. But there are other ways to prepare it that up the nutritional value of it all while keeping the flavor.

That’s where today’s recipe, Cilantro Lime Crema, comes in. For starters, I didn’t use heavy cream, and I replaced the sour cream with Greek yogurt. I tend to use non-fat Greek yogurt as some people in my family don’t tolerate high fat dairy products; but you could easily use a low-fat or full-fat Greek yogurt for this recipe instead.

Why Greek yogurt?

Let’s take a look at the nutritional breakdown of each. My Cilantro Lime Crema recipe calls for ½ c. of Greek yogurt, so we’ll compare it with the same amount of sour cream. I obtained values for sour cream from the USDA FoodData Central Database. For the Greek yogurt I used the values obtained from FAGE as that is the brand I use most frequently.

By substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream, we save on calories, saturated fat, and sodium, and gain a fair amount of protein as well. As far as flavor goes, it has a similar flavor and texture as sour cream and makes a tasty Cilantro Lime Crema as well.

How to use Cilantro Lime Crema?

Cilantro lime Crema goes well with foods like tacos, tortilla soup or chili. It helps tame down the heat from some of those spicy foods. I love it when I find that little bit of creamy goodness in a bite of peppery chili or a spicy taco. One of my sons also likes to use it as a dip for tortilla chips. It’s so good, you have to try it! So next time you’re looking for a healthier topping for tacos or chili, try this Cilantro Lime Crema. You won’t be disappointed!

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5 from 2 votes

Cilantro Lime Crema

Cilantro Lime Crema – Creamy and tangy, and made with Greek yogurt to make it healthier, it’s a perfect complement to spicy foods or used as a dip for tortilla chips.

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: cilantro, crema, dips, Greek Yogurt

Servings: 8

Calories: 10kcal

Author: Marie

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. fresh lime zest
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together till combined.
• Refrigerate if not served immediately.

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