Chipotle Lime Crema
A smoky, tangy Mexican-inspired sauce with chipotle peppers and fresh lime that adds heat and coolness to burgers.
- Prep
- 8min
- Total
- 28min
- Serves
- 8
- Calories
- 60per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Chipotles in adobo vary a lot from can to can, so treat the two peppers here as a starting point. Mince them almost to a paste and stir in a spoonful of the adobo sauce for smoky depth, so the heat spreads evenly through the sour cream instead of landing in random hot bites.
Lime juice thins the crema slightly and keeps it bright. Chill it for at least 20 minutes before tasting, because the heat builds as it sits; adjust after resting, not before. Spoon it onto black bean burgers, fish tacos or sweet potato fries.
Chipotle Lime Crema
Prep 8 min, total 28 min. About 60 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/chipotle-lime-crema
Serves 8.
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp lime juice, minced chipotle peppers, 1 tbsp adobo sauce, and minced garlic.
Mix until smooth and well combined.
Fold in 5 g fresh cilantro and season with salt to taste.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
Taste and adjust heat level by adding more chipotle or lime juice as desired.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tips
- Freeze the leftover chipotles flat in a zip-top bag with their sauce. You can snap off one pepper at a time for the next batch.
- Use full-fat sour cream. Lighter versions turn runny once the lime juice goes in.
- For a pourable drizzle, thin the crema with water or extra lime juice, a teaspoon at a time.
- If you plan to keep it for several days, stir the cilantro into each portion as you serve it, since it darkens in the fridge.
Substitutions
- Mexican crema instead of sour cream: thinner and milder, better for drizzling than spreading.
- Greek yogurt instead of sour cream: tangier and thicker, so add an extra squeeze of lime.
- Dairy-free: use the same amount of plant-based sour cream.
- Chopped green onion tops instead of cilantro, for anyone who doesn't like cilantro.
Make ahead & storage
Keep the crema covered in the fridge for up to 5 days and stir it before using. Don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
