How to Make Homemade Mexican Crema

Mexican crema (also known as crema Mexican) is a naturally sour, slightly thick cream that tastes like a combination of American sour cream and French crème fraîche.

Typically used as a garnish or condiment after cooking, Mexican crema adds a rich and tangy bite to soups, vegetables, and tacos.

• Add flavor to hot dishes. Mexican crema can add a tangy flavor to hot dishes. Crema has a high-fat content, so it won’t curdle when stirred into hot dishes like frijoles de la olla or pozole.
  
• Tame spice. Use crema to tame the heat in spicier Mexican dishes, like stuffed poblanos.
• Add freshness to heavy foods. Drizzle crema over nachos, quesadillas, or tostadas for a cool, mellow streak.
• Add a creamy element. Crema is a perfect creamy complement to pickled red onions, tangy, citrusy slaw, and the battered crunch of Baja-style fish tacos.
• Make a spicy crema dip. Add a teaspoon of puréed chipotle (or a similar chile), hot sauce, or avocado for a flavorful crema dip.

• Crème fraîche: The best substitute for Mexican crema is crème fraîche, thinned with a bit of lime juice or water. As a cultured cream, crème fraîche brings similar levels of complex tanginess to a dish.
• Sour cream: Sour cream has a slightly lower fat content than Mexican crema and a similar level of acidity.
• Plain yogurt: Plain yogurt may have less of a complex flavor profile, but it still brings the same cooling effect as Mexican crema.