Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema ingredients Reddit

If you’ve had the pleasure of sampling Hellofresh’s smoky red pepper crema, you likely know what a treat it is. Unfortunately, Hellofresh only gives you sample size packets which only provide enough to go with the entree you’re currently having. Bummer! Don’t fret. In today’s post, we’ll be breaking down what exactly is in Hellofresh’s smoky red pepper crema, as well as how you can make your own at home. Sound like something you’d be interested in? If so, stick around. We’re getting started right now! 

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Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema ingredients Reddit

Table of Contents

  • What Is Smoky Red Pepper Crema?
  • What Is in Hellofresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema?
  • Easy Red Pepper Crema
    • Smoky Red Pepper Crema Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • Directions
  • Smoky Red Pepper Crema Calories
  • Healthy Substitute For Smoky Red Pepper Crema
  • Smoky Red Pepper Crema Replacement
    • Spicy Adobo Crema Ingredients
    • Directions
  • Smoky Red Pepper Crema: Simpler Than You Thought!
  • FAQs

What Is Smoky Red Pepper Crema?

Smoky red pepper crema is a type of sauce that can add creaminess and tang to all sorts of dishes. It pairs beautifully with spicy foods but can also be used to top tacos, chilis, and salads. It can even be used as a stand-alone for a dip!

Though red pepper crema recipes already existed in the past, it has recently garnered more popularity through Hellofresh. Hellofresh is a meal-kit delivery service that puts fresh food and easy recipes right at your fingertips. It often provides the ingredients you need to make a wonderful supper, but also contains sundry sauces and condiments that can make your meal exceptional. 

Popular Hellofresh entrees that often include the red pepper crema are: 

  • Turkey and Black Bean Chili
  • Caramelized Pineapple Chicken Tacos
  • Southwest Beef Cavatappi With Poblano
  • Pork Carnitas Tacos

Though these condiments and sauces (like their cream sauce base) are convenient when provided, once they’re gone, they’re gone! Thus, you’ll be left with a craving for that same taste without any idea of how to recreate it. Thankfully, that’s where we come in!

Today, we’ll be diving deep into exactly what Hellofresh’s red pepper crema has in it and how you can make your own version of it right from home. 

Ok, enough babbling–let’s get into the details! 

Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema ingredients Reddit

What Is in Hellofresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema?

Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema is composed of sour cream, milk, spice, salt, red pepper puree, lemon juice concentrate, and soy. Of course, specifics aren’t given as to how much of each ingredient Hellofresh uses in their recipes.

Nevertheless, we’ve found a way to recreate the essence of this crema sauce using similar ingredients to create a rendition of this dish on our own. 

Easy Red Pepper Crema

As you might be able to tell by the aforementioned ingredients list, Hellofresh’s red pepper crema isn’t hard to recreate. With only a few ingredients, you can pull together this simple and delicious sauce to ladle over a variety of foods. 

Allow us to show you how! 

Smoky Red Pepper Crema Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp butter

Directions

  • To begin, preheat your oven to 400°F. 
  • Prepare a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
  • Take your red bell pepper and chop it in half lengthwise. Lay the two halves face down on the baking sheet.
  • Pop your baking sheet into the oven and cook the bell peppers for about 40 minutes. Be sure to flip the red pepper after 20 minutes in order to roast it evenly.
  • Once the bell peppers are roasted, remove them from the oven. Immediately place the bell peppers on a plate and cover them with foil or plastic wrap. This allows the red peppers to self-steam. Do this for 20 minutes.
  • Once 20 minutes is complete, remove the bell peppers from the plate and peel away the skin. Be sure to also remove any remnants of the stem and to remove the seeds as well.
  • Place your bell pepper along with your sour cream, lemon juice, salt, smoked paprika, and butter into a blender.
  • Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. 
  • Serve immediately or chill in an airtight container for future use. The crema should last about a week, or until it shows signs of spoilage (whichever comes first). 

Smoky Red Pepper Crema Calories

Smoky red pepper crema can run you around 45 calories per serving, but that will depend on the ingredients used and how much you consider to be a “serving”. Because sour cream tends to be higher in calories, you can bet that using too much of this sauce is going to pose a threat to your waistline. 

Thus, it’s best to keep things modest when using your red pepper crema, especially if you are looking to lose weight.

Healthy Substitute For Smoky Red Pepper Crema

If you are looking to lose weight and don’t necessarily want to follow our recipe as written, you may consider substituting some of the ingredients for healthier choices. Of course, most of the ingredients in red pepper cream aren’t unhealthy, but the sour cream is enough to cause some weight gain if you eat too much of it. 

So, what can be done? For starters, you may consider swapping the sour cream for plain greek yogurt. Yep, that’s right! Opting for low-fat greek yogurt is a great choice for replacing the sour cream in the recipe. It will still provide all the tang, freshness, and creaminess of sour cream, but without all of the fat and calories. 

Still worried about nutrition when it comes to smoky red pepper crema? Don’t be.

Once you’ve made the choice to stick to yogurt (or even low-fat sour cream) instead of the real thing, you can relax. Red pepper crema is chock full of red peppers which on its own is a very nutritive option. In fact, red peppers are known to be rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. 

Thus, you can chow down with confidence when eating smoky red pepper crema! 

Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema ingredients Reddit

Smoky Red Pepper Crema Replacement

Like the idea of red pepper crema but want something with a little more kick? We like your style! There are countless types of “crema” available, so you are bound to find one that suits your needs. 

If you’ve got a thing for spice, why not try the following Spicy Adobo Crema to whet your appetite? It’s chock full of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, making this creamy and delectable topping something you’ll want to recreate over and over again. Give it a try and see what you think! 

Spicy Adobo Crema Ingredients

  • 1 cup Mexican crema (can sub sour cream)
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  • ½ tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tbsp butter

Directions

  • Place all of the ingredients into a blender (or food processor if you have it). 
  • Put the blender on pulse and pulse the ingredients until smooth. 
  • Use the sauce immediately to chill in an airtight container in the fridge. 
  • Use the sauce within a week or until it shows signs of spoilage. Whichever comes first!

Hellofresh smoky red pepper crema ingredients Reddit

Smoky Red Pepper Crema: Simpler Than You Thought!

Although Hellofresh has outdone themselves with their introduction of red pepper crema to complement its spicy and flavorful dishes, we’re happy to inform you that you can easily recreate this sauce on your own at home. Using only a few simple ingredients, you can be one step closer to enjoying red pepper crema anytime you’d like! 

Use sour cream, spices, red pepper puree, and a bit of lemon juice to create a sauce that can be used to top virtually anything. Ladle it over salads, chili, vegetables, and tacos, or use it as a delicious dip for chips. No matter what you utilize it for, we’re certain you’ll love this cool, creamy, and flavorful addition to your next meal. 

Enjoy! 

FAQs

Where can I buy smoky red pepper crema?

As of right now, smoky red pepper cream from Hellofresh isn’t being sold for individual purchase. For this reason, you may find it useful to simply recreate the sauce using the recipe from our post above. It is fairly inexpensive to make and can last about a week when stored properly in an airtight container. 

Can you buy smoky red pepper crema?

As of right now, Hellofresh isn’t selling its smoky red pepper crema recipe. Whip up a batch at home instead and you probably won’t be able to tell the difference! 

What does “crema” mean?

Sometimes referred to as “liquid velvet”, crema is an accompaniment to foods that are similar to sour cream. In fact, most crema recipes do involve sour cream and heavy cream as its main ingredients.