HelloFresh smoky red pepper crema substitute

If you’ve been lucky enough to try HelloFresh’s delicious Smoky Red Pepper Crema already, then you know it goes great on tacos, sandwiches, salads, spicy soups, pastas, and chili. It even works perfectly as a dip!

The HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema adds a creamy and somewhat tangy flavor to hot and spicy foods.

The extra layer of smoky red pepper flavor (not spicy at all) perfectly complements a wide range of dishes.

Unfortunately, HelloFresh only gives you a portion or two of the Smoky Crema in their recipe boxes.

Because of this, you might be wondering: is there anything I can substitute for the HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema?

The best HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema substitutes are sour cream, Mexican crema, and crème fraîche. We love these substitutes because they’re creamy, tangy, refreshing, and perfect for incorporating that smoky red pepper flavor you’re craving. Tahini and vegetable broth also make a tasty dairy-free substitute to the smoky red pepper crema, and for an extra bit of heat in your crema you can try Taco Bell’s ready-made Creamy Chipotle sauce!

Quick Navigation

• HelloFresh Red Pepper Crema Substitutes
  • 1. Sour Cream
  • 2. Mexican Crema
  • 3. Crème Fraîche
  • 4. Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 5. Cream Cheese
• Hint
  • 6. Tahini
  • 7. Cottage Cheese
  • 8. Mayonnaise
  • 9. Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce
  • 10. Victoria Sauce – Alfredo Red Pepper
• What is Smoky Red Pepper Crema?
  • Smoky Red Pepper Crema Ingredients
• HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema (CopyCat)
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Notes
  • Tips

HelloFresh Red Pepper Crema Substitutes

1. Sour Cream

The HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema already has a base in sour cream, so if you’re in need of a creamy topping for your tacos, chili, or pastas, we recommend grabbing the sour cream and using that instead.

To make sour cream the perfect substitute and add the smoky red pepper flavor, blend 1 cup of sour cream with 1 cup of drained roasted red peppers in your blender.

Add ½ tsp lime juice to thin out the sauce and 1 tsp of smoked paprika to get that deep, smoky flavor.

2. Mexican Crema

Plain Mexican crema makes an excellent substitute for the HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema because it’s got the same tangy and creamy combination that goes so great with spicy foods.

To get the smoky red pepper flavor, simply add some pureed roasted red peppers and some smoked paprika.

Mexican crema is less acidic than the sour cream base in HelloFresh’s recipe, but its thinner texture makes it ideal for introducing additional flavors like the roasted red peppers.

The process for making authentic Mexican crema can be a little complicated because of the culturing process, so we recommend buying crema (table cream) and then adding the smoky red pepper flavor yourself.

To make a good substitute for the HelloFresh Crema, mix 1 cup of crema with ¾ cup of drained roasted red peppers, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, ⅓ tsp lime juice, and salt to taste.

3. Crème Fraîche

Crème Fraîche is another great substitute for smoky red pepper crema because it is very similar to Mexican crema except that the consistency is a little bit thicker, but this is easy to remedy.

Crème Fraîche is a cultured cream from France that’s made with heavy cream and buttermilk, but like the Mexican crema, we recommend buying crème fraîche already made and adding the smoky red pepper yourself!

In a blender, combine 1 cup of crème fraîche with 1 cup of roasted red pepper, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp lime juice, and salt to taste.

This crème fraîche substitute for smoky red pepper crema goes great on tacos, soups, salads, or even as a creamy dip for vegetables or crackers.

4. Plain Greek Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt has a tangy flavor that’s similar to the smoky red pepper crema, making it a good substitute if you want some extra protein and richness to your sauce.

Greek yogurt is thicker than the crema, but adding key ingredients makes this a great substitute to add that creamy coolness to your hot and spicy dishes.

To make a Greek yogurt smoky red pepper substitute to the crema, combine 1 cup of yogurt, 1 cup of drained roasted red peppers, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ⅛ tsp cumin, and ½ tsp lemon juice in a blender until smooth.

We love this substitute because it’s refreshing and easy to make, plus the taste is a little less sour, which is perfect for people with picky appetites!

5. Cream Cheese

Cream cheese has the tangy, neutral flavor you’re looking for, so it makes a great base substitute for the HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema.

To use cream cheese in your smoky red pepper cream substitute, mix 1 cup of room-temperature cream cheese with 1 cup roasted red peppers and 2 tsp of the red pepper liquid.

Blend in a blender or food processor with ½ tsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp salt. Add more lemon juice as needed until you have the desired creamy consistency. 

6. Tahini

Although an unlikely candidate, tahini makes a pretty good substitute for the smoky red pepper crema once you add a few more ingredients to make this sauce come together.

This substitute is completely dairy-free and perfect for anyone who is lactose intolerant or adheres to a vegan diet.

Tahini is a sesame seed paste popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.

To make it into a smoky red pepper crema, combine ½ cup of drained roasted red peppers, ½ cup of vegetable broth, 1 tbsp of tahini, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp of smoked paprika and ½ tsp salt in a blender until smooth.

If you need to thin this sauce out, we recommend adding ½ tsp of lemon juice at a time until you get the consistency you want.

The tahini substitute goes great on bean tacos, chili, or even on top of salads!

7. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese makes a good replacement for your smoky red pepper crema once you add a few ingredients to get it ready for the addition of the smoky red pepper flavor.

Cottage cheese has fewer calories, less fat, and more protein than the average crema, making it a nice, diet-friendly substitute.

Start by blending 1 cup of cottage cheese with 3-4 tbsp of milk and 2 tsp of lemon juice.

Once combined, mix it in a blender with ⅓ cup drained roasted red peppers, ½ tsp smoked paprika, and salt to taste until smooth and creamy.

If you need to thin out your sauce, add more lemon juice as needed.

We like this smoky red pepper crema substitute on salads, drizzled over fajitas and tacos, and as a healthy and delicious veggie dip.

8. Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a good substitute for the smoky red pepper crema because it does a great job cooling down spicy foods and adding an extra layer of richness to any dish.

You can make a great aioli by adding any flavors to mayonnaise, and this creamy and tangy substitute is ready in minutes with just a few key ingredients.

Puree 1 cup of roasted red peppers in a blender until smooth. In a bowl, mix your pepper puree with 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp of pepper.

We love using this substitute as a spread on sandwiches, with cooked vegetables, on tacos, or with fish, chicken, or steak dishes.

9. Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce

For a spicier substitute for the HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema, you can buy ready-made, try Taco Bell’s Creamy Chipotle Sauce which has a slightly thicker consistency and an extra pop of heat from the chipotle peppers.

This Creamy Chipotle Sauce substitute still has that creamy and refreshing quality of the smoky red pepper crema, making it a great replacement on tacos, burritos, fajitas, or sandwiches when you want to add some richness.

Taco Bell’s Creamy Chipotle Sauce contains buttermilk, red bell pepper, paprika, and natural smoke flavor, which means you still get that great tangy flavor of the HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema with just a little extra heat!

10. Victoria Sauce – Alfredo Red Pepper

This Vegan Alfredo Red Pepper sauce makes a good dairy-free replacement for the smoky red pepper crema that you can buy pre-made, but it is a little heavier on the tomato and a little lighter on the cream.

The Alfredo Red Pepper sauce isn’t as light or refreshing, but it’s still creamy and rich and goes great on pastas, soups, and as a thick and flavorful dip.

The sauce is made with cashew cream instead of regular cream and is packed with roasted red peppers to get that same flavor profile as the smoky red pepper crema.

We recommend mixing in a little smoked paprika to get that smoky flavor, and you can even add a little heavy cream or sour cream to add more lightness!

What is Smoky Red Pepper Crema?

The delicious smoky red pepper crema can be found in many HelloFresh recipes, including Caramelized Pineapple Chicken Tacos, Pork Carnitas Tacos, Southwest Beef Cavatappi with Poblano, Turkey and Black Bean Chili, and many other rich, spicy dishes.

Crema on its own is a great topping for spicy recipes because it adds acid, tangy flavor, and creaminess to hot dishes to make them more balanced.

The addition of smoky spices and red pepper in this crema gives it an added dimension of flavor that makes this unique sauce a great complement to any recipe.

Cremas are popular in Mexican cooking, and they are very comparable to sour cream here in the United States.

By simply thinning out sour cream and adding your own spices and red peppers, you can make your own quick and easy smoky red pepper crema at home!

Smoky Red Pepper Crema Ingredients

According to HelloFresh, the smoky red pepper crema is a mix of sour cream, red bell pepper puree, lemon juice concentrate, salt, spices, and some milk and soy.

When making our own smoky red pepper crema, we like to use smoked paprika and a pinch of cumin, plus we like to roast the red bell peppers ourselves.

Check out our HelloFresh Smoky Red Pepper Crema CopyCat recipe below!

Ingredients

• 2 Roasted Red Bell Peppers
• 2 cups Sour Cream
• 1-2 tsp Lime Juice
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• ½ tsp Salt
• ⅛ tsp Cumin

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 450°F, cut the peppers in half, and remove the seeds, stems, and membranes
2. Roast the bell peppers cut side down for 15-20 minutes, or until the skins have darkened.
3. Allow the peppers to cool and peel the skins off.
4. Puree the peeled peppers, sour cream, lime juice, and seasonings until smooth.
5. Serve immediately or cool in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes for a refreshing addition to any dish!

Notes

Tips

• Steam the hot peppers to make skinning easier by covering them with a piece of foil or placing them in a ziplock bag for 15-20 minutes.
• Feel free to use 2 cups of jarred roasted red peppers to make this recipe even faster!
• Use fresh citrus to make this recipe (substitute lemon juice if desired).
• Make this crema spicy with a pinch of Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or chili powder.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 219mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g

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