Spicy, fresh and creamy, this cashew habanero crema is scrumptious drizzled over tacos, tostadas and more. Cashews and habanero chile blend up into this sour cream/aioli that's dairy-free, vegan and plant-based.
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This habanero crema recipe is inspired by my base cashew sour cream recipe, one of the most versatile recipes on my website. Let's heat things up!
🧄 Very useful ingredient notes
Habanero cashew cream is a quick homemade spicy crema that's easy to make.
- Raw cashews - unsalted raw, not roasted, cashews are important for this sour cream to be as fresh as clean tasting as possible. Cashews have a subtle sweetness and transform into an unbelievable cream when blended.
- Habanero pepper - habanero peppers are small orange chiles that are very spicy. They rank 150,000 to 575,000 SHU on the scoville scale. The peppers are full of heat, so use with caution if you're sensitive to capsaicin. Add one, blend, then taste. If you want it spicier, add more. Be mindful that the heat in this cream intensifies as it sits overnight.
- Fresh lemon juice - fresh lemon juice is preferred for a fresh acidity and brightness to cut through the richness of the cashews.
📋 Substitutions and variations
Here are some substitutions you can try for this recipe:
- Raw cashews - you can use roasted cashews as a substitute for raw cashews, but the flavor and taste will be different. Be sure to soak them first to hydrate and soften them, since roasted cashews are drier than raw cashews. If your roasted cashews are salted, then omit the added salt and taste it after blending. Add more salt, as needed. If you don't want to use cashews at all, try one of these alternative sour cream recipes and add a habanero pepper when blending
- Habanero pepper - Instead of fresh habanero chiles, use another hot, spicy chile you enjoy, such as: scotch bonnet, jalapeño, serrano, arbol, pequin, carolina reaper or ghost pepper
- Fresh lemon juice - use bottled lemon juice instead. Or, use lime juice.
- Apple cider vinegar - use white wine vinegar, distilled vinegar or extra lemon juice instead of ACV.
- Onion powder - instead of onion powder, substitute with a small piece of fresh white or yellow onion, garlic powder, granulated garlic or a garlic clove.
Want to switch up the flavors? Here are some variations to try with this recipe:
- Roasted Habanero Crema - Roasting the habanero chile, along with some fresh onion and garlic first in the oven and then blending with the remaining ingredients will produce a deeper flavor profile
- Chipotle crema - add chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, lime juice instead of lemon, extra water when blending instead of habanero to make chipotle lime crema
- Cilantro jalapeño lime crema - add diced jalapeños, fresh cilantro instead of habanero to make creamy cilantro lime jalapeño crema, which tastes like Chuy's creamy jalapeño ranch!
🔪 Instructions
Step-by-step instructions for making plant-based habanero cashew sour cream in a blender.
- Step 1: Soak your cashews in very hot water for 20 minutes to soften them and make them easier to blend. Then, drain and rinse cashews. See my Soaking Cashews 4 Ways post for alternate ways to soak your cashews.
- Step 2: Add drained cashews to high speed blender jar with habanero pepper, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and fresh, cool water.
- Step 3: Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides, if necessary.
- Step 4: Store in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Or, freeze for up to 3 months.
Expert tips
- Add cool water when blending cashews! I made the mistake of using hot water when making this recipe once. The cashew cream thickened so much I could barely get it out of the blender jar. So, be sure to use fresh cold or cool water when blending up your crema.
❓ FAQ
Habanero crema is made of dairy and habanero peppers, traditionally. In this vegan, dairy-free recipe, we're using cashews instead of dairy to make it super creamy and delicious.
Yes, typically habanero sauce is made of dairy milk or sour cream. But, there are dairy-free alternatives, like this recipe. Check the ingredients for milk products or ask your server.
Habaneros are spicy chile peppers and they are vegan, yes. However, the dish they are cooked in may not be. You have to ask what's in the dish to find out if it contains any animal products.
Habanero peppers are small orange chiles that are very spicy. They rank 150,000 to 575,000 SHU on the scoville scale. They are as spicy as scotch bonnet, thai and cayenne peppers. They are many times spicier than jalapeños and serrano peppers.
🗺 Cultural influences
This habanero crema was inspired by my trip to the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Habanero chiles featured on the tables of many of the restaurants we went to and at a place known for aguachiles, they had a habanero crema that was delicious. This is my attempt at recreating it.
Big thanks to my friends Luis and Rebeca for taste testing it and offering their feedback!
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📖 Recipe
Cashew Habanero Crema (spicy dairy-free sour cream)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews 130g
- 1 cup boiling water for soaking cashews, this water will be thrown away
- 1 habanero chile stem and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup cool water to add to the blender
Instructions
Soak the Cashews
- Place cashews in a heat-proof bowl or glass measuring cup. Bring water to a boil in your electric kettle (or on the stove). Pour hot water over cashews so they are covered. Let the cashews soak on the counter for at least 20 minutes, but up to 2 hours. Then, drain and rinse. They are ready to use for your recipe.1 cup boiling water
Make the Sour Cream
- Drain and rinse soaked cashews. Then add cashews to a high speed blender, along with all remaining ingredients (habanero, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, onion powder, cool water).1 cup raw cashews, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¾ cup cool water, 1 habanero chile, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Blend until smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds. Stop blender and scrape down sides with a rubber spatula, as needed. You may need to blend longer, if you still have pieces of cashew in the blender. Blend until it is completely smooth and no little chunks of cashew are present.
- Taste crema and adjust spiciness and thickness, as desired. If you want it thinner, add 1 tablespoon of water and blend. Keep in mind that this cream thickens as it cools. If it is not spicy enough for you, add another de-seeded habanero chile and blend again. Keep in mind that this crema gets a little spicier as it rests in the refrigerator.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze leftover cashew cream for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
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