Name: Smoky Red Pepper Crema
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 red bell peppers; ½ cup sour cream; 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp chili powder; Salt and pepper to taste

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Smoky Red Pepper Crema is a versatile sauce that's so easy to make with freshly roasted bell peppers and sour cream.

Enjoy this richly flavored creamy sauce with tacos, or turn it into a party dip, served with chips and fresh veggies.

closeup view of a bowl of red pepper crema surrounded by tortilla chips, carrot sticks, and celery for dipping.

Why This Smoky Red Pepper Crema Recipe is So Good

Amazing Flavor: Roasted red peppers are the main ingredient in this crema recipe, and they bring sweet, savory, and smoky notes. We'll show you how to roast fresh peppers in the oven. It takes about a half hour, and it's totally worth it!
Easy Recipe: After you've roasted the peppers, all you need to do is toss all of the ingredients in your food processor or blender! Smoky red pepper crema is blended up in about a minute, and ready to eat right away.
Make Ahead: While you can enjoy homemade red pepper sour cream dip right after making it, it also stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Hearty Consistency: Some recipes for red pepper crema will have you peel the peppers and add additional liquid to make the sauce very smooth and thin. I like it better this way, with the skins left in, and some bits and chunks of peppers throughout.
Easy to Adjust: As written, this dip recipe is a little bit spicy. You can adjust the amount of chili powder you add to get your crema to the perfect spicy level for your taste buds!

Tips and Tricks for Making Amazing Red Pepper Crema

Don't peel the peppers! Toss them right into the food processor, skins and all. The flavor from the charred peppers, along with some smoked paprika, is what makes this dip smoky.
But you can if you want to. For a smoother dip, remove the skins from the roasted red peppers before blending. It's up to you!
Let the peppers cool a bit. You don't need to cool them down all the way, but it's best not to add super hot things to sour cream. Give the peppers 5-10 minutes to rest before blending up the dip.
Make this dip vegan by replacing the sour cream with your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Enjoy your homemade red pepper dip right away, or store it in the fridge. It will stay fresh and tasty for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

a bowl of red pepper crema. a spoon is lifting some up. In the background are fresh red bell peppers.

What to Serve With Smoky Red Pepper Crema

Use this creamy flavorful sauce to drizzle over tacos, nachos, or any of your favorite Mexican dinner recipes!

My favorite meat-free tacos include these Vegan Birria Tacos and Air Fryer Tofu Tacos, and red pepper crema is delicious on chicken tacos too.

It also makes an amazing dip, with chips, sliced veggies, or gluten-free crackers.

Don't stop there though! You can dip everything into red pepper crema! Try it with air fryer potato wedges, air fryer kale chips, or air fryer zucchini chips too.

If you like pasta with roasted red peppers, try using this as a super simple fresh pasta sauce! Just toss freshly cooked pasta with crema and a bit of pasta water. Yum!

Easy Red Pepper Crema Variations

Roasted Poblanos can be used instead of roasted red peppers. They bring a bit of heat, but won't be overpowering.
Reduce the Calories by using a low fat sour cream.
Make it Extra Spicy by adding additional chili powder, cayenne pepper, or tabasco sauce.
Make it Extra Creamy by including a tablespoon or two of mayo in the recipe.

More Easy Sauce and Dip Recipes

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Smoky Red Pepper Crema

Yield: 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Smoky Red Pepper Crema is a versatile sauce that's so easy to make with freshly roasted bell peppers and sour cream.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 red bell peppers
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Slice the peppers in half and discard the seeds and stalks. Place them on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the peppers start to char.
Place the peppers in a food processor or blender with all remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth.
Serve, or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Don't peel the peppers! Toss them right into the food processor, skins and all. The flavor from the charred peppers is what makes this dip smoky.
Make this dip vegan by replacing the sour cream with your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Serve crema as a dip with tortilla chips, pita bread, or fresh veggies.
It's also delicious as a pasta sauce or salad dressing.
Enjoy your homemade red pepper dip right away, or store it in the fridge. It will stay fresh and tasty for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Insanely Easy Recipes occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.