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Home » Recipes » Food

Published: May 24, 2022, By: Melissa, Updated: Oct 15, 2023

Poblano Cream Sauce (Roasted Poblano Crema)

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Roasted poblano sauce (also called poblano crema) is an ultra-creamy and delicious sauce made from roasted poblano peppers and just a few other ingredients. It is really easy to make (just 5 minutes to blend after roasting the peppers) and the perfect addition to any Mexican meal.

poblano cream sauce in container

Roasted poblano sauce is perfect on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas or used as a dip for veggies, and tortilla chips. This sauce is not spicy (since poblano peppers are mild peppers) but it does have a distinct bold delicious flavor that I just love.

This poblano sauce comes from my recipe for poblano quesadillas where I roast poblano peppers for the quesadilla and the sauce at the same time.

We grow lots of these peppers and this is my favorite way to put them to good use.

This sauce is made up of sour cream, roasted poblanos, salt, cilantro, onion, lime and garlic and is so easy to make.

Most of the flavor in this poblano sauce comes from the poblano peppers being roasted in the oven. The additional ingredients just help accent the delicious poblano flavor.

What you will need

  • Roasted poblano peppers. If you have not roasted peppers before, it is easy and I will show you how to do it. Roasting the peppers brings out so much flavor in the peppers.
  • Sour cream or Mexican crema. I prefer using a full-fat sour cream. If you prefer, you can use a low-fat sour cream but try to avoid fat-free since it has very little flavor.
  • Roasted garlic. This roasts alongside the peppers and adds so much flavor to the creamy sauce.
  • Roasted Onion. You roast the onions at the same time as the peppers and add another layer of flavor to the sauce.
  • Fresh cilantro. Make sure to use fresh cilantro and not dried for this recipe. The fresh cilantro is vibrant and really wakes up the flavors of this cream sauce.
  • Olive oil. Anu type of olive oil works well.
  • Lime Juice. You can use fresh or bottled lime juice.

Recipe Note: Try to find large poblano peppers to roast for this sauce which will not be spicy. Smaller poblanos will have a little heat.

poblano cream sauce ingredients

The Steps

Making this creamy sauce is also very easy. It is just blending it all together.

  • Roast the poblano peppers under the broiler: The roasted peppers will take the longest and will be done when they are charred on the outside. I like to use the oven broiler for this but you can also do this over your stovetop burners or on an outside grill.
  • Sweat the peppers: Once the peppers are roasted, you want to add them to a bowl and sweat off the skins by covering the bowl with plastic wrap. After about 30 minutes (or once the peppers come to room temperature) you can easily peel the skins off the peppers.

poblano pepper
The poblano peppers are wrapped in a bowl. You can see the steam build up in the bowl which helps the skin loosen.
roasted poblano pepper
Here is what the skin looks like when it is ready to be peeled.
  • Blend ingredients in a food processor: Once you are done peeling the skins off of your peppers, you can begin adding all of the ingredients to a food processor and begin to make the cream sauce.
making the poblano cream sauce

How to use poblano cream sauce

  • As a dip for burritos or quesadillas.
  • This poblano sauce makes a great dip for veggies like our roasted broccoli and potatoes.
  • Serve it alongside a delicious pulled pork rice bowl.
  • It makes a great dip for tortilla chips, especially when paired with homemade pico de gallo.
  • Serve it over grilled chicken or fish.
creamy poblano sauce in a container with a spoon.

For more delicious sauces

We love making homemade sauce so we have lots of them. Here are some broken down by category:

  • A bowl of tahini yogurt sauce with a spoon next to it.
    Easy Tahini and Yogurt Sauce
  • sriracha mayo
    Creamy Sriracha Mayo (Spicy Mayo)
  • creamy cilantro dressing top view
    Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce (Just 5 Minutes!)
  • avocado dip in a bowl on a blue counter
    Greek Yogurt And Avocado Dip
creamy poblano sauce in a container with a spoon.
Print Recipe
5 from 21 votes

Poblano Cream Sauce

The most delicious and amazing poblano cream sauce that is great for dipping or served with your favorite Mexican meal.
Prep Time35 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Melissa Oleary

Ingredients

  • 1 large poblano pepper roasted
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¾ cup Sour Cream or ½ cup of Mexican crema
  • ½ red onion sliced.
  • 1 bunch of green onion optional. If you like extra onion flavor add this.
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Making the Poblano Cream Sauce

  • Pre-heat your broiler to high
  • Add your poblano pepper, red onion, green onions (if using) and garlic to a sheet pan.
    1 large poblano pepper roasted, 2 cloves garlic, ½ red onion, 1 bunch of green onion
  • Roast under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes turning the vegetables about every 1-2 minutes to cook and evenly.
  • After 4-5 minutes, remove your onions and garlic from the pan. Return the pan to the oven to finish cooking the poblano pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the poblano is lightly browned on all sides.
  • After the pepper is done cooking remove the pan from the oven.
  • With tongs, place the poblano pepper into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes or until cool.
  • When cooled, remove the poblano from the bowl and begin to peel the skin away from the poblano pepper.
  • Now in a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the poblano cream sauce.
    ¾ cup Sour Cream, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 1 lime (juiced), kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • Mix on medium speed until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper and add to taste then mix again for a couple seconds.
  • Depending on how much water is in your poblano peppers naturally your sauce may come out thicker or thinner.
    If your sauce is too thin, you can add a little more sour cream to thicken it up.
    If your sauce is too thick, you can add a little more lime or water to thin it.
    Make sure to taste for seasoning after adjusting.
  • Serve with your favorite Mexican food, over fish, chicken or use as a dip.

Notes

Storing

If you do have any leftover poblano sauce, place it in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to one week. Take it out about 15 minutes before you are ready to use it if you want the sauce to be extra creamy and pourable.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Values are estimates only.

See full nutrition disclaimer here

Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

Course :dip, dressing

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 21 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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  1. Melissa says

    July 13, 2023 at 5:18 pm

    Hi Anne. You do not need those for the recipe, they are an additional ingredient we sometimes add. The onion listed in the recipe is all you need.

    Reply
  2. Carrie says

    February 25, 2023 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    Came out really delicious and great step by step instructions!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 25, 2023 at 3:06 pm

      Hi Carrie. I am so glad it was helpful!

      Reply
  3. Kryssa says

    February 18, 2023 at 2:43 pm

    Can this keep if frozen for a while?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 18, 2023 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Kryssa. I have not tried freezing it. You can store it in the fridge for up to one week though.
      Hope this helps!

      Reply
    • Jessica says

      November 11, 2023 at 5:42 pm

      Is it possible to can this or will cooking it during the canning process change the consistency & flavor?

      Reply
      • Melissa Oleary says

        November 12, 2023 at 12:21 am

        Hi Jessica. I have not tried canning this so I can't offer advice on that unfortunately.

  4. Jessica says

    January 24, 2023 at 2:40 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      January 24, 2023 at 12:34 pm

      Hi Jessica. I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  5. Marie says

    November 05, 2022 at 4:34 pm

    How long does it keep refrigerated?

    Reply
  6. Lee says

    September 28, 2022 at 9:37 pm

    5 stars
    Made this poblano sauce for tacos and it was AMAZING!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      September 28, 2022 at 9:47 pm

      Hi Lee. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  7. Melissa says

    September 25, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    So glad you enjoyed it!

    Reply

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I am so excited you are here. My name is Melissa and I started this recipe website to share easy recipes that I have been cooking for years. I have written hundreds of easy recipes that are tested and perfected. Some of the recipes I learned during my years of working in restaurants, some from owning my own food company, and others from friends and traveling.

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