Listen, this sauce is the kind of little kitchen creation that makes you wonder why you ever bought bottled sauce in the first place. It’s smoky from the roasted poblanos and chipotle, creamy from the avocado and Greek yogurt, bright from fresh lime, and has just enough ranchy, garlicky goodness to keep you going back for another drizzle. It goes GREAT with my Cheeseburger Rice Paper Rolls, but don’t stop there. Spoon it over tacos, burrito bowls, grilled chicken or seafood, roasted vegetables, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, or use it as a dip for your favorite veggies. Chile, put this in a squeeze bottle and suddenly we’re in business.
Roasted Poblano Avocado Ranch Crema
A smoky, creamy avocado sauce blended with roasted poblano, chipotle, lime, garlic, and ranch seasoning. The perfect bold, cooling finish for tacos, bowls, pinwheels, and more.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Baking sheet or broiler-safe pan
- Small bowl
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
Roasted Poblanos
- 2 large poblano peppers roasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
Crema
- 2 large ripe avocados peeled and pitted
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp fresh lime juice about the juice of 2 limes, plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeño seeded or mostly seeded, plus more to taste
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- 1 tsp adobo sauce plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
- 2 tsp ranch seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 small drizzles honey or to taste
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 to 3 tbsp water milk, or additional lime juice, as needed for blending
Instructions
- Roast Those Poblanos: Place the poblano peppers under the broiler or directly over a gas flame. Turn occasionally until the skin is heavily blistered and charred all over.
- Let Them Steam: Transfer the hot poblanos to a bowl and cover for about 10 minutes. This helps loosen the charred skin.
- Peel and Prep: Peel away the charred skin, then remove the stems and seeds. Avoid rinsing the peppers if possible so you don’t wash away that smoky roasted flavor.
- Build the Flavor Base: Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, 4 tbsp lime juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, ranch seasoning, and smoked paprika to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Bring in the Smoke: Add the roasted poblanos and jalapeño. Blend again until completely smooth. Start with one jalapeño and keep most of the seeds and membrane out. We already have chipotle bringing heat, so we’re going for flavor first and fire second.
- Make It Creamy: Add the avocados and cilantro. Blend until the crema is silky and smooth. If your blender needs a little help, add liquid 1 tbsp at a time until you reach a thick but drizzleable consistency.
- Balance That Bad Boy: Taste the crema and adjust as needed. Add more lime for brightness, a little more adobo for smokiness, more jalapeño or chipotle for heat, a tiny drizzle of honey if it’s too tangy, or a pinch of salt if the flavors need a little wake-up call.
- Let the Flavors Marry: Refrigerate the crema for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This gives the garlic, roasted poblano, chipotle, ranch, and spices time to come together. Give it a good stir before serving and taste one more time.
- Serve It Up: Drizzle over turkey pinwheels, tacos, bowls, grilled meats, seafood, roasted vegetables, or anything else that needs a creamy little glow-up.
Notes
Heat Level: Start with 1 jalapeño and 1 chipotle pepper. Add more after tasting if you want more heat.
Lime: Start with 4 tbsp fresh lime juice. If the crema needs more brightness, add another 1 tbsp at a time.
Consistency: For a thicker dipping sauce, use less added liquid. For a drizzleable crema, add liquid gradually until it flows easily from a spoon.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container and use within about 3 to 4 days for best quality.
Freezing: The crema can be frozen, although the avocado and Greek yogurt may cause a slight texture change after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir or briefly re-blend before serving.
Serving Idea: For the Cajun turkey pinwheel kebabs, drizzle the crema over the top and finish with cilantro, green onion, and a squeeze of lime. That is the money shot.