The Recipe · No.890 · Taco Shop Chipotle Crema

Taco Shop Chipotle Crema, and where to source it

Blend one whole chipotle plus a spoon of its adobo — the smoke lives in the sauce it's packed in, not just the pepper. Chopping the pepper alone gives you heat with none of that deep, smoky background.

Ad-free · ingredients first · no 2,000-word story.

Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep5 min
Cooknone
Makesabout 1 cup
CuisineMexican-American
Greedometer ●●●●● Barely a splurge Level Easy
A light hand — your arteries say thanks.
Cook it with
No-cook
Suits
VegetarianGluten-free
Contains  dairy · eggs
Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.
Straight Answers
Can you freeze Taco Shop Chipotle Crema? — Not ideal

Not really — the cream, custard, or emulsion turns grainy or splits once thawed. This one is best kept fresh in the fridge.

Can you make Taco Shop Chipotle Crema ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — it keeps in the fridge for several days; stir or shake it before serving.

Is Taco Shop Chipotle Crema gluten-free? — Yes

Yes — nothing in this recipe as written contains gluten. As always, glance at the labels on any packaged items (broth, sauces, chocolate), since brands vary.

Is Taco Shop Chipotle Crema vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy and egg. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

Part One
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Cook for 1 cup
Our ratio, your call. The amounts below are a tested starting point — a version, not the one and only. Anything tagged to taste is the knob you turn: start there, then make it yours.
Sour cream
The tangy base of a real crema. Full-fat, cultured.
1/2 cuprecommended
Source it →
Mayonnaise
For body and to keep it pourable. Real, full-fat.
1/4 cuprecommended
Source it →
Chipotle in adobo
One pepper plus a spoon of the adobo sauce — the whole smoky heart. Add more pepper to taste.
1 pepper + 1 tsp adoboto taste
Local / market
Lime juice
To brighten and thin slightly. Fresh, to taste.
1 tbspto taste
Local / market
Garlic
One small clove, grated. A single fresh clove.
1 cloverecommended
Source it →
One list, with a link to where to buy each one.
Part Two
The Method
  1. BlendBlend everything smooth — a blender or immersion blender gives the cleanest pourable crema.
  2. AdjustTaste and add another chipotle for more smoke and heat, or more lime to loosen and brighten.
Part Three
The Toolkit

Immersion blender · Squeeze bottle

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© 2026 5best2buy · Worth The Hunt · Recipe No.890