Spice up any Mexican dish with tasty and easy Hello Fresh copycat recipe Smoky Red Pepper Crema. Add this smoked dipping sauce to anything from tacos and burritos, to the perfect chip or vegetable dip. You can't go wrong with this delicious smoky and creamy dip.
This is the best addition to any weeknight family dinner, or a weekend get together with friends or family. Add it to a game day spread or pair it with the perfect Cinco De Mayo dish.
You need this amazing sauce in your life. It is so versatile adding a spicy smokey flavor to all of your favorite dishes. Spread it on sandwiches, top a taco, enchiladas, or even a baked potato.
We even recommend it being used as a marinade for chicken, fish, or shrimp. It's creamy texture paired with the sauces intense flavor combination will have everyone wanting more.
We recommend trying this recipe with some of our favorite dishes like Air Fryer Taquitos, and Air Fryer Quesadillas. A flavorful dish like Birria Quesadillas or Birria Pizza is the perfect match with this creamy dipping sauce.
This dish is naturally gluten free. To make this dairy free, see our substitutions below.
Jump to:
Why We Love This Recipe
- Smoky Flavor- The smoky flavor of the roasted red peppers gives this a unique taste that you will love.
- Spicy Kick- The combo of the creamy texture and the spicy red pepper flakes add a tasty heat index.
- Creamy Dip- The creaminess of this dip is the perfect combo with the spicy and smokey flavors.
- Versatile- You can use this as a dip, spread, or sauce for a variety of dishes, making it versatile and easy to incorporate into different meals.
- A tasty look- The bright color of the red peppers and creaminess of the crema make it a tasty looking dish that will spice up any taco night or add to a fun dip night.
- Gluten Free DipMake this dip as a gluten free option at any party or get together.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients needed for this tasty Mexican dip. We don't have all of the Hello Fresh secrets, but feel like this recipe is pretty close.
- Red peppers- The look and taste of the red peppers pairs great with the smoked paprika.
- Olive Oil- This is for brushing the peppers. You can also use avocado oil.
- Sour cream- This is the base of the dip. You can also use part greek yogurt but to stay authentic to the copycat use full fat sour cream.
- Smoked paprika- Gives this dip that smoky taste you love.
- Garlic powder- The perfect universal seasoning to give any dish the extra pop you need.
- Lime juice- A subtle taste that brings all the flavors together.
- Red pepper flakes- Optional, but gives this dish just enough kick without over powering the other flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow these step by step instructions for the best results. You can refer to the pictures to help with each process and check for clarity.
- Cut the red peppers in half. Remove the stem and the seeds.
2. Place the peppers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil to roast.
3. Roast the peppers until the skin begins to blister and slightly brown.
4. Add the roasted peppers and the remaining ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend until a creamy mixture forms.
5. Pour creamy dip into a serving bowl and serve with any Mexican inspired dish or use as a vegetable dip.
Hint: If you're in a time crunch, you can use a store-bought can of roasted red peppers instead of making your own.
As a budget tip, you can save money by making your own roasted red peppers.
Substitutions and Variations
Try these variations and substitutions to spice things up. Make this recipe your own with these adaptations.
- Extra Spicy - While this recipe has a smooth creamy taste with a hint of spice, you can make this extra spicy by doubling the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Mild- Not a fan of heat? Don't worry! Crushed red pepper flakes are optional and can be omitted to make for a mild sauce.
- Dairy Free -Make this dairy free by using a dairy free sour cream substitute or dairy free yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is plain and not flavored.
- Quick and Easy- Though making your own roasted red peppers is delicious and budget friendly, you can buy the store bought version for a 5 minute recipe. Make sure to pat dry as they are wet coming out of the jar.
- Green Peppers- We love the taste of the traditional red pepper for this dish, you can also make roasted green peppers, or even yellow or orange peppers. Red peppers do tend to have a sweeter taste than green peppers.
- Paprika-It's not recommended because it will loose that iconic smoky taste, but you can use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika in this recipe.
- Mexican Sour Cream- If you have access to Mexican Sour Cream, you can use that instead of regular sour cream to replicate the original recipe even better.
- Avocado Crema- For a smooth avocado inspired sauce try our Avocado Crema.
Helpful Hints
- Use oil-Make sure to roast the peppers with avocado oil, olive oil, or cooking oil. We found that when you don't use oil, you don't that same blistering effect you want when roasting the peppers.
- Make ahead- You can make this sauce ahead of time in order to have it prepped and ready to go for any party or get together. It's one less thing you have to worry about when prepping for a big event.
- Cooling- while the peppers are cooling, let them air out. This will make them less moist, and it will be easier to blot them dry.
How to Serve
- Serve for parties! It goes great with chips, and Air Fryer Taquitos.
- A great way to add flavor to an already amazing dish like our Birria Quesadillas, air fryer quesadillas, and our arepa con quesos.
- It goes great with other Mexican dips our roasted corn salsa, cilantro lime crema sauce, and our cilantro lime guacamole. Or try avocado lime ranch dressing.
Equipment
For the best results you will need the following equipment. You can use what equipment you have or use the suggestions below.
- High Speed Blender- This is used to mix together the dip. It will help you get that creamy texture you're looking for.
- Parchment Paper- You will need this to roast the red peppers. It helps with easy clean up.
- baking sheet- In order to roast the red peppers, you will need a baking sheet to put in the oven.
Storage
You can store this Smoky Red Pepper Crema for up to 5 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
This dip does not freeze well. The texture will be different when thawed, once it's been frozen.
Top tip
Make sure you roast the peppers until they are starting to blister and discolor slightly. You don't want to undercook the peppers to get that perfect texture and taste. Add with the smoked paprika, and you have a fast and delicious dish.
FAQ
This is a fast and easy recipe. All you need is roasted red pepper, smoke paprika, sour cream and high sped blender to make this copycat Hello Fresh recipe.
If you don't have access or an account to Hellofresh but want to make their famous dip at home, use this recipe to substitute for the real deal. It's delicious and tastes exactly the same. Use sour cream and smoked paprika as a good substitute.
While you can't buy the HelloFresh recipe in the store, you can make a homemade version with sour cream, roasted red peppers, and smoked paprika.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Smoky Red Pepper Crema:
Recipe
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
Ingredients
- 3 red peppers
- olive, avocado or cooking oil, to brush on peppers.
- 8 oz sour cream full or reduced fat, may use part Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-2 teaspoons lime juice optional, highly encouraged
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash and dry the bell peppers. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stem. Brush a light coat of oil on the peppers and place on a parchment lined baking sheet with the inside of the pepper facing down. Bake for 35 minutes. The peppers should be starting to turn brown and should be very tender when poked with a fork. Bake an additional 5 minutes if necessary. Remove from baking sheet and place on a baking rack to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Blot any excess liquid off the peppers. Place in a food processor with the sour cream, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and lime juice and pepper flakes, if using. Food process for 30 seconds or so, until well blended. The sauce will be slightly chunky, you may blend longer until smooth, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- It is not recommended to freeze this dish.
- Extra spicy: try adding 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- For a 5 minute version: Instead of roasting the red peppers, you may substitute for 16 oz. store bought roasted red peppers. Rinse and dry the peppers before use.
Andrea
I made this tasty Hellofresh copycat and it is so good. It tastes just like the original and I've tried it with chips and sprinkled on tacos. The whole family loved it.
Nicole
Yum, we love this red pepper crema recipe. It's so smoky and yummy!