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.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This smoky red pepper crema is the perfect way to elevate any meal, whether it's a busy weeknight dinner or a festive weekend gathering. It's an absolute game-changer for your game day spread or Cinco de Mayo celebration.
What makes this sauce the best is its unbeatable versatility and rich, smoky-spicy flavor. You can use it as a dip, spread it on sandwiches, drizzle it over tacos, enchiladas, or baked potatoes, or even use it as a marinade for chicken, fish, or shrimp. The creamy texture and bold flavor combo make it a crowd favorite every time.
You'll also love our Avocado Crema, cilantro lime crema sauce, and our avocado lime ranch dressing.
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Key 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 we feel like this recipe is pretty close.
- Red peppers- The look and taste of the red peppers pair 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.
- Red pepper flakes- Optional, but gives this dish just enough kick without overpowering the other flavors.
How to make Red Pepper Crema
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.
- Place the peppers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil to roast.
- Roast the peppers until the skin begins to blister and slightly brown.
- Add the roasted peppers and the remaining ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until a creamy mixture forms.
- 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.
Common Mistakes
Be sure to use your favorite cooking oil when roasting the peppers so you get that deep smoky flavor. Our favorite oil to use is avocado oil. You'll also want to make sure the roasted red pepper is completely cool and in the open air when cooling. You don't want them super moist because it adds too much moisture to the sauce.
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 the smoked paprika, and you have a fast and delicious dish.
Recipe
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
Ingredients
- 3 red peppers
- olive, avocado or cooking oil, to brush on peppers.
- 8 ounce 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. See photos above for a great visual.3 red peppers, olive, avocado or cooking oil, to brush on peppers.
- 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!8 ounce sour cream, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, 1-2 teaspoons lime juice, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
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.
Nutrition
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 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 them 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 lose 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.
Storing Red Pepper Crema
You can store this Smoky Red Pepper Crema for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
This dip does not freeze well. The texture will be different when thawed, once it's been frozen.
FAQ
This is a fast and easy recipe. All you need is roasted red pepper, smoked paprika, sour cream, and a high-speed blender to make this copycat Hello Fresh recipe.
If you don't have access to or an account with 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.
Andrea says
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 says
Yum, we love this red pepper crema recipe. It's so smoky and yummy!