# Cilantro "Crema"

> A bright, creamy cilantro sauce made with avocado oil instead of dairy. Perfect for tacos, bowls, and as a versatile condiment.

**Prep time:** 10 minutes
**Cook time:** 0 minutes
**Yield:** About 2 cups

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## Ingredients

- 1 egg yolk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups avocado oil
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp salt

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## Shopping List

### 🥬 Produce
- [ ] 3 cloves garlic
- [ ] 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

### 🥚 Dairy & Eggs
- [ ] 2 eggs (1 whole + 1 yolk)

### 🧂 Pantry
- [ ] 2 tbsp vinegar
- [ ] 1 tbsp mustard
- [ ] 2 cups avocado oil
- [ ] 2 tbsp salt

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## Instructions

1. **Blend base ingredients.** To a blender or a food processor, add your egg yolk, egg, vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt.

2. **Blend until smooth.** Blend this mixture well until super smooth and there are no large pieces of garlic left.

3. **Slowly emulsify oil.** Keep the blender or processor on, then very slowly begin to add your oil. We are essentially making a mayonnaise here, slowly emulsifying the oil into our mixture.

4. **Add oil more quickly.** Once the mixture begins to thicken up, you can add the oil more quickly.

5. **Reserve some mayo.** Once fully emulsified, remove about half the mayonnaise mixture from the blender.

6. **Add cilantro and blend.** Add in your cilantro and blend on high until the cilantro breaks down into very small pieces and the sauce appears green.

7. **Add back mayo and blend.** Add back in the rest of your mayo mixture and blend until fully emulsified.

8. **Bottle and enjoy.** Pop into a squeeze bottle and enjoy!

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## Notes

**Storage:** Refrigerates for up to 1 week. Not recommended for freezing due to emulsion breakdown.

**Emulsification Tips:** Add oil very slowly at first to prevent the mixture from breaking. If it does break, start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken mixture.

**Uses:** Perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, as a salad dressing, drizzled over grilled vegetables, or as a dip.

**Mayo Variation:** The reserved plain mayo (before adding cilantro) can be used as a base for other flavored sauces.

**Flavor Variations:** Try adding lime juice, jalapeño for heat, or swap cilantro for parsley or basil.