Dairy
Crema Mexicana
Crema mexicana is a cultured or cultured-style Mexican cream—pourable, mildly tangy, richer than US light sour cream and runnier than stiff crème fraîche. It is the classic drizzle for tacos, enchiladas, elote, and beans. Pour cold; do not expect stiff peaks. Table cream or thinned crème fraîche can approximate it. Keep refrigerated; shake if separation occurs.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
ChilledDrizzledPoured
Traits
Cultured StyleMexican TableMild TangPourableSilky
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
Half-and-Half
Light Cream
Light Whipping Cream
Heavy Cream
Heavy Whipping Cream
History
MX
Mexican crema developed as the table cream finish for street and home cooking.
US
Crema mexicana entered US Latino markets and then wider grocery.
Crema became a default taco-shop and home Mexican dairy drizzle.