7 Ways to Make Everything You Cook Deliciously Creamy

By Matt Duckor, Epicurious

It’s the mashed potatoes so silky you mistake them for butter. It’s the cream whipped into triumphant peaks that stand tall for a second before gloriously oozing out onto whatever you desire. It’s the cheesecake that practically melts on the fork.

In other words: It’s the creamy factor.

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A dish’s creamy base layer can keep you going back to foods again and again. Creamy is the secret behind so many of those most craveable foods—the ones we can’t quite put our finger on why we love so much.

And while you can achieve the creamy factor by, yes, adding a bit of cream, there’s more than one way to skin this textural cat. So here we list of our favorite ingredients that add a silky slow jam to just about anything you want to make.

EMBRACE AVOCADO

Okay, yes, you already know about avocado and its creamy super powers. You put it on your toast and mash it up into guacamole. But did you know you can turn avocado into a light, smooth avocado cream? Or that you can bake it into a pound cake? We’ve been known to cover avocado halves in breadcrumbs and bake them until they’re golden brown—that way they’re creamy and crunchy.

KNOW THE MELTIEST CHEESES

Not all cheeses are created equal when it comes to meltability. That expensive, well-aged cheddar cheese that you love pairing with flatbread crackers and wine just isn’t going to melt the way you want it to when it comes to a grilled burger. And while we all know that classic American cheese is a melting superstar, we also all know it lacks flavor and complexity. So the next time you want to make a next level-grilled cheese at home, break out the fontina, gouda, gruyère, havarti, Monterey Jack, or muenster. They’ll stop the world and melt with you.

STIR IN A DOLLOP OF RICOTTA, GOAT, AND COTTAGE CHEESE

There are cheeses for melting on top of things, and then there are creamy cheeses for stirring into things. Ricotta cheese made from sheep’s milk, chèvre made from goat’s milk, and even basic cottage cheese can do wonders when stirred into sauces and dips. And they’re even more magical when you cook with them: Ricotta amps up the flavor of pillowy gnocchi; chèvre makes an addictive salad topping when it’s rolled in breadcrumbs and roasted under the broiler; and cottage cheese plays nice with pancakes, producing the fluffiest flapjacks possible.

WHISK IN ALTERNATIVE MILKS OR BUTTERMILK

Cream is always, um, creamy. But there’s a healthier (and, honestly, more delicious) way. Buttermilk adds a pleasant tang to everything—just add a splash to salad dressings or dips. Looking to thicken a soup to creamy perfection? Look no further than alternative milks like almond, sunflower seed, and coconut.

GET TO KNOW BURRATA’S OOZE

“Burrata’s just mozzarella, and I’ve had mozzarella a million times,” you might say. “What’s the difference?” The answer: Burrata’s texture makes a ball of mozz seem like sandpaper. We can’t get enough of burrata’s distinct oozy creaminess. That’s because burrata takes mozarella’s already-creamy starting point and injects it with a molten layer of liquid cream that’s ready to break out at a moment’s notice.

Grab a ball of fresh burrata cheese and top it with a grassy olive oil, the best sliced tomatoes you can find, a mess of fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Don’t have tomatoes or find yourself with a creamy craving in the dead of winter? You’ll barely notice they’re not there—burrata’s that good.

MAKE A BATCH OF FLAVORED AIOLI

Making aioli is dead simple: whisk together pounded garlic, olive oil, and egg yolks. Then add whatever flavor you’re craving: acidic lemon juice, chopped pieces of fresh thyme, and spicy horseradish all work well. From there you’re just a drizzle, swipe, or swoosh away from making creamy magic.

MEET TAHINI, THE DO-EVERYTHING CREAMY FLAVOR BOOSTER

Maybe more than anything else on this list, we can’t get enough of tahini, the creamy, spreadable paste made from sesame seeds that’s popular in North African cooking. We’ve got shelves filled with jars upon jars of the magical stuff because it’s just so darn versatile.

You want a creamy tahini sauce for steak? No problem. Make a paste out of fresh garlic and combine it with tahini and thin things out with warm water. Whisk in chopped parsley, lemon juice, oil, and cayenne.

How about a thicker dip for crudités? Creamy is the answer. Combine avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and ½ cup of the creamy tahini sauce above in a large bowl, then mash with a fork until smooth. Want it even creamier? Throw it in the blender.

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Neither of those work for you? Our creamy friend tahini makes for a punchy salad dressing. Purée cucumber, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and that creamy tahini sauce in a blender until it’s smooth (aka CREAMY). Add dill and pulse a few more times to combine.

However you slice it, you’re creamy.

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PHOTOS: CHELSEA KYLE