This vegan sour cream recipe is the closest homemade version to the real thing I have ever had. Both flavor and texture are so close to the dairy version!
This recipe was originally published on 4/5/14
I am constantly looking to better my vegan versions of traditional dairy filled things, and sour cream is top of my list. This is the best version I have made to date!
Vegan Sour Cream
I have made SO many trials of sour cream. While creating a recipe for my plain yogurt (because none I can find out there replicate the stuff I use to eat as a kid!), one of my failed trials resulted in a pretty darn good sour cream! So here we are, sharing it with the world.
What is vegan sour cream made from?
There are loads of recipes out there for vegan sour cream, with a few different base ingredients. Here are a few things people use as a base:
- cashews
- tofu
- non dairy yogurt
- coconut cream
- tahini
After trying all of these ideas, I still wasn’t sold. While the cashews gave me the closest to what I was looking for, something was still missing.
What many may not remember if they haven’t had real dairy filled sour cream for a while, is that sour cream is not really sour. It actually has a very neutral flavor. A creamy plain kind of neutral.
So I kept this in mind while creating my version. Cashews are my go to base for creaminess. We fortunately do not have a nut allergy, so since they give the best result for non dairy alternatives, I always start there.
But to achieve what I wanted here, I needed something less sweet to keep a thicker texture. So I substituted some of the cashews with blanched almonds!
You still need some tang in it however to reach that neutral point of flavor since the cashew part of the base I use has a sweetness you don’t want coming through. While other recipes out there use apple cider vinegar and lemon, I did not find the best success with these.
So what did I use?
- white distilled vinegar
- lime juice
They worked perfectly! The other thing I did not add, that many others do, are:
- salt (it actually brings out the sweetness of the cashews more)
- nutritional yeast (not my fave)
What is a good vegan substitute for sour cream?
If you aren’t going to make your own sour cream, and need a quick and easy sub, the best thing I can think of is plain yogurt. Much like I said above when I shared this vegan sour cream recipe was actually a result from a failed vegan plain yogurt recipe trial, they are pretty close!
How long does homemade sour cream last?
If you store this in an air tight container in the fridge, it should last about 7 days. However we make it in a big batch and freeze what we won’t use! The best way to freeze it is to cover the top of the sour cream itself with plastic so it touches it and forms a barrier from freezer burn.
When you are ready to eat it, let it defrost on the counter. You can also slowly defrost it in the microwave. Either way you will need to give it a good whisk, or blend it again, to get it creamy.
If you do that then let it set again in the fridge it works pretty well!
How to Make Dairy Free Sour Cream
It is so easy to whip this recipe up! You need to make sure you are soaking the nuts however, so don’t forget. If you do, you can also boil them for 30 minutes.
- Blend all ingredients until smooth.
- Let it set in the fridge over night. The more it sets the more cultured like it will get.
- Serve!
Ways To Serve This Vegan Sour Cream
- Serve with Mexican dishes such as vegan nachos,vegan taquitos, and Mexican taco bowls
- As a topper in soups like this tequila lime soup
- A spread for sandwiches
- A base for other dips, try mixing with my healthy vegan bean dip
- Serve with oven fries as a dip
- Mix it with my Mexican Cole Slaw for a creamy version
This vegan sour cream recipe is the closest homemade version to the real thing I have ever had. Both flavor and texture are so close to the dairy version!
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews , soaked overnight (see note, includes nut free idea)
- 2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds , soaked overnight (see note, includes nut free idea)
- 1 cup , plus 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (see note)
- 5-5 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar (see note)
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Put in an airtight container and let set in the fridge overnight.
- you must soak the nuts even if you are using a high speed blender. It is part of the overall end flavor. You can soak the cashews overnight or boil them for 30 minutes if you forget.
- Do not use lemon in place of lime. Lime is the key to get the perfect flavor.
- Do not sub the vinegar with another kind. Apple cider vinegar is sweeter and not as tangy. The distilled white is key for the final result. If you sub it, the flavor will change. Add more vinegar if you want it more tangy but dairy sour cream is more of a neutral than sour flavor.
- This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups. Serving size is 1/4 cup.
To make a nut free version, you can try subbing silken tofu for the nuts! Do the same amount, so 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons.
Catherine says
Hi there, I can’t get blanched slivered almonds. Would blanched almond meal work? If so, how much should I use and would I need to soak it?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Catherine, I have not tried the almond meal, but you could give it a shot. I would go by the weight I give which is 17.5 grams. I’m not quite sure if the consistency or smoothness would come out the same, I would try without soaking first since soaking almond meal isn’t the same as soaking almonds and since it is not hard like almonds are you probably don’t need to soak at all. Let me know if you try it and how it worked!
Rhona says
Hi, sorry to sound thick but what does 5.5 half teaspoons mean?Keen to try this but don’t understand the measurement.Is it five and a half teaspoons.?
veggiesdontbite says
Don’t be sorry!! There are never any bad questions. Yep, it’s 5 1/2 teaspoons. My recipe plugin changes it to .5 instead of 1/2. Hope that helps!
Sue says
Thanks for another winning recipe Sophia! Flavor rreally benefits from an overnight in the refrigerator.
veggiesdontbite says
So happy you like it Sue! It definitely tastes better the next day!
Kristina says
This looks great! I love how you work and tweak to make your subs as good as their dairy companions! Please, please, please work on cream cheese next. I SO very much miss a good cream cheese on my bagel. 🙁
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you!! I put that on my list, I will definitely try and fit that in sometime in the new year!
Kristina says
You have no idea how excited that makes me! Thank you!
veggiesdontbite says
Haha!!!
Elaine says
I’m dairy intolerant and doing Weight Watchers. I am going to try the tofu version of this because the protein count is high and the sugar is low – perfect! I would avoid the So Delicious Coconut plain Greek yogurt alternative because it is very high in sugar and only 2 gm of protein, sadly. Can’t wait to try this, thank you for the suggestion it’s hard to find good dairy substitute recipes while trying to keep the protein count high and the sugars low!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Elaine! Glad you found something that may work for you! I personally prefer the nut based version, but if you’re watching the calories the tofu one should work. Hope you like it!
Beth says
I prefer tofu based recipes to nut based ones (tofu is so healthy and has much less fat), so I am definitely trying this! I have a vintage pasta dish I’d like to use it in, replacing dairy sour cream, do you think it’ll work?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Beth! I think it depends on the recipe but it should work ok! Let me know if you try it!
Marla says
Great vegan sour cream recipe. Thank you!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Marla! Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
Emily Kemp says
I’m a bit of a sour cream addict, so happy I stumbled across this healthy version!
Marianne says
Just tried this and it is DELICIOUS! I added some chipotle chile and put it in a Mexican bowl (like a rice taco salad type of thing) and cannot believe how delicious it tastes!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you Marianne!! I’m so happy you loved it!!! The chipotle sounds divine!!
Izzy | Ninety-nine Jam Jars says
I’ve just used a slightly tweaked version of your recipe in a sour cream cake and icing: http://www.ninetyninejamjars.com/2016/03/russian-sour-cream-cake.html
It worked perfectly 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks for linking back to me and the credit! Looks like a delicious cake!
Izzy | Ninety-nine Jam Jars says
This really looks delicious! I was after a vegan version of sour cream to make a sour cream cake – I’ll leave out the garlic and salt and give your recipe a try 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you Izzy! I saw your link up on the cake and it looks delicious!
Chelsie says
Thank you for the recipe! Can it be frozen? I can’t seem to use it quickly enough.
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Chelsie! Tofu changes texture when frozen so I’m not sure how it would be texture wise after defrosted. But perhaps if you blended it again it would work. Give it a try and let us know!
veggiesdontbite says
Awesome! Thanks for the mention!
Dina says
It looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it. Keep some for me please.
Thank you
veggiesdontbite says
It’s very good but I couldn’t even keep any for me! The boys ate it all!
quiltykanuck says
That sounds delicious. If we have garlic allergies, what do you think might replace it?
veggiesdontbite says
Hmmmm, maybe some onion powder?? Or you can leave it out. The original recipe I used as a guide from Oh She Glows doesn’t use it. I just put it in for a little added flavor.
quiltykanuck says
Oh! I know that site… I might just leave it out. We cannot have any of the allium family : Onions, green onions, ramps, garlic, shallots, chives, leeks… But we manage fine. I love finding alternatives. 🙂
Thank you!
veggiesdontbite says
You’re welcome! It’s just as good with it out! My recipe has a little more tang, which we like, but you can reduce that too.
Allie says
Try asafetida in place of garlic/onions
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks! Let me know if you try it!
Laura says
This is really good – and looks so creamy! Definitely bookmarking this!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks Laura! It is definitely creamy. The silken tofu version is lighter than the cashew one so it depends on what you are looking for.
Alison says
This sounds delicious, going to make it tonight! Can I ask how long it would last in the fridge?
Thanks 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Alison! Thanks so much! I would guess that it probably lasts about 5 to 7 days in the fridge. That’s the most I’ve ever kept it. Feel free to adjust the flavors for more or less tang to suit your needs! Let me know how you like it!
Alison says
LOVED it!!! So tasty , been using it all week!! Thanks so much for a lovely recipe 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
So happy to hear! Yay! Thanks so much for sharing your review!