The Best Vegan Sour Cream Recipe

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.

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Let it set in the fridge over night. The more it sets the more cultured like it will get.
3. 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

The Best Vegan Sour Cream Recipe

Sophia DeSantis

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!

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 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)

Instructions

 

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
• Put in an airtight container and let set in the fridge overnight.

Notes

• 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.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

Keyword healthy sour cream, non dairy sour cream

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!