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This Vegan Sour Cream Recipe requires just 5 ingredients and it turns out rich, tangy and creamy!
I’m so excited to share this Vegan Sour Cream Recipe with you guys! It’s heavenly! Plus, it’s so darn easy to make and it should be in everyone’s fridge.
Along with Vegan Cheddar Cheese and Almond Cream Cheese. All non-dairy, all delicious!
I started making my own sour cream because the store-bought varieties are lacking tang that the dairy variety has. I love the consistency of most of them, but they need to work on the flavor part.
I have a feeling that we’ll see better versions in the near future though. The vegan community is growing fast and many companies are paying attention. It’s a great time to be vegan!!
What is Vegan Sour Cream Made Of?
Believe it or not, it takes just 5 ingredients to make the creamiest and tangiest sour cream. Here’s what you’ll need: (*full amounts in recipe card below)
Raw cashews
Unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
Lemon juice
Apple cider vinegar
Salt
Some non-dairy yogurt brands have an off-white color, which will make your sour cream slightly off-white. It won’t affect the tastiness though. I prefer So Delicious for its color, flavor, and thickness.
If you can’t find unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, you can use plain. Look for one that has the least amount of sugar to avoid a slightly sweet taste.
I use whole raw cashews instead of pieces because the pieces seem to be lower quality and not as fresh. This can make it have an off taste. Roasted cashews won’t work either because the cashew flavor is more prominent and it will take over everything. It shouldn’t taste like cashews.
If you have lactic acid, you can use that in replace of the lemon juice. It adds a similar tangy flavor that cultured cheese has. I usually add 1 1/4 teaspoons. You may need to add a few teaspoons of water or non-dairy milk to make up the liquid portion of the lemon juice. Blend first and then decide.
If you’d like to add an extra hint of flavor to your vegan sour cream, adding granulated onion will do the trick. You only need a pinch.
How do you make Vegan Sour Cream?
The method is SO easy, just add all the ingredients to your high-powered blender. Then blend on high until creamy and smooth.
Now taste to see if it needs more lemon, salt or vinegar and add if needed. The consistency will be soft, but it will significantly firm up in the fridge.
Pour into an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm it up. Give it a good stir after chilling. It will keep about 4-5 days in the fridge, but I never make it that long. It disappears fast!
*Tips
* If you’re unsure how salty or tangy you want the sour cream to be, it’s best to use less lemon, vinegar and salt to start. You can always taste and add more after blending.
* I get a perfect consistency every time with the listed ingredient amounts. However, If you feel your sour cream is too thick, you can add a few teaspoons of unsweetened non-dairy milk, yogurt or water to thin it out. Add more as needed but only a small amount at a time to avoid a runny consistency.
* If you don’t have a high-speed blender, the consistency may not get smooth enough.
*The cashews must soak for a minimum of 6 hours or they will produce gritty results.
What can I use sour cream for?
You can use it to amp up:
– Dressings
– Sauces
– Dips
– Soups
– Baked goods
– Ice cream
– Pancakes
Dollop it on Vegan Quesadillas, Baked Potatoes, Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos, Rice, Tomato Spinach Pasta, casseroles, Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, and so much more!
Enjoy!
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Sour Cream Recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
5-Ingredient Vegan Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews , soaked in water for 6 hours
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt unsweetened (sub plain)
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (I usually add 2)
- 3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar , more to taste
- 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste (I usually add 3/4 tsp)
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Discard soaking water.
- Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender (starting with the yogurt and lemon juice). Blend on high until creamy and smooth. This could take a few minutes. Scrape down sides as needed. Taste to see if it needs more lemon, salt or vinegar.
- Pour into an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm it up. It will keep about 4-5 days.
Notes
* I get a perfect consistency every time with the listed ingredient amounts. However, If you feel your sour cream is too thick, you can add a few teaspoons of unsweetened non-dairy milk, yogurt or water to thin it out. Add more as needed but only a small amount at a time to avoid a runny consistency.
* If you don't have a high-speed blender, the sour cream may not get smooth enough. * I prefer to use my high-powered blender over a food processor for this recipe because It yields smoother results.
*Some non-dairy yogurt brands have an off-white color, which will make your sour cream slightly off-white. It won't affect the tastiness though. I prefer So Delicious for its color and thickness.* If you can't find unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, you can use plain. Look for one that has the least amount of sugar to avoid a slight sweet taste.
* I leave the cashews in the fridge while they are soaking. * Prep time doesn't include soaking time.
* Yields about 1 cup.
* If you have lactic acid, you can use that in replace of the lemon juice. It adds a similar tangy flavor that cultured cheese has. I usually add 1 1/4 teaspoons. You may need to add a few teaspoons of water or non-dairy milk to make up the liquid portion of the lemon juice. Blend first and then decide.
*The cashews must soak for a minimum of 6 hours or they will produce gritty results.
* For an extra hint of flavor, add 1/8 teaspoon granulated onion.
Kay H
April 14, 2019 at 2:34 pmThis is better than dairy sour cream! Best recipe I have found.
Melissa Huggins
April 14, 2019 at 9:37 pmHi Kay, I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you so much 🙂
Rhoda
January 9, 2019 at 10:22 amAmazing! This is my new go to sour cream recipe and it perfected our qunioa tacos last night. Thank you!
Marielle
August 29, 2018 at 5:33 amAny idea for a substitute for cashews? I’m allergic but can’t seem to find a vegan sour cream recipe that does not include them.
Melissa Huggins
August 30, 2018 at 10:24 amHi Marielle, I haven’t experimented with any other substitute for this recipe. I’d imagine blanched almonds would work pretty well though. You would have to soak them much longer though (16-24 hours). I’ve seen recipes online that use coconut milk or tofu. That could be a nice option for you too. I hope you find something that works. Thank for stopping by 🙂
Normie
May 8, 2019 at 8:06 amHi, my hubby is also allergic to nuts. Do you think pumpkin seeds/pepitas would work instead? I made an Alfredo sauce using soaked pumpkin seeds the other night and it was really creamy.
Pauline
December 23, 2018 at 8:39 amI’ve seen pine nuts used in place of cashews in sour cream.
Melissa Huggins
May 8, 2019 at 9:38 amI haven’t tried this recipe with pumpkin seeds. I’d imagine it would work, but I’m unsure of the taste and consistency. I think it’s worth a try though. I’d love to hear if you give it a try. Then I can chare the results here. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
John
June 5, 2018 at 8:55 amI love this sour cream, I made it with the fajitas. So good in so many ways. I can’t believe I get to have non processed sour cream thats soy free!!!
Liv @ What Liv Likes
May 10, 2018 at 7:44 pmYum! Sour cream is one thing I miss from time to time. Growing up in a German household we ate a lot of it! I usually shy away from using cashew bases as cream subs but I think I’m going to give it a try for nostalgia.
Liv | http://www.whatlivlikes.com