Vegan Sour Cream, made with 4 ingredients and 5 minutes. It’s thick, creamy, tangy and the perfect substitute for dairy sour cream!
Do you miss dairy sour cream? I used to love sour cream before I went vegan; a dollop here and there made food more delicious and satisfying.
Well, now you can make your very own healthy vegan sour cream at home in 5 minutes! It’s so simple, with just 4 ingredients (+ salt/water). I hope you try it! At my house, we almost always have this in the refrigerator, ready to add to our chili, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, baked potatoes and more.
Recently, I’ve discovered a way to make this simple cashew based sour cream even better, and I’m excited to share it with you! So read on, friends.
How do you make Vegan Sour Cream?
First, soak your cashews. I do this by pouring boiling hot water from my tea kettle over the cashews, then let them sit for about 5 minutes. They can sit for longer if you want, and if you don’t have a high powered blender I suggest you let them soak for an hour, to get them really soft for blending.
Drain the cashews, then add to a blender along with 3/4 cup fresh water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Blend until very smooth.
This last step is optional but will bring your sour cream to the next level! Pour the cashew mixture into a bowl, and stir in 1 cup of unsweetened non-dairy yogurt. It helps the sour cream be lighter in texture (more like real sour cream), and helps it to taste tangier. I love this addition, but you can definitely leave it out if you can’t easily find unsweetened vegan yogurt or don’t want to use it.
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Can you make it without a high powered blender?
It is possible, though it will probably be grainier and not as smooth as mine. If there’s one thing you should invest in as a vegan home cook, it’s a high powered blender. I love, love, love my Vitamix and can’t live without it!
If using a regular blender, soak the cashews for a long time, an hour in hot water. That will soften them up even more so they will blend better.
What brand of non-dairy yogurt should you use?
I used Kite Hill brand unsweetened almond yogurt. It’s my favorite for this sour cream, and other recipes where I use yogurt to cook, like these Vegan Sour Cream Enchiladas. It’s also very white, so it helps make your sour cream super white, just like real sour cream.
How long will Vegan Sour Cream keep?
I have found that it will keep about 1 week in the refrigerator, in a covered container. This recipe does make quite a lot, so freeze some if you want. You could cut the recipe in half, but it may not blend up as well, depending on your blender.
Can you freeze it?
Yes, it freezes quite well. I often freeze my cashew based sauces and dressings with no issues. You can freeze a portion in a freezer friendly container, or even pour into an ice cube tray, then pop them into a freezer bag once frozen for single serving portions of vegan sour cream.
What goes well with Vegan Sour Cream?
You can use vegan sour cream anywhere you would use dairy sour cream! So use in Mexican dishes, on potatoes (regular or sweet), buddha bowls, chilis, soups, or anywhere else you’d like.
Here are some vegan recipes that go well with this sour cream:
I hope you love this Vegan Sour Cream! It’s tangy, creamy, light and oh-so-delicious. Perhaps my favorite way to eat it is in a baked potato with chives. Simple and tasty. Enjoy!
Vegan Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- OPTIONAL: 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
Instructions
- Quick soak the cashews: Bring a few cups of water to a boil (I use my tea kettle for this). Add 1 1/2 cups cashews to a measuring cup and pour the boiling hot water on top to cover. Let them soak for 5 minutes, or 1 hour if you don't have a high powered blender.
- Drain the cashews and add to high powered blender. Now add 3/4 cup fresh water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Blend until very smooth.
- Pour the cashew mixture into a bowl and stir in in the unsweetened yogurt. This is optional, but it brings the sour cream to another level in terms of texture and flavor.
- Use immediately, or transfer to a small covered container and refrigerate. It will thicken up as it chills. The sour cream will keep for about a week. You may also freeze this if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- May also soak the cashews overnight in water. I can never usually remember to do this so I use the quick soak method!
- If you do not have a high powered blender like a Vitamix, you may need to soak the cashews even longer to get a smooth cream, an hour or so.
- Add a can of green chiles to make a green chile sour cream, or a teaspoon or Sriracha hot sauce for spicy sour cream.
Nutrition
*Originally posted August, 2019. Last updated July 2nd, 2019.
