Sour cream is an essential dairy ingredient in so many situations. It’s used as a base for dips, a topping for dishes like tacos and baked potatoes, a way to add moisture to baking, and even as an ingredient in marinades.
The versatile ingredient is made by fermenting pasteurized cream. This fermentation converts some of the cream’s lactose into lactic acid, creating sour cream’s recognizable texture and tang.
Yet, despite its versatility, sour cream isn’t always the right choice. You might be looking for something without lactose or for a lower fat ingredient. And, sometimes, you just might not have any sour cream on hand. In that case, you’ll need an ingredient that does the same trick, but is readily avaliable.
Thankfully, there are plenty of substitutes for sour cream, including Greek yogurt, crème fraîche, Mexican crema, coconut milk, and even mayonnaise (in a pinch). Read on to learn more about the different substitutes and when each is most useful.
P.S. Sour cream does vary considerably in fat content, which leads to texture differences between one product and the next. The flavor may vary as well, especially as some commercial products use additives to change the flavor. Such differences mean you might need to thicken or dilute your sour cream substitute to match the sour cream version you normally use.
Substitutes For Sour Cream
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is the most widely recommended sour cream substitute. It’s a logical one too, as Greek yogurt has a similar texture and even its own distinct tang.
Full fat Greek yogurt tends to be the best choice, as it has the closest texture to sour cream. That said, if you normally use low fat sour cream, you might turn to a lower fat Greek yogurt instead.
This substitution is especially good for health, as Greek yogurt is lower in fat and calories than sour cream. However, the lower fat content does mean that baking with Greek yogurt gives you a lighter product. The yogurt can also curdle in high heat, making it unsuitable for some recipes.
You can even turn to Greek style yogurt instead of authentic Greek yogurt. However, Greek style yogurts sometimes rely on additives, so they may not work as well in baking.
Skyr
Skyr is an Icelandic strained yogurt. While it isn’t as well-known as Greek yogurt, it has many features in common and can be used in the same situations.
The biggest limitation is flavor, as skyr often has less tartness than Greek yogurt. Still, you can easily get around this by adding a little lemon or lime juice to the yogurt.
Other strained or thick dairy products, such as labneh, work similarly. Whichever ingredient you choose, you may need to tweak the consistency or flavor a little to make it work in your recipe.
Full Fat Yogurt
You can also simply turn to regular full fat yogurt, especially for baking and sauces. This yogurt adds richness and creaminess to your recipes, even though you don’t get the tart flavor associated with sour cream.
Plain yogurt also isn’t as thick, so you may need to strain it yourself before adding it to the recipe. Once strained, you can use yogurt as a 1:1 replacement for sour cream.
If you don’t strain the yogurt, you’ll likely need 3/4 of yogurt for every cup of sour cream in your recipe. Otherwise, you’ll be adding too much moisture.
When cooking, some people also choose to add a little butter or olive oil along with the yogurt. This provides extra richness, which is powerful, as yogurt is generally lower in fat than sour cream.
Crème Fraîche
Like sour cream, crème fraîche starts with heavy cream, which is then fermented using lactic acid bacteria. Such features make crème fraîche very similar to sour cream and an excellent alternative.
However, crème fraîche is higher in fat than sour cream and has a milder flavor. It also tends to be thicker, so you may need to dilute it slightly with a little milk or water.
The higher fat content adds extra richness to your dishes. This also reduces the risk of curdling, making crème fraîche fantastic for high heat cooking.
Still… crème fraîche is less common than sour cream and is often more expensive. You probably won’t have any lying around in your fridge either, so it isn’t that helpful if you unexpectedly run out of sour cream.
Cottage Cheese
Strange as it may sound, cottage cheese can also work as a sour cream substitute. It even provides a touch of tanginess. This tanginess is milder than sour cream, but you can boost it by adding a little lemon juice or vinegar to the yogurt.
The main limitation is the texture.
To get around this, it’s best to focus on small curd cottage cheese and blend this with milk. A ratio of 1 cup of cottage cheese to 1/4 milk gives you a similar texture to sour cream without too much hassle.
Like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese contains less fat and more protein than cottage cheese, making it a healthier choice.
Coconut Milk/Coconut Cream
If you want something plant-based, coconut milk is one of the easiest options. After all, it’s one of the most common types of plant-based milk anyway.
Coconut milk comes in two main types – canned and in a carton. The carton version is designed for coffee and similar uses, so it tends to be quite thin.
However, if you place it in the fridge overnight, the fat will separate and you can skim it off the top. This fat is in the form of thick coconut cream and can be used as a replacement for sour cream (again, you might add a little lemon juice or vinegar to provide a tart flavor).
Coconut milk in the can is even easier. You’ll often simply be able to scoop out the thicker fat layer without any chilling. If not, placing it in the fridge for a few hours should do the trick.
Alternatively, you can simply buy coconut cream in a can. This version can be used directly as a coconut cream replacement.
Coconut cream’s power comes from the fact that it is a plant-based option. As such, there’s no lactose and no dairy ingredients to worry about. However, there is a distinct coconut flavor that doesn’t work well in all recipes.
Cashew Cream
Like coconut cream, cashew cream is a dairy free option. It’s made by simply soaking raw cashews in water, then blending them with liquid until they’re smooth.
Cashew cream works well for adding a creamy texture to recipes. The texture can even be similar to sour cream, depending on how much liquid was used during blending. You can also make a tangy version by including some vinegar or lemon juice in the liquid for blending.
Cashew cream has a milder flavor than coconut cream, making it a more versatile substitute. It even works well in many baking recipes, although you’re likely to see some differences, such as a change in sweetness or denser baked goods.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a different type of sour cream substitute. It already has the acidity and tanginess of sour cream, but it is also much thinner.
Because of the thinness, you’ll generally need just 3/4 cup of buttermilk for each cup of sour cream in your recipe. You might need to adjust the liquids elsewhere in your recipe as well.
Alternatively, you could use buttermilk in conjunction with one of the thicker substitutes on this list. For example, half buttermilk and half cream cheese gives you a fantastic balance of flavor and texture.
Mexican Crema
Mexican crema is another interesting option. It’s thinner than sour cream, but thicker than buttermilk, with some sour notes.
While the flavor and texture aren’t an exact match, they’re similar enough that you can use Mexican crema as a 1:1 swap in most recipes. The biggest difference is that you can’t really dollop Mexican cream on top of tacos and the like. But, you could drizzle it on top of such meals and it would still taste amazing.
Mexican crema is especially useful for cooking, as it is less likely to curdle.
Like sour cream, crema can vary considerably in flavor and texture. You may need to sample a little of your crema before including it in a recipe. This way, you know what to expect and can adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is another option and presents very different challenges to buttermilk. In particular, cream cheese is thicker and it doesn’t have the same tanginess that you find in sour cream.
This means you’ll often need to dilute your cream cheese before using it. Mixing with buttermilk is the perfect approach, but regular milk also works well.
If you’re not mixing with buttermilk, you might need an extra ingredient to help with the flavor profile. Lemon juice is the easiest choice.
That said, the tang of sour cream isn’t needed in every recipe. You might even find that some recipes taste better with diluted cream cheese instead of sour cream.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a surprising addition, as it looks and tastes quite different to sour cream. Still, it’s a lactose free option that you probably already have at home, so it’s certainly worth considering.
What’s more, you can even use mayonnaise as a 1:1 replacement for sour cream in many recipes. Doing so is likely to change the recipe somewhat, as mayonnaise doesn’t have the tanginess of sour cream and has a different texture. Mayonnaise can also work poorly in some high heat recipes, as the oil in the mayo can separate out.
Because of these differences, mayonnaise is most relevant in moist baking (like muffins and quick breads), in creamy salad dressings, and in very simple sauces. Even here, you might need to add extra seasonings to account for the decreased tanginess of mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise, Heavy Cream, And Yogurt
Instead of using mayo alone, try combining heavy cream, yogurt, and mayonnaise. Equal measures of each gives you a surprisingly similar flavor and texture as sour cream.
Of course, this combo requires more work than the other substitutions on this list. It also means you need all three ingredients on hand, which won’t be realistic for everyone.
Plant-Based Sour Cream
You can also turn to plant-based sour cream products. These are generally processed and have been designed to mimic the flavor and texture of sour cream.
Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream is one of the most popular versions. It relies on water, soybeans, canola oil, and a few extra ingredients. There are even active cultures, which play a noticeable role in the flavor profile.
There are other brands too, including ones that avoid soy entirely. So, you should be able to find one that matches your dietary needs. Just be certain to check any instructions and reviews, as some products might not work well for high temperature cooking.
Kefir
Kefir is a little like buttermilk in that it is much more liquid than sour cream and has distinctive sour notes. To get around the texture, you may need to decrease the amount of liquid elsewhere in your recipe.
When buying kefir, look for the unflavored and unsweetened version. This will give you the closest flavor to sour cream.
Homemade Sour Cream
Did you know that you can make your own sour cream? To do so, you simply need heavy whipping cream and some acid (like white vinegar, lemon juice, or buttermilk).
For every desired cup of sour cream, you’ll need a cup of heavy cream and a tablespoon of the acid. Combine the two in a clean jar, stir, and allow the cream to sit at room temperature. Covering it with a paper towel or something similar helps, as this provides airflow while still protecting the cream.
After about 24 hours, the cream will have thickened and started to develop a sour flavor. It can then be moved to the fridge and used as sour cream. This homemade version mightn’t be as thick as sour cream from the grocery store, but it sill still do the trick.
Blended Silken Tofu
Blended silken tofu is a surprisingly versatile ingredient that’s often used in desserts, smoothies, and even curries. It can even be used as-is, without cooking. Admittedly, it’s not a fantastic sour cream substitute, but it’s worth considering, as it’s entirely plant-based and is perfect for vegans.
To use it, you’ll first need to drain any excess liquid. You can then process the tofu through the blender and use it as a 1:1 sour cream replacement.
Tofu doesn’t have much flavor of its own, so you may want to add lemon juice or vinegar for tartness. A little sugar might be helpful too, as sour cream is generally sweeter than tofu. Of course, the additions will vary depending on the recipe.
Tzatziki
Finally, we have tzatziki. This is a prepared dip that relies on strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs.
The dip has some similarities in flavor and texture to sour cream, along with plenty of differences. Notably, you’re often getting extra texture from the cucumber and a stronger flavor than sour cream.
The differences mean that tzatziki isn’t great as an ingredient in baking, soups, or many other situations. Still, it’s an excellent topping for most of the same dishes as sour cream. This is a useful feature, as many of the other substitutes we’ve considered don’t work well as a topping.
Which Sour Cream Substitutes Are Right For You?
Sour Cream Substitutes For Topping Food
Greek yogurt and crème fraîche are popular options for topping food. You can also use Mexican crema. While this doesn’t dollop in the same way that sour cream does, you can drizzle it on and receive a similar flavor.
The Best Sour Cream Substitute For Baking
Greek yogurt is a popular choice for baking as well. You can also use buttermilk, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid in your recipe to account for the texture difference.
Sour Cream Substitute For Dips
For something rich and creamy, crème fraîche is tough to beat. You can also turn to Greek yogurt. While this contains less fat than sour cream, it still offers plenty of creaminess.
Best Vegan Alternatives To Sour Cream
If you don’t mind something processed, commercially produced plant-based sour cream offers the closest flavor and texture to true sour cream. Cashew cream is the next best option, as it provides plenty of creaminess, but doesn’t have a dramatic flavor.
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