8 Best Vegan Sour Cream Recipes

Vegan Sour Cream Recipes are a delicious way to enjoy creamy, dairy-free toppings and dips at home. While traditional sour cream has a unique texture and tangy flavour, there are many plant-based alternatives that are just as satisfying.

I love homemade vegan sour cream because it can be used in so many different ways. It adds a creamy touch to savoury dishes and makes a wonderful topping for family meals and snacks.

We use vegan sour cream in salad dressings, as a dip for vegetables and baked potatoes, and as a topping for nachos, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and pizza.

This article explores eight delicious vegan sour cream recipes made with a variety of ingredients, giving you plenty of options to try at home.

What Is Homemade Vegan Sour Cream?

Homemade vegan sour cream is a plant-based alternative to traditional dairy sour cream. It has a smooth, creamy texture and a slightly tangy flavour, making it useful in many savoury dishes.

Most vegan sour cream recipes need only a few ingredients. Many can be prepared in about 5 to 10 minutes. Lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or other acidic ingredients usually create the tangy flavour.

There are many ways to make vegan sour cream at home. Popular ingredients include cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut cream, silken tofu, and tahini. Each ingredient creates a slightly different texture and taste.

Homemade vegan sour cream can be used as a dip, spread, topping, or ingredient in sauces and dressings. It pairs well with baked potatoes, tacos, burritos, nachos, vegetables, salads, and many other savoury dishes.

Vegan Sour Cream Recipes

These vegan sour cream recipes are creamy, tangy, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Using a variety of plant-based ingredients, each recipe offers a unique flavour and texture while providing a delicious alternative to traditional dairy sour cream.

Whether you're looking for a topping for tacos, a dip for vegetables, or an ingredient for your favourite savoury dishes, you're sure to find a recipe that suits your taste and lifestyle.

Recipe #1 — 5-Ingredient Vegan Sour Cream Recipe

This simple vegan sour cream is rich, creamy, and perfectly tangy. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it comes together quickly and makes a delicious topping for tacos, baked potatoes, salads, and many other savoury dishes.

Prep time: 10-12 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 10-12 minutes | Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• Raw cashews: ¾ cup, soaked in water for 6 hours or overnight
• Non-dairy plain yogurt: ½ cup
• Lemon juice: 1-2 tablespoons (I usually add 2)
• Apple cider vinegar: ¾ teaspoon or more to taste
• Sea salt: ½- ¾ teaspoon or more to taste (I typically add ¾ teaspoon)

 Method

1. Drain and rinse the cashews and discard the soaking water.
2. Add them, along with all the other 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 the sides as needed. Taste the sour cream mixture to see if it requires more lemon, salt or vinegar.
3. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm it up. It will last about 4-5 days.

 Recipe Notes

• If you are unsure how tangy or salty you want the sour cream, it is best to reduce the initial amounts of lemon, vinegar, and sea salt. You can always add more after blending.
• I always get the perfect consistency with the listed ingredient amounts. However, if your sour cream is too thick, add a few teaspoons of unsweetened non-dairy milk, yogurt or water to thin it out. Add more as needed, but only a tiny amount at a time to avoid a runny consistency.
• The sour cream might not get as smooth if you don't have a high-speed blender.
• I prefer my high-powered blender over a food processor for this recipe because it yields smoother results.
• Some non-dairy yogurt brands are off-white, making your sour cream slightly off-white. It won't affect the tastiness, though. I prefer So Delicious for its colour and thickness.
• I leave the cashews in the fridge overnight while they are soaking.
• Prep time doesn't include soaking time.
• If you have lactic acid in your pantry, you can use it to replace the lemon juice. It adds a similar tangy flavour to cultured cheese. I usually add 1¼ teaspoons. You may also need to add some liquids, like water or non-dairy milk, to make up the liquid portion of the lemon juice. Blend the mixture, then decide whether to add spices.
• The cashews must soak for at least 6 hours, or they will produce gritty results.
• For an extra hint of flavour, add ⅛ teaspoon of granulated onion to the vegan sour cream.

Recipe #2 — Vegan Sour Cream With Cashews Recipe

This vegan sour cream with cashews is smooth, creamy, and full of tangy flavour. It makes a wonderful dairy-free alternative to traditional sour cream and is easy to prepare at home.

Perfect for tacos, burritos, nachos, and baked potatoes, this versatile recipe can be used anywhere you would normally use sour cream. A sprinkle of fresh chives on top makes it even more delicious.

Prep time: 10-12 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 10-12 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Raw cashews: 1 cup (150g)
• Water: ⅓ cup (80ml)
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon or to taste
• Apple cider vinegar: 1 tablespoon
• Nutritional yeast: 1 tablespoon
• Sea salt: ½ teaspoon or to taste

Method

1. Add all ingredients to the high-speed blender and blend until very smooth.
2. Enjoy this vegan sour cream with cashews wherever sour cream is needed.

Recipe Notes

• Cashews: If you have a high-speed blender, you don't need to soak the cashews first for this recipe. Otherwise, you can soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes to soften them, making them easier to blend. Place them in a glass bowl, pour boiling water from the kettle over them, and leave them to soak for 15-20 minutes. Then, drain, rinse them, and continue with the recipe.
• Substitute for cashews: Slivered or blanched almonds are the best substitutes. They must be soaked overnight to get the smooth texture of sour cream.
• Consistency: This vegan sour cream is pretty thick. It will thicken further in the fridge. To achieve a thinner consistency, you can blend in more water.
• Quantity: This recipe makes about 1 cup of vegan sour cream. If you use a blender with a broad base, you will want to double the recipe so that there is enough volume for the blades to gain traction.
• Storing: This vegan sour cream lasts about a week in a sealed glass container in the fridge. It is also freezer-friendly, so you can freeze some if you wish.

Recipe #3 — Vegan Sour Cream With Tofu Recipe

This vegan sour cream with tofu is smooth, creamy, and surprisingly easy to make. Using just a few simple ingredients, it creates a delicious dairy-free topping that pairs well with a wide variety of savoury dishes.

Prep time: 5-6 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 5-6 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Silken tofu: 1 block (12 oz) or 1½ cups of soft tofu, well-drained
• Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons
• Sea salt: ½ teaspoon or to taste
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon (optional)
• Avocado oil: 2 tablespoons or any neutral-flavoured oil (optional)

 Method

1. Add all the vegan sour cream ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor. You can also use the immersion blender.
2. Blend thoroughly until the mixture is creamy.
3. Store your vegan sour cream with tofu in the fridge and use it like dairy sour cream to top tacos, nachos, or burritos, or to make a delicious dip.

Recipe Notes

• Store the leftover vegan sour cream in a sealed glass container in the fridge.
• If you like tangier sour cream, omit the sugar.
• Omit oil for oil-free sour cream.

Recipe #4 — Vegan Sour Cream Made With Coconut Cream Recipe

This vegan sour cream made with coconut cream is rich, creamy, and full of flavour. Easy to prepare and completely dairy-free, it makes a delicious topping for tacos, baked potatoes, nachos, and many other favourite dishes.

Prep time: 5-6 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 5-6 minutes | Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• Coconut cream: ¾ cup (see recipe notes)
• Lemon juice: 1½ teaspoons
• Apple cider vinegar: ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt: 1 teaspoon or to taste

Method

1. Combine ingredients in a small glass mixing bowl.
2. Taste and add additional lemon juice to make it even more “tart,” or some additional salt to round out the flavours.
3. Use this vegan sour cream made with coconut cream in your favourite recipes!

 Recipe Notes

• Coconut Cream: You can buy a can of coconut. For full-fat coconut milk, refrigerate it overnight to ensure the coconut cream separates from the milk.

Recipe #5 — Vegan Sour Cream With Sunflower Seeds Recipe

This vegan sour cream with sunflower seeds is creamy, tangy, and incredibly easy to make. Using just four simple ingredients, it comes together in minutes and provides a delicious nut-free alternative to cashew-based sour cream recipes.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Blending time: 5 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes | Servings: 3

Ingredients

• Sunflower seeds (raw & unsalted): 1½ cups
• Water: 1½ cups
• Lemon juice: 5 tablespoons
• Apple cider vinegar: 2½ tablespoons
• Sea salt: 3 teaspoons

Optional

• Nutritional yeast or white miso paste: 1 tablespoon
• Mustard: 1 tablespoon

 Method

1. First, you need to soften the sunflower seeds. Pour boiling water over them and let them rest for ~20 minutes. You can skip this step if you're short on time but have a high-power blender. Discard the soaking water.
2. Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) and blend for 5 minutes, until the sunflower sour cream is creamy.

Recipe Notes

• We tested the lemon and apple cider vinegar ratio a lot and found this ratio to be in line with our taste.
• Since the cashews have a more neutral taste, you need fewer spices.
• Sunflower seeds have an overpowering seed-like taste. Therefore, you will want to add more flavours to this vegan sour cream.

Recipe #6 — Vegan Sour Cream With Tahini Recipe

This vegan sour cream with tahini is creamy, tangy, and full of flavour. Tahini creates a smooth texture, while fresh lime juice adds a bright, zesty taste that pairs beautifully with Mexican-inspired dishes.

Use it as a topping for tacos, burritos, and nachos, or thin it with a little water to create a creamy dressing for salads and grain bowls.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 5 minutes | Servings: 1½ cups

 Ingredients

• Tahini: ½ cup
• Water: ½ cup
• Lime juice: ¼ cup (2 to 3 limes)
• Sea salt: ¾ teaspoon (I used kosher)
• Avocado or olive oil: 2 tablespoons

 Optional Flavouring

• Garlic: 1 clove, roughly chopped
• Cilantro: ½ cup, chopped
• Chives: ½ cup, chopped (this is my favourite)
• Cumin, ginger, paprika, turmeric, or other spices to taste

Method

1. Add the tahini, water, lime juice, garlic, spices (if using), and salt to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend or pulse the mixture until smooth, then drizzle in the oil while blending. The sauce will thicken once you add the oil. Taste and season to your liking. Stir in the cilantro if you are using it.
2. Chill the vegan sour cream with tahini in the refrigerator for an hour or two, or use it immediately if you prefer room-temperature cream. “Sour” cream will keep several days in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

• If you have difficulty scooping out the tahini because it has separated. Empty the whole jar into the blender and process until smooth. Keep the quantity in the blender and replace the remainder in the jar.
• It is healthier if you can find raw tahini, but you might have to purchase it online. Most tahini manufacturers toast the sesame seeds before producing tahini, but raw tahini skips the toasting step. You'll note a slightly bitter taste in traditional tahini, which is barely discernible in raw tahini.

Recipe #7 — Vegan Sour Cream With Dijon Mustard Recipe

This vegan sour cream with Dijon mustard is one of my favourite variations. Creamy, tangy, and easy to prepare, it offers a delicious dairy-free alternative to traditional sour cream and adds wonderful flavour to a variety of savoury dishes.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes | Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• Raw cashews: 1 cup, soaked for at least 4 hours if you don't have a high-powered blender*
• Water: ½ cup
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon or to taste
• Apple cider vinegar: 1 teaspoon
• Sea salt: ¼-½ teaspoon
• Dijon mustard: ¼ teaspoon

Method

1. If you soak the cashews, drain and rinse them until the water clears.
2. Add the cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and mustard to a blender. Blend until the sour cream mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If you're having trouble blending the mixture or prefer a thinner consistency, slowly blend in up to ½ cup additional water, as needed.
3. Taste and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for more tang, or additional salt for a more intense flavour. Serve the vegan sour cream with Dijon mustard immediately, or chill it in the fridge.
4. Leftovers keep well, chilled, for about five days. The sour cream will thicken as it rests; if necessary, you can thin it later by whisking in a small amount of water.

Recipe Notes

• Change it up: Add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast to give the cashew cream a cheese-like flavour.
• *Vitamix note: If you use the newer wide-base blender container, you'll need to double this recipe to gain enough traction.

Recipe #8 — Vegan Sour Cream With Added Yogurt Recipe

This vegan sour cream with added yogurt is thick, creamy, and perfectly tangy. Made with just four simple ingredients, it comes together in minutes and provides a delicious dairy-free alternative for your favourite savoury dishes.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 0 minutes | Total time: 5 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Raw cashews: 1½ cups
• Water: ¾ cup
• Apple cider vinegar: 2 tablespoons
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
• Sea salt: ½ teaspoon
• Unsweetened non-dairy yogurt: 1 cup (optional)

Method

1. Quickly soak the cashews by bringing a few cups of water to a boil (you can use a tea kettle for this). Add 1½ cups of cashews to a measuring cup, then pour boiling water over them to cover. Let the cashews soak for 5 minutes (or 1 hour if you don't have a high-powered blender).
2. Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to the high-powered blender. Add ¾ cup of fresh water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.
3. Pour the cashew mixture into a bowl and stir in the unsweetened yogurt. The yogurt is optional, but it enhances the sour cream's texture and flavour.
4. Use the vegan sour cream with added yogurt immediately, or transfer it to a small covered container and refrigerate. Once it chills, the sour cream will thicken. It will keep in the fridge for about a week. You may also freeze it if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Soak the cashews overnight in water. I can never 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 for an hour longer to get smooth sour cream.
• Add a can of green chillies to make green chilli sour cream, or a teaspoon of Sriracha hot sauce to make spicy sour cream.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different ways to make vegan sour cream at home. Whether you prefer recipes made with cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, tofu, or coconut cream, each option offers a creamy and delicious alternative to traditional dairy sour cream.

One of the best things about homemade vegan sour cream is how quick and easy it is to prepare. Most recipes require only a few simple ingredients and can be used in a wide variety of dishes, from tacos and burritos to baked potatoes, salads, and vegetable platters.

I trust you enjoyed this article on the 8 Best Vegan Sour Cream Recipes. Please stay tuned for more plant-based recipes, vegan travel tips, and lifestyle inspiration.

Take care!
— JeannetteZ 🌿

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