Vegan Sour Cream
This vegan sour cream recipe is the best! This creamy dairy-free sauce can also replace goat cheese, ricotta and mozzarella. It's easy to make, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
It’s about time I shared my vegan sour cream on the blog. I developed this recipe for my cookbook as a dairy-free sour cream substitute. I ended up using it to replace a variety of other dairy-based ingredients: goat cheese, ricotta, even mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
As a dairy eater myself, I was both surprised and pleased to find a non-dairy substitute that I enjoy so much. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, just like regular sour cream.
In the book, I offered vegan and dairy-free options whenever possible, and this vegan sour cream came in quite useful. I used it to replace the dairy-rich layers in lasagna (page 163), and we mixed it into the enchilada filling for a creamy element (page 148).
It’s a great substitute for the goat cheese in the quinoa-stuffed sweet potatoes recipe (page 144), and it easily replaced the cheese in my beans and greens quesadillas (page 147). I love the regular and dairy-free versions of those recipes!
Watch How to Make Vegan Sour Cream
Vegan Sour Cream Tips
This dairy-free sauce is made with rich and creamy raw cashews, water, tangy lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, salt, and a dab of Dijon mustard for additional complexity and intrigue.
This sour cream is easy to make in a blender. If you have a Vitamix (affiliate link) or Blendtec, or another blender of equal power, you don’t necessarily need to soak the cashews before blending. If you don’t, you will want to soak the cashews for about four hours before using.
Depending on the application, you might want to use this vegan sour cream differently than the ingredient you’re replacing. Since it’s water-based, it will dry out a bit during baking.
For example, if you want to use it in place of mozzarella on a pizza, you might be better off baking the pizza without it, then drizzling it generously on top once it’s out of the oven.
Or, you might want to incorporate some in the dish (like inside enchiladas) and then add an extra dollop once it’s done baking.
This sour cream will thicken up as it chills in the refrigerator. If you’d like a thinner consistency, simply whisk in a small splash of water.
Uses for Vegan Sour Cream
- Regular dairy-based sour cream or crema
- Goat cheese
- Ricotta
- Mozzarella on pizza (drizzle this on top instead)
- Cheddar or Jack cheese in quesadillas
- Cotija or feta on tacos, nachos or tostadas
- Any other instance in which you crave some creamy texture and rich flavor!
I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your repertoire, whether you’re dairy-free yourself, serving dairy-free guests, or simply looking to reduce the amount of dairy in your diet. Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments!
If you haven’t gotten a copy of my cookbook, Love Real Food, I wholeheartedly recommend it, along with over 475 five-star reviewers on Amazon. Your feedback really means the world to me. ♥
Vegan Sour Cream
This vegan sour cream recipe is the best! This creamy dairy-free sauce can also replace goat cheese, ricotta and even mozzarella. It’s easy to make, too. Recipe yields about 1 cup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours if you do not have a high-powered blender*
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more if needed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- If you soaked your cashews, drain and rinse them until the water runs clear.
- In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and mustard. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If you’re having trouble blending the mixture, or would prefer a thinner consistency, slowly blend in up to ½ cup additional water, as needed.
- Taste and add an additional teaspoon of lemon juice if you would like more tang, or additional salt if a more intense flavor is desired. Serve immediately or chill the sour cream for later.
- Leftovers keep well, chilled, for about 5 days. The sour cream will thicken up a bit more as it rests; you can thin it by whisking in a small amount of water later, if necessary.
Notes
Change it up: Add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast to give the cashew cream a more cheese-like flavor.
*Vitamix note: If you are using the newer wide-base blender container, you’ll need to double this recipe to gain enough traction.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
How long does it last in the refrigerator?
Hi! See the final step. Enjoy!
Easy and delish
Thank you, Cynthia!
Delicious! We used this on our veggie tacos tonight and we are obsessed. Great recipe, I can’t wait to use it on more dishes in the future!
I added a little cup of apple sauce!
Does the trick! Great recipe
This is a game changer, thank you!
Often I’m after a spoonful of sour cream or yoghurt on the side of chilli or curry, but the vegan tubs in the supermarket are too big for someone living alone.
Half of this recipe for me is perfect. And with storecupboard ingredients too. It’s even worked for me in baking recipes! Thanks again, Kate! :)
This recipe was easy and worked well with vegan “fish” tacos , and the next day on black beans with salsa !
I can’t find raw cashews anywhere where I live. Only roasted. Any chance those would work?
Hi! I don’t find they get quite as creamy so I’m not sure if you will achieve the same texture or flavor.
I buy mine in bulk on amazon. They come in smaller packages too, though!
I used roasted cashews and it turned out great! Super creamy, it wasn’t white though so if you want it white use raw.
I’ve made this recipe for vegan source cream three times. About to start the 4th, I came on here to ask why mine looks like hummus, not white. I thought I was buying raw cashews, and the only place it says “roasted” in in the fineprint ingredient list. Drats. Glad to know the issue. Taste is fine. Thanks!I
Amazon, if that’s an option for you.
I really wanted this to be delicious, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. Given how expensive cashews are I’ll stick with Tofutti sour cream (doctored with some dijon mustard and horseradish). So sorry.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one.
So sorry but the cashews seemed to make this way too sweet. I tried adding more vinegar, more lemon juice, even some nutritional yeast but nothing helped. I’ve had the same problem with other cashew recipes but I was hoping this would be different. My husband felt the same. I had to throw it all out.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one!
I had the same challenge. I just just half a cup of cashews and half a cup of tofu. Doesn’t matter what kind just adjust the water as you go. That an extra splash of lemon juice and acv and it’s not sweet anymore. Less costly and less calories. Means you can eat more!
I was thinking the same thing about the calories and being a senior. I think that’s a great idea. Both Kate and your recipes sound delicious. Thank you Kate and Bee.
Such a waste of food! How can nuts be “so sweet” that the entire dish is rendered inedible? Also, if you’ve had this issue before, then you know cashews taste sweet to you and your husband —yet you did it again just to throw away food? Try a different nut next time, perhaps one people think is slightly bitter.
Certainly doesn’t deserve one star- recipe creator doesn’t control the sweetness of the cashew you’re buying!
Tried this tonight for some bean burritos. AMAZING. Tastes just like sour cream, seriously.
Love this recipe! I’ve used it many times. Bulk raw cashews from Amazon is he way to go. Possible to tweak this to make vegan cream cheese?
I haven’t tried it, sorry! But this does work in a lot of cheese applications.
Only have white vinegar. Will that work?
It will be a slightly different flavor, but can be used as a substitute normally.
This was a great and easy recipe. Thank you. We used roasted cashews so the color was brown but that didn’t matter. We used it as a topping on our vegan chili and the added creaminess was perfect. I was also pleasantly surprised how quickly I could throw this together! Thank you.
Oh Kate, this was an epic fail for us! It’s because our food processor didn’t have enough oomph to make it smooth. We even soaked the raw cashews overnight. I miss sour cream so much in this new vegan lifestyle. Someday we’ll invest in a premium blender or processor. Then we’ll try this recipe again!
I’m sorry to hear that, Dena!
I used an immersion blender and it worked great
Love this recipe! We use it often. Thanks Kate!
I have frozen regular cashew cream. Will this one also freeze and not lose it’s texture when it is thawed?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Thanks, Kate for getting back to me!
Hi! I’d like to find out if you think this sour cream could be used in a Beef Stroganoff recipe perhaps?
Hi! I haven’t tried it, sorry.
I’ve use a 1:1 cashew to water blended mixture in my mushroom stroganoff and it’s delicious. I just came across this sound cream recipe…looking forward to trying it!
I followed the recipe to the letter…it was absolutely delicious! Thank you!
I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe, Erin!
Just found your recipe. Have you ever tried to blend the mixture with a stick immersion blender? I don’t think my regular blender has enough umph. Thanks
Hi, I haven’t. I don’t know if you will get the same level of creaminess. If you try it, let me know!
I actually used roasted (unsalted) cashews for this, since they were what I had on hand…and MAN, was the result tasty!
Is this the new container you are referring to? https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/Shop/64-ounce-low-profile-container-with-SELF-DETECT
That is the kind that came with mine, would I need to get the 48oz if I don’t want to double the recipe?
Hi, This one is great or whatever option you will suit your cooking the best.
I had everything, but the ‘intrigue’ (dijon) and it came out excellent! Glad I didn’t have to go to the store! Thanks so much!
Tastes nothing like sour cream.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Rakesh.
Can this sour cream be used in soup to replace the dairy sour cream?
Hi Laura, I haven’t tried it. It may not combine the same. If you try it, let me know!
I have made vegan sour cream similar to this recipe and used it in stroganoffs, creamy pastas, etc. It works really well!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now, and love the texture and the flavour. I use it a lot with my vegan tacos and have also used it as a dip. The first time I made it, I ate most of it before I even got to use it. It’s super yummy.
Hey there,
I made this tonight, its definitely not as white and creamy looking as yours unfortunately but I don’t have a good food processor blender. So I did soak my raw cashews for 4 hours like you said
Its in the fridge chilling now so can’t wait to try!
I hope you like the results, Tayla!
Newbie to vegan cooking. Could jarred Artisana Organics Raw Cashew Butter be used as a replacement for the raw cashews? Artisana Organics Raw Cashew Butter is strictly raw cashews with nothing added. I am disabled and this would be much easier.
Hi, I haven’t tried it with cashew butter so I’m hesitant to say it will work the same. Sorry!
I made it and it is better than I expected, it is delicious. I used it for a creamy gluten free pasta. Now that I have to cook dairy free or gluten free for my son, this will be part of my cookbook.
How does this recipe freeze?
I haven’t tried to freeze this recipe so I can’t say for sure, sorry!
I made this for veggie tacos and let me tell you, it is amazing! I have a Vitamix, which helps, but I pour boiling water over the cashews and soak awhile too. I’m hooked!
This is a very nice recipe! I think it’s not really sour cream taste like, it’s not as fresh and sour, but still it’s something nice. It’s like a bit of a lemony cashew spread :) maybe useful to make variations with like adding some paprika powder, curry powder or, like you suggested, nutritional yeast. Or maybe some beets. Getting inspired here.
Looooooooved this recipe! So easy and bloody delicious!
I was a bit shocked at first, my consistency was a bit runny, but didn’t give up hope!
I added a a handful more cashews, blended through twice more and got the perfect consistency!
I’m a serial giver upper in the kitchen but this recipe made me so glad I kept going! Just keep blending :)
Wow. Just wow. I mean, I smelled it and had to step away cause it smelled so pungent. Very similar to sour cream! Similar stank. I never leave comments but I’m so impressed with this one, I’ve made it several times and I’m gonna keep using it!
Excellent recipe. A hand mixer with large stainless bowl is what I’ll be using. Mix in bursts until desired consistency is reached; never continuously. I am allergic to milk; happy to find this recipe. Some recipes out there use almonds: a bad idea: the skins are bitter; removing them is do-able, but too much extra work. Old-fashioned oats can substitute for cashew milk; but not the steel-cut type. Regrettably, the most well-known brand isn’t the best quality. Do a search for “home-made oat milk recipe(s)” = quicker & easier than cashew “milk” and less costly.
Best version of cashew sour cream I’ve ever had and I have made ALOT. I’m sure it’s the balance of ingredients but the Dijon mustard is the secret ingredient that takes this to another level. It’s less sweet and more tart. I have experimented with more lemon juice and vinegar to suit my taste , but the mustard is the ticket!!
I’m glad this one holds up to your standards! Thank you for sharing, Brooke.
Soaked so now going to cook and make vegan lasagna
I hope you love it! Thank you for your review, Christina.
This turned out amazing!! I soaked my cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes. I doubled the recipe to use in my vitamix. And I added a touch more lemon juice to give it a more “sour” cream flavor. So while I wouldn’t say it tastes exactly like sour cream, it definitely has the cream/dairy taste and is fantastic for cooking! I used it to tone down a too-spicy chili I made, and quickly realized I can use this in place of cream or coconut milk in other soups, stews and curries. Super excited, I was able to make this from items I already had in my pantry.
Hi Just wondering how your sour cream turns out the color (white) in your picture with the Cashews and Dijon in the ingredients? Thanks Cynthia
Hi Cynthia, it’s more of a cream color. I think it can depend on the type of dijon you use.
Hello! I rarely leave reviews and I just HAD to for this recipe! I am obsessed!
I printed this recipe a month ago to go with a vegan tortilla soup. Since then, I have made it at least once a week and it is now one of my refrigerator staples. This sour cream is so easy to make and it is SO versatile too! I made a fresh batch last night and enjoyed it with my Shepherd’s Pie OM NOM NOM NOM
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Well done! :)
Hi Reba! I’m so glad you did. Thank you for your review.
Taking the plunge to make this for my spinach dip recipe instead of plant based store bought which has a ton of junk in it…. I’m excited! I’ll update after I’m done.
Great over chilaquiles!
I love that idea! Thank you for sharing, Cecy.
This recipe surpassed my best expectations! It’s white and creamy, just like sour cream. I made it to go into your vegan burrito recipe which is also fantastic. I left out the Dijon mustard because the amount was so small compared with the price of buying a whole jar of Dijon. I don’t miss it because it tastes very much like sour cream. It’s also stable as we’ve been using it for several days and it still looks and tastes fresh. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hooray! I love when that happens. Thank you for taking the time to review, Daniel.
Amazing. This recipe is super easy to make and has ingredients I always have on hand. It tastes wonderful.
That’s great to hear, Keri! Thanks for your comment and review.
Loved your recipe. It was quick, easy and turned out surprisingly great. My family and I had it on homemade GF tacos with a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast, cherry tomatoes and lettuce. It was the one ingredient that brought everything together. Definitely, I will be making it again and sharing your site. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing how you made this! I’m glad you loved it, Karen.
Enjoyed by the whole (including non-vegan) family!
That’s great, Helen! Thank you for your review.
Can this be frozen? Hope so, as its in the freezer!
Hi Annie, I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t say for sure.
Can this be frozen? Hope so, as its in the freezer! I found your cookbook at the library, and I loved everything I made. Just ordered a copy!
I’m glad you love my cookbook! I believe I answered your question in a precious comment you left. Thanks for your review, Annie.
This was SO GOOD. I did add the additional lemon and salt. My non-Vegan friends were hesitant to try it and astounded at how tasty this was.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tia!
Isn’t it funny how non vegans are hesitant to try a cashew sauce considering that they’re prepared to eat? I’m hoping for good things – I’m mak8ng it, so far so good!
I was sooo excited, now so bummed, it tastes exactly like what it is… pureed cashews. It does have a creamy texture, but tastes like whipped cashew butter even after doubling the lemon and apple cider vinegar. I’ll use it to add texture, but not as sour cream replacement, way too sweet.
HI Laina, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe. Did you add the other ingredients?
I’m going to use this recipe for my mushroom stroganoff!
So maybe this was my fault adding the nutritional yeast (and maybe I added too much) but it didn’t taste like sour cream. HOWEVER, it tastes like nacho cheese and it’s absolutely f’ing delicious. I would say add nutritional yeast if you want to make this into nacho cheese, but I think either way you can’t go wrong. So impressed with this recipe!
I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it, Gina!