Are you looking for a dairy-free sour cream recipe? Learn if sour cream is safe for a dairy-free diet and get a recipe that’s both dairy free and vegan to use in all your favorite dishes.
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Do you love topping your tacos or chili with a dollop of sour cream? If you’ve been following a dairy-free diet or are just getting started with one, you might be wondering if this ingredient is a good one to keep in your diet.
In this post, we’re going to dive deep into sour cream land and get you some answers, so you have all the information you need to stick with your dairy-free diet and give you options so you never have to go without this ingredient on your favorite foods.
In this post, we’ll cover:
- What is sour cream?
- What are the ingredients in sour cream?
- Is sour cream dairy?
- Dairy-free sour cream substitutes
- Dairy-free sour cream brands
- Dairy-free sour cream recipe
- The best ways to use dairy-free sour cream
Now that you know what to expect, let’s dive into some of the basics!
What is sour cream?
Sour cream is a fermented product, where cow’s milk cream is fermented with lactic acid bacteria. Over time, this bacteria naturally makes the cream sour in taste and thickens the cream.
What are the ingredients in sour cream?
Sour cream is made of cream or milk and lactic acid bacteria, which is used to help sour and thicken the cream, resulting in a tangy flavored cream that’s used as a topping or ingredient in baked goods.
Is sour cream dairy?
Yes, sour cream is made of cream and sometimes milk, making it a dairy product and not an ingredient you’ll want to eat if you follow a dairy-free diet.
Read on: Is sour cream dairy?
Is sour cream vegan?
No, since sour cream is made of cream or milk, it is not a vegan product. A vegan product would be one without any animal or animal products. Dairy is considered an animal product, so it’s not a good choice for a vegan diet.
Is sour cream gluten-free?
Most sour cream brands are gluten-free as there aren’t any gluten-containing grains in the products. However, like any other foods, you will want to check the ingredients list for hidden sources of gluten, just in case.
Read on: Other Names of Gluten and Where they Hide Most
Dairy-free sour cream substitutes
You might be wondering what some dairy-free sour cream substitutes are if you can’t enjoy dairy products. Here are a few substitute options you may consider using in place of sour cream. These are all vegan as well!
- Dairy-free Greek yogurt
- Homemade coconut based dairy-free sour cream (coconut cream mixed with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt)
- Homemade cashew based dairy-free sour cream (cashews mixed with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt)
- Homemade soy based dairy-free sour cream (silken tofu mixed with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt)
- Store-bought dairy-free sour cream substitutes
Dairy-free sour cream brands
You can make your own dairy-free sour cream at home or you can look for an option that is premade at the grocery store. Let’s go over some of the vegan and dairy-free sour cream brands that you can be on the lookout for next time you’re shopping.
- Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
- Wayfare Dairy-free Sour Cream
- Follow Your Heart Sour Cream
- Good Karma Plant-Based Sour Cream
- Forager Project Organic Dairy-free Sour Cream
The best ways to use dairy-free sour cream
If you’re a fan of dairy-free sour cream, here are just a few delicious ways you can use it:
- As a topping on chili
- To top soup
- In dips
- As a sandwich spread
- On top of eggs
- In taco salads
Try your homemade dairy-free sour cream with one or a number of these options! It’s so good!
Dairy-free sour cream recipe
If you’re looking for a dairy-free and vegan sour cream recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Now that you know that sour cream isn’t great for a dairy-free diet, you can choose to omit this ingredient from your diet, buy a premade option at the store, or make your own at home.
I prefer to make my own at home, because I can control the ingredients that go into it and it’s much cheaper to make myself. Some dairy-free and allergy-friendly products are so overpriced it makes my head spin.
This recipe is super easy to whip up any time taco night is calling!
How to Make Dairy-free Sour Cream
This dairy-free and vegan sour cream recipe comes together quickly and easily. Follow these step-by-step instructions for a delicious topping you’ll love on tacos, chili, and as a base for your favorite dips.
Soak the Cashews
Pour one cup of raw cashews into a bowl. Cover them with boiling water, then set them aside on the counter for 10 minutes.
Add ingredients to a blender
While the cashews are soaking, prepare the remaining ingredients. In a high-speed blender, add the water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt to a blender.
Drain the cashews
After the cashews have soaked for 10 minutes and the remaining ingredients are prepared in the blender, drain the liquid from the soaking cashews. Transfer the soaked cashews to the blender with the other ingredients.
Blend the dairy-free sour cream
Blend the dairy-free sour cream ingredients on high for one to two minutes or until completely smooth in your blender. If you notice some of the ingredients on the sides of the blender, you may want to stop and use a spatula to scrape down the sides a few times to ensure all the ingredients get blended in evenly.
Enjoy with your favorite foods
Transfer the dairy-free sour cream to a bowl or other container, cover, and refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. This will help the sour cream chill and allow the flavors to blend together. Enjoy as a topping to your favorite foods!
Notes about this dairy-free sour cream recipe
This recipe works best with a high speed blender, like a Vitamix. If you don’t have a Vitamix, a food processor will work just fine. If your food processor doesn’t tend to break up small pieces, you may consider soaking your cashews for up to 30 minutes for them to soften even more before blending.
You may need to stop the blender periodically as you’re blending to scrape down the sides with a spatula and get all the ingredients incorporated into the sour cream.
You’ll want to refrigerate the dairy-free sour cream for 2 hours before serving to help the flavors combine and settle. Chilling the sour cream will make it feel more like an authentic sour cream to be used as a topping or dip for all your recipes.
While this recipe is great for serving as a topping or as a base for homemade dips, it doesn’t function in the same way as sour cream would in baked goods. You’ll want to avoid using this as a sour cream substitute in baking, and find another alternative for your recipe.
Dairy-free Sour Cream (Vegan)
Try this dairy-free sour cream recipe for a topping for tacos, chili, soup, or as a base for a dip. This recipe is also gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the raw cashews and cover them with an inch of boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- While the cashews are soaking, add the water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt to a blender.
- After the cashews have soaked for 10 minutes, drain the liquid and add to the blender with the other ingredients.
- Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until completely smooth. You may need to stop the blender to scrape down the sides periodically.
- Transfer the dairy-free sour cream to a bowl or other container and refrigerate about 2 hours before serving.
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I hope you love this dairy-free sour cream that is surprisingly delicious as a topping and as a base for a dip for tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.
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