The Best Dairy Free and Vegan Sour Cream Recipe

This is the best dairy free sour cream recipe! It is so good that you would never know it's also vegan and plant based. It's so easy to make with only five ingredients including cashews and coconut milk. It's the perfect topping for baked potatoes and also makes a great dip that is Whole30, paleo and sugar free too!

Table of Contents

• Why you will love this recipe:
• Ingredients and substitutions:
• How to make (step-by-step):
• Chef's tips:
• How to serve:
• How to store:
• Frequently asked questions:
• Other recipes you will love:
• Recipe

Why you will love this recipe:

• It's so quick and easy to make and is ready in less than five minutes! Just like my easy vegan mascarpone.
• This plant based sour cream is made with just a few simple ingredients including cashews, coconut milk, sea salt, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.
• This vegan sour cream is so creamy and delicious! Even if you aren't following a vegan diet you will love this recipe. It's the best dairy-free sour cream!
• This lactose free sour cream is the perfect topping for baked potatoes and also makes a great dip for crackers, chips or raw vegetables and goes great with nachos.
• This sour cream substitute is also gluten free, paleo and Whole30 compliant. 

If you like vegan sauces you will also love homemade vegan cheese sauce and vegan buffalo sauce.

Ingredients and substitutions:

• Raw cashews - Cashews form the base of this creamy sour cream. Be sure to use raw cashews and not roasted or salted cashews. If you can't have cashews and want to use different nuts I would use raw pine nuts or raw sunflower seeds instead. 
• Coconut milk - Coconut milk is used to help give this sour cream the perfect creamy texture. I recommend using full fat coconut milk to keep this sour cream as thick as possible. You can also use coconut cream instead of coconut milk to make it even thicker. I do not recommend using almond milk, soy milk or oat milk to make this recipe as they are too watery and all give this sour cream a funny taste.
• Sea salt - Just a pinch of salt is all you need to enhance the flavours of this recipe. 
• Apple cider vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is used to help give this recipe that perfect tangy flavor, just like traditional sour cream. 
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice - To add just a bit more sour flavour to bring it as close as possible to true sour cream. If you are using this sour cream for Mexican recipes you can use lime juice instead to give it a different taste.

How to make (step-by-step):

Step one:

First, place all the ingredients into your food processor or high-speed blender.

Step two:

Then blend all the ingredients until they have a delicious smooth texture.

Chef's tips:

• You may want to add a little extra apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or water if you want a slightly thinner texture.
• If you don't have a high-speed blender and want to use a regular blender instead, I recommend soaking the cashews in hot water or warm water for 10-15 minutes, draining the water and then making this sour cream.
• This sour cream will become firm in the fridge. If you want to make it creamy again simply place it back in your food processor with a little extra liquid (choose from lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or water) and blend it until smooth.
• This is a great recipe to have on hand so feel free to make a double batch or triple batch to save some in the fridge. 

How to serve:

You can use this creamy vegan sour cream in so many different ways! It can be used in place of sour cream in any recipe that calls for sour cream such as casseroles, or even baked goods. It can also be used to top your favorite dishes like vegan baked potatoes or air fryer baked sweet potatoes, as a dip for crackers, tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

It can also be used to top tacos, nachos, burritos, or as a topping for soups like my vegan zucchini soup and chilis such as my slow cooker blueberry chili.

How to store:

Store any leftover sour cream in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Just note that it will firm up in the fridge (see the above tips for how to deal with this).

If you want to meal-prep or make this ahead of time you can also freeze this sour cream. To freeze it store it in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Frequently asked questions:

Other recipes you will love:

• Vegan Cauliflower Soup
• Vegan Asian Coleslaw
• Dairy Free Brownies with Caramel
• Vegan Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Vegan Mac and Cheese

Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

Recipe