• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pure and Simple Nourishment
  • About
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • My Food Philosophy
    • Press and Publications
    • Contact
  • Free Resources
  • Recipes
    • Holidays
      • Fall
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
    • Breakfast
    • Main Course
    • Dessert
    • Sauces and Dips
    • Side Dish
    • Drinks
    • Vegetables
    • Snack
    • Meat and Fish
    • Recipe Wrap-Ups
    • SCD
    • GAPS
    • Whole30
    • AIP
    • Vegan
    • Paleo
    • Dairy-Free
    • Gluten-Free
    • Low FODMAP
    • Refined-Sugar-Free
  • Health
    • Health Information
    • Book Club
  • Nutrition
  • Beauty
    • Beautycounter
    • Skin Care
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Information
    • Weekly Workouts
  • Favorites
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Skincare
  • Work With Me
    • Services
    • Skin Care Quiz
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Health Information
  • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
  • Services
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Health Information
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • Services
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×

    Home » Course » Sauces and Dips

    Dairy Free Sour Cream

    Published: Apr 21, 2019 · Modified: Nov 7, 2022 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    1205 shares
    • Share27
    • Yummly
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    This vegan sour cream recipe is so quick and easy to make. It's dairy free, low carb, paleo and Whole30. Made with cashews and coconut milk it also makes a great dip or mayo substitute. #vegan #sourcream #paleo

    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. Easy to make with only five ingredients including cashews and coconut milk, it's the perfect topping for baked potatoes. It also makes a great dip and is Whole30, paleo and low in sugar too!

    A bowl of dairy free sour cream with a lemon slice and a spoon.

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • 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.
    • It's so easy to make and is ready in less than five minutes.
    • This vegan sour cream is so creamy and delicious!
    • Unlike most dairy free sour creams with yogurt or tofu, this one is made with cashews instead. 
    • 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 is also a paleo sour cream, a Whole30 sour cream and a non dairy sour cream recipe. 
    • This dairy free sour cream substitute is surprisingly easy to make and comes together in just minutes in your food processor or blender.
    • This sour cream is made with no yogurt and no tofu.
    • This is a gluten free sour cream recipe.
    • There is no need to ferment this sour cream, or add any bacterial cultures to make it. 
    • You can use it as a topping for vegan baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes.
    • If you like vegan sauces you will also love homemade vegan cheese sauce.

    Taste and Texture:

    This sour cream is creamy, tangy, and a little sour. It really is the best dairy free sour cream recipe that closely resembles classic sour cream.

    Key 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 I would use pine nuts instead. 
    • Coconut milk - Coconut milk is used to help make this sour cream thick and creamy. I recommend using full fat coconut milk to keep this sour cream as thick as possible.  
    • 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 taste, 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. 

    How to make this recipe:

    Step one:

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

    Raw cashews and coconut milk in a food processor.

    Step two:

    Then blend all the ingredients until they are smooth and creamy.

    A bowl of dairy free sour cream with a spoon in it.

    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.
    • 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.

    How to use sour cream:

    • Use sour cream to top baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
    • Sour cream can be used as a dip for your favourite crackers or tortilla chips.
    • Use this sour cream as a dip for raw vegetables.
    • Use it to top nachos!
    • Sour cream can be used as a topping for soups and chilis.

    How to store:

    If you still have some of this sour cream left over you can store it 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).

    Frequently asked questions:

    What is vegan sour cream made of?

    I made this vegan sour cream recipe with cashews and coconut milk as the base but I have seen other recipes use tofu or vegan yogurt for the base as well.

    Can you have sour cream on paleo?

    The paleo diet does not allow dairy, so you cannot have regular dairy sour cream on the paleo diet, but you can eat dairy free sour cream if it is made with paleo approved ingredients. 

    Is sour cream Whole30 approved? 

    Sour cream is not Whole30 approved. The Whole30 program does not allow dairy and as such sour cream is not to be eaten while you are doing a Whole30. However, some dairy free sour cream recipes would be allowed as long as they are made with Whole30 approved ingredients. 

    What is plant based sour cream made of? 

    Plant based sour cream recipes can be made with various ingredients including dairy free yogurt, cashews, tofu, coconut milk, coconut cream or pine nuts. 

    Is Chipotle sour cream vegan? 

    No it is not. Chipotle sour cream is made with 100% cultured cream which is a dairy product, and thus not vegan compatible. 

    What is a non dairy substitute for sour cream? 

    You can make non dairy or dairy free sour cream from ingredients such as cashews, tofu, dairy free yogurt or coconut milk or coconut cream. 

    Other recipes you will love:

    • Vegan Mascarpone
    • 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!

    A bowl of dairy free sour cream with a spoon in it and a lemon slice on top.

    Dairy Free Sour Cream

    A dairy free version of sour cream that is so easy to make and tastes so creamy and delicious. You'll love that it's also vegan, paleo and Whole30 compliant. 
    4.30 from 30 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 1 minute minute
    Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 121kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • 123 ml full fat coconut milk (the equivalent to 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp)
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)

    Instructions

    • Place all of the ingredients into your food processor.
    • Blend the ingredients until smooth.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    1. Depending on your preference, feel free to add more liquid (more lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or water) to give it a thinner texture.
    2. Store this vegan sour cream in the fridge for up to a week.
    3. This will become firm in the fridge. Simply add a bit more liquid and blend it again in your food processor to make it smooth. 
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

     

    More Healthy Sauces, Dips and Dressings

    • A bottle of dill pickle salad dressing with cut up pickles beside it.
      The Best Dill Pickle Salad Dressing
    • A piece of shrimp being dipped into a bowl of cajun butter sauce.
      The Best Cajun Butter Sauce
    • A bowl of sriracha aioli with a spoon in it surrounded by lime slices.
      5 Ingredient Sriracha Aioli Recipe
    • A jar of pumpkin seed butter garnished with a couple pumpkin seeds.
      Pumpkin Seed Butter

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Steph

      September 06, 2022 at 10:19 am

      Is it helpful to soak the cashews beforehand? Read that in another article and wondered what you thought.

      Reply
      • Erin Carter

        September 26, 2022 at 6:23 pm

        I only find that necessary if the blender or food processor you have isn't powerful. The soaking just helps soften them

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Dr. Erin Carter wearing a floral dress in her kitchen.

    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Air Fryer Hash Browns
    • A bowl of protein baked oats topped with melted chocolate with a spoon in it.
      The Best Protein Baked Oats
    • An omelette with chicken, spinach, tomato and cheese in it on a plate.
      Chicken Omelette
    • Two soft boiled eggs in the shell that have been cut in half.
      Soft Boiled Eggs in Microwave

    Healthy Main Dishes

    • A plate with pan seared shrimp on it with lemon wedges beside them.
      Quick and Easy Pan Seared Shrimp
    • Two over medium eggs on a plate and one of them has the yolk cut open.
      Quick and Easy Over Medium Eggs
    • A plate with over hard eggs on it and a small bowl of blueberries and raspberries.
      Quick and Easy Over Hard Eggs
    • A piece of Mahi Mahi cooked in an air fryer on a plate.
      Air Fryer Mahi Mahi
    • A bowl of mango chicken curry topped with white rice and garnished with cilantro.
      Mango Chicken Curry
    • A bowl of paleo curried butternut squash soup garnished with flowers and fresh parsley.
      Paleo Curried Butternut Squash Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    Some of the links on this website are affiliate links whereby we make a small percentage if you purchase the product through that link. It does not cost you anything extra and helps us keep this website running. As an Amazon associate we earn a small percentage from qualifying Amazon purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Pure & Simple Nourishment

    • 27
    1205 shares
    1205 shares
    • 27