• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Whole Serving
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
  • Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • Bowl of cooked creamy one-pot vegetarian pasta with crusty bread above bowl.
      Creamy One-Pot Vegetarian Pasta Meal ( Easy Recipe)
    • Close-up of bowl of comforting bowl of vegetable soup with crusty bread.
      Quick and Easy One-Pot Vegetable Soup (Comfort Food)
    • Angled shot of bowl filled with butternut soup topped with a sprinkling of sweet Italian turkey sausage, chopped Italian parsley and three croutons. There is a small bowl of croutons at the top left corner of the bowl.
      Creamy Butternut Soup with Sweet Potatoes
    • Stack of pumpkin pancakes on a plate with apples and pumpkin caramel sauce on top. A large orange pumpkin, medium white pumpkin and a small orange pumpkin in the background. A bowl of extra apple pumpkin sauce to the top right of the plate of pancakes.
      Easy Pumpkin Pancakes with Apples & Pumpkin Cream Sauce
    • Overhead shot of creamy rosemary soup in pot, with crusty bread to the top right and bottom left of pot.
      Creamy Rosemary Chicken Soup
    • Roasted Tomato Chutney
    • Close-up shot of Glazed pumpkin spice crumble donuts
      Pumpkin Spice Crumble Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
    • Turkey Enchilada Rice and Beans on blue plate garnished with cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and wedge of lime served with a side of tortilla chips.
      One-Pot Turkey Enchilada Rice and Beans
    • Bowl of salsa on a plate filled with tortilla chips and one tortilla chip dipped in salsa.
      Easy Restaurant-Style Salsa
    • Avocado toast topped with soft scrambled eggs, crumbled queso fresco, fresh torn cilantro and drizzled with sriracha.
      4 Quick and Simple Avocado Toast Recipes
    • 5 Refreshing Drinks Perfect For Summer
    • Close-up of Chocolate-On-Chocolate cupcakes drizzled with melted chocolate and sprinkled with chocolate pieces.
      Chocolate-On-Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes
    Home » Recipes » Vegan

    The Best Vegan Sour Cream

    Apr 17, 2015 · Modified: Aug 28, 2023 by Celeste · This post may contain affiliate links · 60 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Container-Of-Vegan-Sour-Cream

    In my search to find a vegan sour cream alternative, I have tried many a recipe but they all had something missing. Or they were soy based, and I want to have a soy and dairy free sour cream. But this recipe is the best ever, really!

    I made one with soaked cashews, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar - didn't like it.

    Another with soaked cashews, lemon juice and nutritional yeast - didn't like it.

    Finally I used soaked cashews and almonds, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast -LOVED IT!!!!

    Vegan-Sour-Cream-Tacos

    It's smooth, creamy, flavorful and super versatile.

    You can use it in stroganoff, on top of soups, chillies, salads, tacos and sweetened with a bit of agave or maple syrup it's a great fruit and dessert topping.

    Vegan-Sour-Cream-5

    I used it when I served up these soft tacos, I didn't mention it wasn't the real thing, and no one was the wiser. Give it a try, take an empty, cleaned sour cream container and fill it with this stuff and see what happens.

    Vegan-Sour-Cream.4
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

    The Best Vegan Sour Cream

    ★★★★★ 4.5 from 11 reviews
    • Author: Celeste @TheWholeServing
    • Yield: 12 1x
    Pin Recipe
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
    • ¼ cup raw slivered almonds
    • ¼ cup lemon juice, about 2 small lemons
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon himalayan sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Place cashews and almonds in a bowl and cover with purified water. Soak overnight, if you want this goodness sooner, soak for 2 to 3 hours.
    2. Drain and rinse well and place in blender.
    3. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally or add a bit of water as needed.
    4. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
    5. Transfer to glass container and store in fridge. Use within a week or two.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
    • Calories: 79
    • Sugar: 1
    • Sodium: 160
    • Fat: 6
    • Saturated Fat: 1
    • Carbohydrates: 4.6
    • Fiber: 1
    • Protein: 3.1
    • Cholesterol: 0

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @thewholeserving on Instagram and hashtag it #thewholeserving

    The-Best-Vegan-Sour-Cream-Ever

    Shared with: Made From Pinterest-Best Recipies & DIY Project Link Party, The NY Melrose Family-Whimsy Wednesday Link Party, Coastal Charm-Show & Share Link Party, Memories By The Mile-Treasure Box Tuesday , Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party, Mandy's Recipe Box-Totally Talented Tuesday Link Party, Sugar Bee Crafts-Show and Tell, Home Stories A to Z- Tutorials & Tips Link Party, Nap-Time Creations-Create Link Inspire Party

    More Vegan Recipes

    • Ovehead angled shot of easy meatless meatball on a bed of pasta and pasta sauce.
      Easy Meatless Meatballs
    • Bowl of homemade pizza sauce with a flatbread pizza in background.
      Easy 5 Minute Pizza Sauce
    • Angled shot of Coconut Cashew Chocolate Cups and a stack of Bars.
      Coconut Cashew Chocolate Cups & Bars
    • Ovehead angled shot of Easy Vegan Tempeh Pho
      Easy Vegan Tempeh Pho

    About Celeste

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chelsea says

      April 03, 2020 at 12:21 pm

      This is hands down the BEST sour cream I have ever tried. You have no idea how thankful I am for your recipe - I make it weekly! Thanks so much xox

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Sandi says

      February 22, 2020 at 10:03 am

      The nuts are soaking as I write!! Hubby will appreciate this as he is SO lactose intolerant (I'm just outright allergic) that any small amount of dairy (and he LOVES sour cream!) will give him sneezing fits and a runny nose. You will have made his day with this recipe. Up to now I've only made 'cheese' with cashews (which is great!), so this is a welcome addition to my 'alternative repertoire' of recipes. Thanks so much!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Mandi Frazzitta says

      June 19, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      Celeste! This changed my new vegan life! Thank you so much! It's AMAZING! The only thing I did was hold back a little on the lemon juice and vinegar after reading the reviews just to be safe. So I ended up with like a half a 1/8 of lemon juice in the measuring cup and I used only a teaspoon of vinegar and everything else the same! PERFECTION!! SO happy 😁😊💛💚🌱✌

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. bianca milke says

      April 14, 2018 at 11:37 am

      I've been making your recipe on a weekly basis for a long time now! It's our favorite, thank you so much!!!

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        May 02, 2018 at 10:47 am

        Bianca thank you for leaving your comment. It's so nice to know that you are enjoying the recipes you find here on my site. I look forward to sharing more with you.

        Reply
    5. Corrina says

      April 12, 2018 at 8:03 pm

      I really wanted to like this but it just didn’t turn out. It smelled like pure apple cider vinegar and was too runny. Not sure what I did wrong lol!

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        May 02, 2018 at 10:49 am

        Corrina, I'm sorry it didn't turn out for you. You might try adding your liquid in smaller amounts to get the consistency that fits your taste.

        Reply
        • bianca says

          May 02, 2018 at 11:38 am

          You definitely need to blend it for awhile. I use a Vitamix and blend it for at least 3 minutes.

          Reply
    6. Janie says

      March 31, 2018 at 2:28 am

      Wow- this really is magnificent! But why is mine not bright white like your pictures?

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        April 02, 2018 at 8:32 pm

        Mine was an off-white color, I think the lighting in my photo is changing the color.

        Reply
    7. Elizabeth Robinette says

      June 07, 2017 at 10:42 am

      I just made this yesterday for me and my family to enjoy with some Vegan enchiladas, and it did not disappoint! VERY tasty!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        June 08, 2017 at 11:42 am

        I'm so glad it was a hit with you and your family. Thanks for leaving the comment.

        Reply
    8. Jb dja says

      March 02, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      Can't believe i can make a vegan sour cream! This is my first time and it turned out really really good! Thanks for this recipe! 😉

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        March 09, 2017 at 9:56 am

        I'm so glad you like it. Thanks for leaving your comment to let me know how it worked for you.

        Reply
    9. Piya says

      February 08, 2017 at 9:11 pm

      I just tried this recipe for the first time and I am so impressed! I ended up adding a pinch of food-grade lactic acid and a splash of rice wine vinegar (what can I say? I like my sour cream REALLY SOUR!). Although my initial taste test wasn't exactly what I would have expected from dairy sour cream, when I added a dollop to a bowl of black bean soup I was pleasantly surprised! Both taste & texture were SPOT ON! Thank you for this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        February 09, 2017 at 10:38 pm

        I'm so glad to hear that you gave this recipe a try and it worked well for you. You are making my mouth water just thinking about your Black Bean soup with a dollop of this Vegan Sour Cream. Thanks Piya for sharing your experience.

        Reply
    10. Brie says

      November 29, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      I just made this and could only taste very sour and very salty. What am I doing wrong?

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        December 01, 2016 at 9:26 pm

        Hi Brie, sorry it didn't work for you. You be putting too much acid and salt in your recipe. Try adding the acid in small amounts and taste testing until you get the desired amount for your taste. We all have different taste, for example my daughter can eat the same dessert and she thinks it's too sweet, but for me it's fine. Different tastebuds.

        Reply
    11. Corinna says

      September 18, 2016 at 5:32 am

      Hi all,
      Unfortunately it didn't turn out as expected. First of all it is way to sour and I followed exactly the recipe, then it isn't white like on the picture , more mustard , I think caused of the nutritional yeast. Sorry to say, we didn't like it at all and I used my thermomix, which makes usually fantastic cream out of cashew nuts...any thoughts whats the mistake ?

      ★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        September 18, 2016 at 4:19 pm

        Corinna, I'm so sorry this recipe didn't work for you. You can try using less vinegar and use macadamia nuts instead,they blend a bit smoother. I will myself do some testing and update any changes. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me.

        Reply
    12. Heidi says

      May 02, 2016 at 8:32 am

      Tastes pretty good, but mine was not as white as yours. How did yours get to be do white with the nutritional yeast in it?

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        May 02, 2016 at 11:30 pm

        I'm glad to hear you like it. Mine was an off white color, I think that the computer makes it look whiter than it really is.

        Reply
    13. Bobby says

      April 07, 2016 at 8:41 am

      It ended up tasting too vinegary for me. This was my first vegan sour cream, so I don't know if I'll try it again, but if I do, I'll either leave the vinegar out, or use less.
      Still edible though, it's just that no one would mistake it for the real thing.
      thanks!

      ★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        April 07, 2016 at 1:41 pm

        Hi Bobby, thanks for giving it a try, if you do decide to make again you may want to reduce the finger or lemon juice.

        Reply
    14. Kathryn Grace says

      February 13, 2016 at 2:23 pm

      This looks wonderful. I am putting it on my list of vegan condiments to try. I've tested enough now to be pretty certain we will love this one. I expect it to become a staple. Thank you.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        February 13, 2016 at 11:17 pm

        Thanks Kathryn, Please let me know how it works for you.

        Reply
    15. John says

      December 19, 2015 at 6:02 am

      Love mushroom stroganoff and need sour cream I can add to the gravy which is then thoroughly heated. Well this heat well?

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        December 19, 2015 at 3:10 pm

        I have never used it in a hot dish, however, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I would test it in a small portion first to see how the acids in the sour cream reacts when heated.

        Reply
    16. ashley says

      November 20, 2015 at 4:49 pm

      Hi,
      Can this be used as a sour cream substitute in baking? I have an old thanksgiving cornbread recipe I miss! So excited to try it otherwise too!

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        November 21, 2015 at 7:08 am

        Sour cream is used in baking to add moisture, adding this will add moisture however, it may also change the density. I would give it a test bake before baking for guest. I'll be giving it a try.

        Reply
    17. Sarah says

      August 23, 2015 at 10:09 am

      Just wanted to say a big thank you!! Great stuff.............. x

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        August 23, 2015 at 10:45 am

        Sarah you are so welcome, I'm glad you like it. Because that's what it's all about, sharing what I hope can be helpful and useful to others.

        Reply
    18. Cath says

      May 05, 2015 at 9:12 pm

      I'm a beginner, so all of this is amazing, wonderful a more than a little overwhelming! Firstly, thank you! Then secondly, how long will this last in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        May 05, 2015 at 9:26 pm

        I will last about 7 to 10 days. Mine didn't last that long I sweeten it a bit and use it on fresh fruit.
        Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
        • Tara B says

          March 24, 2016 at 9:45 pm

          My mom (her name was Celeste too!!!!) used to make a very simple, yet fabulous fruit dip mixing sour cream with brown sugar or just dipping strawberries into sour cream and then into brown sugar. It was delicious! I finally made the jump to vegan and I am having a lot of fun trying to "veganize" old favorites. I'm so thankful I took the plunge and got a Vitamix off of craigslist, it's been a great help! Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to try it out!

          Reply
          • Celeste says

            March 25, 2016 at 12:17 pm

            It took me a while, but I finally purchased a Vitamix, and it has made all the difference in how easy recipes come together.
            Enjoy!!!

            Reply
    19. michele schroder says

      May 05, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      Definitely trying this one. You wouldn't happen to have a good mayo recipe without tofu.

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        May 05, 2015 at 8:29 pm

        Thanks, I hope you like it, I love this stuff. I don't have a mayo recipe just yet, but I'm playing around with a recipe and it does not include tofu. I think it will be up on my blog in a few weeks.

        Reply
    20. Christine says

      April 22, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      I just found out I am lactose intolerant, and I love sour cream! Going to try your recipe, it looks so much healthier! Thank you for sharing and Co-hosting WW!

      Reply
      • kayla says

        May 05, 2015 at 5:03 am

        everyone who tells me they're lactose intolerant, i reply "it's because you're not a baby cow" 🙂 you'll find that life without dairy is actually much easier than you can imagine and so much healthier for not only you, but the planet 🙂 you also will no longer be supporting the cruelty in the dairy industry. good luck! 🙂

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Celeste says

          May 05, 2015 at 8:49 am

          I'm still on my journey to being completely dairy free, I occasionally eat cheese. However I have been experimenting with several different vegan cheese recipes and my cravings for cheese is less and less each day. When I create a recipe I think of how I can do it using whole plants seed or nuts, healthier for all.

          Reply
          • Aliyanna says

            September 13, 2016 at 2:29 pm

            I make something very similar to this....but have one ingredient that makes it so much more
            creamy......Macadamia nuts!!! I had read about it but wasn't really sure, til I tried it....it really does make it creamier!

            Reply
            • Celeste says

              September 14, 2016 at 2:37 pm

              That sounds delicious, I'll have to give it a try next time I make this.

            • Deana says

              October 19, 2017 at 7:49 am

              Do the macadamia nuts need to be raw?

            • Celeste says

              October 25, 2017 at 9:36 pm

              Deana the nuts don't have to be raw, however, roasted nuts may change the flavor. Have fun and enjoy!

    21. Pamela says

      April 22, 2015 at 6:18 am

      I had to give up dairy, but only used avocados as a cheese substitute. I'm looking forward to making the vegan sour cream. The tacos and the sour cream look delicious.

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        April 22, 2015 at 7:52 pm

        Thanks Pamela, I hope you like it as much as I do.

        Reply
    22. Jenna says

      April 21, 2015 at 6:08 pm

      I would have never thought this was possible. How awesome. Thanks

      Reply
      • Celeste says

        April 21, 2015 at 8:53 pm

        Thanks Jenna, I hope you like it, I love this stuff.

        Reply
    23. Celeste says

      April 25, 2015 at 7:19 am

      Hi Christina, Thanks so much for the feature.

      Reply
    24. Meagan says

      January 21, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      Have you tried it with all almonds? It’s the only nut our son can eat.

      Reply
    25. Celeste says

      January 23, 2018 at 8:14 pm

      Meagan, I totally understand having to deal with food allergies, my daughter is allergic to peanuts. You can easily sub almonds in this recipe.

      Reply

    "Leave a Reply" Cancel reply

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

    Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

    Primary Sidebar

    this Recipe

    Hello and welcome!

    I’m Celeste the content creator, recipe developer, and food photographer here at The Whole Serving. I’ve been blogging for over ten years and I absolutely love creating and photographing tasty recipes.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Slices of roasted veggie pizzas topped with arugula greens and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
      Roasted Veggie Pizza with Arugula Greens and Balsamic Glaze
    • Bowl of grains with roasted butternut squash and arugula.
      Roasted Butternut Grain Bowl
    • Overhead shot of Sun-Dried Tomato and Chickpea Soup with crusty bread and glass of red wine.
      Sun-Dried Tomato and Chickpea Soup
    • 10 Delicious Cleansing Recipes
      10 Delicious Cleansing Recipes
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Whole Serving

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    .
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT