• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Loving It Vegan

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Ebook
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Sides » Vegan Sour Cream – Tangy and Rich

    Vegan Sour Cream – Tangy and Rich

    Published: May 8, 2018 Modified: Aug 14, 2019 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    16.9Kshares
    Vegan Sour Cream

    Creamy, tangy and perfect vegan sour cream! An ideal replacement for ‘regular’ sour cream, perfect to use wherever a sour cream is needed.

    Vegan Sour Cream in a glass jar on a white plate with sliced lemon and cashews.

    This vegan sour cream is everything you want a sour cream to be, creamy, tangy and rich!

    It’s the best accompaniment to a baked potato out there.

    In fact, I may or may not have made roughly 10 baked potatoes on the same day I made this batch of vegan sour cream (oh I did!).

    It’s amazing as a topping for Mexican dishes like vegan nachos or vegan tacos, as a dip or spread, on top of soups, on a big bowl of vegan chili, as a salad dressing, stirred into your vegan mushroom stroganoff and of course, as mentioned, on top of your baked potatoes (with chives, always with chives!).

    Vegan Sour Cream in a glass jar standing on a white plate with sliced lemon and cashews.

    How to make vegan sour cream

    It’s a super easy 6-ingredient recipe that just involves throwing some raw cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast and sea salt in the blender.

    You blend it up until it’s very smooth and there you have it!

    Ingredients for vegan sour cream in the blender jug ready to blend. Vegan Sour Cream freshly blended in the blender jug.

    Soaking the cashews

    You don’t need to soak your cashews first unless your blender is a weak model.

    If you know your blender is likely to have a hard time with this, then soaking them for 15 minutes in boiling water is sufficient to soften the cashews enough to make them really easy to blend.

    The result is a perfectly creamy, tangy cream with the ideal amount of sour!

    A spoon dipping into a jar full of vegan sour cream.

    Cashews provide the creamy base, and lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast combine to create the tanginess.

    A little sea salt for flavor balance and just enough water for the perfect thickness and you have a perfectly delicious vegan sour cream.

    So if you have been wanting a dairy free alternative to regular sour cream then you are going to super pleased because this stuff is the bees knees (whatever the bees knees means, but it’s something good)!

    A spoon dipping into a glass jar full of vegan sour cream.

    How long does Vegan Sour Cream Last in the Fridge?

    It lasts about a week in the fridge in a sealed container. 

    Can you Freeze Vegan Sour Cream?

    Yes it is freezer friendly! So if you think you’ll take longer than a week to eat it all, then definitely freeze some of it. Just place it into a freezer safe container and freeze. 

    A large dollop of vegan sour cream being placed onto a baked potato.

    You will love this vegan sour cream, it is: 

    • Creamy
    • Tangy
    • Rich
    • An ideal replacement for ‘regular’ sour cream
    • Raw and gluten-free

    Keep it stored in the fridge and consume within a week. 

    Vegan Sour Cream and chopped chives on top of a baked potato. Vegan Sour Cream and chopped chives on top of a baked potato.

    More vegan recipes:

    1. Sliceable Cashew Cheese
    2. Cashew Cheese Sauce
    3. Vegan Cashew Cream
    4. Vegan Cream Cheese

    What do you think of this vegan sour cream recipe? Let us know in the comments and rate the recipe too as that is super helpful! Thanks so much!

    Sign up to our email list for an awesome recipe ebook containing 10 gorgeous dinner recipes (entirely free!) and you’ll also be the first to know whenever new recipes are posted to the blog.

    Vegan Sour Cream and chopped chives on top of a baked potato.

     

    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
    Vegan Sour Cream

    Vegan Sour Cream


    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 28 reviews

    • Author: Alison Andrews
    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 1 cup
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Creamy, tangy and perfect vegan sour cream! An ideal replacement for ‘regular’ sour cream, perfect for use wherever a sour cream is needed. Great in Mexican dishes and delicious on top of a baked potato (with chopped chives, of course!).


    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (150g) Raw Cashews
    • 1/3 cup (80ml) Water
    • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (Freshly Squeezed)
    • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
    • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

    Instructions

    1. Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until very smooth.
    2. Enjoy wherever sour cream is needed. Great with chopped chives on top!

    Notes

    *You don’t have to soak the cashews first in this recipe. We didn’t soak them first. But if you know your blender is likely to have a hard time, then you can soak them in boiling water for 15 minutes just to soften them slightly so they’re easier to blend.

    • Category: Raw, Gluten-Free, Dip
    • Method: Blend
    • Cuisine: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
    • Calories: 212
    • Sugar: 2.5g
    • Sodium: 297mg
    • Fat: 16.5g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.9g
    • Carbohydrates: 12.3g
    • Fiber: 1.3g
    • Protein: 7.1g

    Keywords: vegan sour cream

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #lovingitvegan

    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!
    16.9Kshares
    Alison Andrews

    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.
    Previous Post: « Vegan Pasta Bake – Rich and Creamy!
    Next Post: The Best Vegan Lemon Cake »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. AvatarJolie says

      January 26, 2021 at 8:39 pm

      This didn’t really taste like sour cream but it balanced delightfully with some spicy rice and beans! I would make this again!

      ★★★★

      Reply
    2. AvatarRani says

      January 21, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      I love this recipe! I have adapted it to make creme fraiche. I add a teaspoon of vegan lactic acid and reduce the lemon juice by half. I can now make a tasty, creamy mushroom and spinach sauce for pasta that tastes like the dairy version! It’s unreal… Thank you ☺️

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        January 22, 2021 at 11:19 am

        Awesome! Thanks for sharing Rani!

        Reply
    3. AvatarAlisha says

      January 13, 2021 at 7:08 pm

      Not quite as creamy as real sour cream, but I think I like the taste better than the real thing!

      Reply
    4. AvatarTrudy Britz says

      October 13, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars, thank you for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        October 14, 2020 at 9:59 am

        Thanks Trudy!

        Reply
    5. AvatarBrenda says

      August 04, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      My dietary restrictions prevent me from having yeast of any kind. Is it possible to leave out or substitute the nutritional yeast? If so, what would you suggest?

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        August 05, 2020 at 9:12 am

        Hi Brenda, it’s completely fine to just leave it out in this recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    6. AvatarSandra says

      July 29, 2020 at 2:36 am

      I’ve been vegan for several years (my husband not as long), but I’m always looking for ‘better’ recipes of familiar foods — like sour cream. Truly, this is the very best sour cream recipe I’ve come across, and I’ve tried many. I didn’t change the recipe at all, in fact, I should say my husband followed the recipe as written. He made it for our Mexican buddha bowls. Try it, you won’t be disappointed! I only came across this website when I googled vegan sour cream for our dinner tonight. I’m anxious to try some more recipes.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        July 29, 2020 at 10:30 am

        Thanks so much Sandra! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    7. AvatarSusan Noble says

      July 22, 2020 at 4:52 pm

      Used this as a base and added green chilies and artichoke hearts. Wow, it was delicious. I gobbled it up in a few days.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        July 23, 2020 at 9:07 am

        Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    8. AvatarTanya says

      June 17, 2020 at 10:14 am

      Absolutely delicious, making this again and couldn’t resist not to comment. My non vegan husband absolutely loves this sauce.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        June 17, 2020 at 10:16 am

        Fantastic! Thanks Tanya!

        Reply
      • AvatarSuzanne says

        August 01, 2020 at 2:39 am

        Do you have to use cashews? Would walnuts or pecans work?

        Reply
        • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

          August 01, 2020 at 9:08 am

          Walnuts or pecans wouldn’t be a good fit here but you could try slivered or blanched almonds. The texture will be slightly different (not as smooth), but it would work.

          Reply
    9. AvatarVirdjinia Boneva says

      June 10, 2020 at 9:54 am

      It was nice. I find it is a bit too thick for me, so I added water. In terms of consistency it was perfect, though I find it is a bit sweetish, next time I think I’d add more salt and maybe some mustard to make it more tangy. But overall the recipe is very nice, and most importantly super easy and quick to do. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. AvatarMelanie says

      April 29, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      First vegan sour cream recipe I’ve seen that didn’t use tofu (I love tofu in other things, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t stand the flavor it imparts in sauces!). It is OUTSTANDING. I haven’t had a vegan cream cheese that I liked in many years. Thank you!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        May 01, 2020 at 1:49 pm

        Thanks Melanie!

        Reply
    11. AvatarStacey says

      February 20, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Delicious. l didn’t soak my cashews and it was so smooth. Thanks for the recipe

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        February 20, 2020 at 12:05 pm

        Awesome! Thanks so much Stacey! 🙂

        Reply
        • AvatarChris says

          June 30, 2020 at 3:58 am

          Do you think this would work well in baking? I have a cake recipe that calls for sour cream.

          Reply
          • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

            June 30, 2020 at 10:24 am

            Hi Chris, I haven’t used it that way so I’m not sure. I would probably try it though!

    12. AvatarKiki says

      February 15, 2020 at 11:44 pm

      This was really easy and tasty but I will say 2 things:
      1. Even with a Thermomix I couldn’t get this smooth so I will soak the cashews next time. Doesn’t affect taste I’m sure!
      2. As a ‘new vegan’ who is dragging an ‘anti-vegan’ husband along for the ride, this tastes absolutely nothing like sour cream… but still bloody delicious! 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        February 17, 2020 at 10:15 am

        Hi Kiki, you can soak them briefly as we discuss in the post, but just be wary of soaking them too long, because usually when someone says a cashew based recipe turned out bland/too watery, it’s because they soaked the cashews overnight, whereas we don’t actually soak them at all in this recipe. So shorter soak time is best. We use a Vitamix and have no issues with getting it super smooth, I have never used a thermomix though. Thanks for the great review and so glad you found it delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    13. AvatarKiki says

      February 15, 2020 at 10:23 am

      How long do you think this would keep for in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        February 15, 2020 at 2:54 pm

        Up to a week. 🙂

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Comment Policy: Your feedback is really appreciated! Please do us a favor and rate the recipe as well as this really helps us! The most helpful comments are the ones that give useful feedback for others who might make the recipe, tell about substitutions you made or adjustments you made and how it turned out, or assisting other commenters. Rude or insulting comments will not be accepted.

    Leave A Comment & Review Cancel reply

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

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

    More about me →

    Popular Posts

    • The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese (Classic, Baked)
    • Vegan Burrito
    • Super Eggy Vegan Tofu Scramble
    • Sliceable Cashew Cheese
    • Homemade Vegan Butter
    • Classic Vegan Waffles

    Vegan Desserts

    • Vegan Custard
    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • The Most Amazing Vegan Chocolate Cake
    • Vegan Banana Bread Muffins
    • Vegan Coffee Cake
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake

    See ALL Dessert Recipes →


    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Follow Us

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2021 Loving It Vegan

    Get 10 fabulous dinner recipes!
    Absolutely free! Sign up below!
    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!