Can I Make Sour Cream Out of Cream Cheese
Here are 20 ingredients to substitute for sour cream in all your favorite dishes, with dairy-free and homemade options, too!
Out of sour cream? No need to worry!
There are several easy ways to substitute for sour cream with ingredients you probably have on hand, plus dairy free and vegan options, too.
If you're not familiar with this ingredient, sour cream is a cooking staple, popular in Europe and North America and used across several types of cuisines for sauces, dipping, as a topping, and even in baking.
This pasteurized cream with added cultures has a signature thickness and tangy-sour flavor you've probably tasted on baked potatoes, with chilis and soups, or in baked dishes like chocolate cake.
- Common Sour Cream Substitutes
- 1. Plain Greek Yogurt
- 2. Regular Plain Yogurt
- 3. Crème Fraîche
- 4. Cottage Cheese
- 5. Cream Cheese
- 6. Mascarpone Cheese
- 7. Plain Kefir
- 8. Buttermilk
- 9. Milk
- 10. Milk Powder
- 11. Heavy Whipping Cream
- Dairy Free Sour Cream Substitutes
- 12. Mayonnaise
- 13. Coconut Cream
- 14. Cashew Nuts
- 15. Vegan Sour Cream
- 16. Vegan Yogurt
- 17. Vegan Cream Cheese
- Make Your Own
- Recipes with Sour Cream
- Homemade Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream White Sauce
- The Easiest Creamy Taco Soup
- The Easiest Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Swiss Chicken Bake
- Easy Spaghetti with Chili Sauce (aka Cincinnati Chili)
- The Best Hawaiian Haystacks Sauce Ever
Common Sour Cream Substitutes
Try these 11, common sour cream substitutes when you run out of cream or don't have enough for a recipe.
NOTE: Sour cream is not cream that is going bad. You should never use regular cream that has a sour smell or is curdled. This can make you sick!
1. Plain Greek Yogurt
Plain yogurts are the closest substitute to sour cream in cooking, baking, sauces and dips.
Plain Greek yogurt is a healthy sour cream substitute that has a very similar texture and tanginess. You can use yogurt as a 1:1 substitute in most recipes.
NOTE: Yogurt has less fat than sour cream, so use caution when cooking in a sauce as it may curdle. Add the yogurt towards the end of cooking time and then remove it from heat.
2. Regular Plain Yogurt
Regular plain yogurt is very similar to Greek yogurt as a substitute. It is slightly less thick and usually has more calcium and fewer calories but more sugar.
If using plain yogurt in a dip, be sure to drain or strain out any excess liquid!
3. Crème Fraîche
Crème Fraîche is a French cream, very similar to sour cream. It is soured with bacteria in the same way as sour cream but is a little less tangy in flavor.
Use Crème Fraîche as a 1:1 substitute and add a splash of lemon to up the flavor profile.
4. Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese is a great, healthy alternative in a pinch. It's a lower fat, higher protein substitute that you might already have in your refrigerator.
To use as a 1:1 substitute, strain any excess liquid and blend to a smooth consistency with a dash of buttermilk or milk and lemon juice if desired.
5. Cream Cheese
You can use cream cheese as 1:1 substitute when thinned with milk. Blend until the desired consistency and a little lemon juice for tang.
To replace sour cream with cream cheese in a dip, add 6 ounces (3/4 cup) cream cheese plus 3 tablespoons milk and a dash of lemon and blend in blender until smooth.
6. Mascarpone Cheese
Mascarpone cheese is every similar to cream cheese. You can think of it as an Italian version. However, it has a looser more velvety texture and is a little less "bright" in taste.
You can use the same instructions above for cream cheese to substitute sour cream with mascarpone.
7. Plain Kefir
Kefir is a fermented milk drink with the consistency of thin yogurt. It is very good for gut and digestive health. While it has some of the same nutritional properties as sour cream, it is a lot thinner.
You can use it as 1:1 substitute in baking if it's a small amount and not integral to the recipe.
8. Buttermilk
Buttermilk is also a much thinner dairy product that can be used as a sour cream substitute in a pinch. The flavor profile is similar, though the consistency and fat content is much different.
Use the same instructions above for Kefir to substitute buttermilk for sour cream in a baking recipe.
9. Milk
Pretty much everyone has milk in their fridge. You can use milk to substitute in a baking recipe where sour cream is used for moisture and not fat content.
Use it as a 1:1 substitute in baking just like kefir and buttermilk.
10. Milk Powder
If you happen to have milk powder in your food storage, you can use it as a sour cream substitute for sauces and soups.
Mix together 1 cup powdered milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
11. Heavy Whipping Cream
Whipped heavy cream makes a great sour cream substitute with minimal effort. You just need to add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream.
Add it to your stand mixer and whip it up to your desired consistency.
Dairy Free Sour Cream Substitutes
If you need a dairy free sour cream substitute, there are many great options available in most grocery stores, including several vegan options that work great for those with dietary restrictions.
12. Mayonnaise
Mayo may seem like an unlikely sour cream substitute, but it works very well in sauces, pasta salad and casseroles. You can even use it in baking.
It's great for adding a layer of flavor and thickness to a dish. It does have a looser texture, but mix it together with equal parts yogurt and heavy cream to achieve a more similar consistency if desired.
Substitute 1 cup sour cream with 1 cup light mayo in your desired dish.
13. Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is a great dairy-free sour cream substitute and is the basis for many vegan sour cream products.
You can buy cans of pure coconut cream or skim the cream off the top of a can of coconut milk.
Coconut cream has a slightly sweet flavor profile that can be managed with a dash of lemon.
Use it as a 1:1 substitute in baking and sauces.
14. Cashew Nuts
Ever heard of cashew cream? It's a great sour cream replacement for sauces. It's a dairy-free alternative with lots of protein and healthy fats.
To make cashew cream, blend 1 cup raw cashews with 2/3 cups water for 90 seconds in a high powered blender.
15. Vegan Sour Cream
You can find great vegan sour creams in many major grocery stores and in most specialty and health food stores. Here are some great options to try:
- Good Karma Sour Cream
- Kite Hill Dairy Free Sour Cream
- Simple Truth Plant-Based Sour Cream (Kroger Brand)
- Forager Organic Dairy Free Sour Cream
- Tofutti Sour Cream
- Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Sour Cream
16. Vegan Yogurt
Here are some great, vegan yogurt options that work well as a sour cream stand in.
- Oatly Oatgurt
- Silk Plain Yogurt Alternative
- So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt
- Forager Cashew Milk Yogurt
- Nancy's Probiotic Oatmilk Yogurt
17. Vegan Cream Cheese
Try a vegan cream cheese blended with a little dairy-free milk and lemon as a sour cream substitute.
- Daiya Cream Cheeze Style Spread
- Violife Just Like Cream Cheese
- Miyoko's Cultured Vegan Cream Cheese
- Go Veggie Vegan Cream Cheese Alternative
And, here's an easy, dairy free sour cream recipe you can make in a pinch!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 garlic glove (minced) or a dash of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
DIRECTIONS
ADD all the ingredients to your blender and BLEND for for 1-2 minutes on high speed, scrapping down the sides as needed.
NOTE: If using as a sour cream substitute in sweet dishes do not add the garlic or onion powder.
Make Your Own
You can also make you own homemade sour cream in a few easy steps:
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
DIRECTIONS
ADD your heavy cream and buttermilk to a clean mason jar and TIGHTEN the lid. SHAKE the mixture vigorously for about 30 seconds.
Let the mixture SIT at room temperature for 24 hours or up to 2 days. (This allows the lactic acid bacteria time to ferment, which will thicken and sour the mixture. The high acid content keeps it from going bad).
You can use your homemade sour cream for up to a week, stored in the refrigerator.
Here's a recipe to use if you don't like the thought of fermentation:
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup flavor-free gelatin
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or low-fat yogurt
- 4 teaspoons buttermilk powder
DIRECTIONS
ADD the milk and buttermilk powder to a medium saucepan and SPRINKLE the gelatin on top. COOK over low heat until fully incorporated.
REMOVE from heat and MIX in your yogurt then TRANSFER to a mixing bowl. Let CHILL in your refrigerator for at least an hour until desired consistency.
You can store this in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipes with Sour Cream
Here are some simple and tasty dishes you can use to try out your homemade sour cream recipe or any of the easy ingredient substitutions.
Homemade Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream White Sauce
The Easiest Creamy Taco Soup
The Easiest Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Creamy Mushroom Swiss Chicken Bake
Easy Spaghetti with Chili Sauce (aka Cincinnati Chili)
The Best Hawaiian Haystacks Sauce Ever
Can I Make Sour Cream Out of Cream Cheese
Source: https://www.ashcroftfamilytable.com/substitute-for-sour-cream/