1.Sour Cream Substitute: DIY Sour Cream
Did you know you could create your own sour cream? It takes some time, so it’s not ideal if you need sour cream right immediately, but it’s a fun activity if you’re preparing ahead of time and don’t want to go to the store. Here’s how to go about it: Mix 1 cup heavy cream with 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let it settle for 10 minutes before stirring in 14 cup whole milk until thoroughly mixed. Let it remain at room temperature for 1 or 2 days before refrigerating until ready to use.
2. Sour Cream Substitute: Yogurt
If you like yogurt for breakfast and have some on hand, you’re in luck! Greek yogurt is the finest sour cream substitute since it’s thick and acidic, exactly like sour cream, and it’s the perfect even replacement in most recipes. Since regular yogurt isn’t as thick, you may wish to strain it through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a paper towel before using.
3.Sour Cream Substitute: Cream Cheese
Do you have some leftover cream cheese from your morning bagels in the fridge? Great news—it’s a good replacement for sour cream! Since cream cheese is thicker, you’ll need to soften it a bit before using it. Use 6 ounces cream cheese diluted with a tablespoon or two of milk, buttermilk, or water for every 1 cup of sour cream called for in a recipe. Let the cream cheese to come to room temperature before mixing it with the liquid.
4. Sour Cream Substitute: Buttermilk
Buttermilk, like sour cream, is creamy and acidic, making it ideal for dressings and dips. For every 1 cup of sour cream called for in a recipe, substitute 34 cup buttermilk. However, buttermilk isn’t a good choice for spooning over chili or adding acidity to baked potatoes since it’s too thin to dollop.
5. Sour Cream Substitute: Kefir
Kefir is a fermented dairy product created from cow’s or goat’s milk that is drinkable. Search for it in the dairy area of your local supermarket. It’s nearly like a mix between buttermilk and yogurt; it’s popular in smoothies because of its probiotics. In pancake batters, dips, and sauces, kefir may be used in lieu of sour cream. (For a sour cream-like taste, use unflavored, unsweetened kefir.) It’s thin and watery, like buttermilk, therefore it’s not suitable for dolloping.
6. Sour Cream Substitute: Crème Fraîche
Crème fraîche is a kind of French sour cream (although it is ever-so-slightly less sour). If you can’t locate sour cream in the grocery, crème fraiche is a fantastic even substitute: It has a very similar consistency and is very rich and creamy.
7. Sour Cream Substitute: Mexican Crema
Crema is a Mexican culinary staple—refreshing it’s on hot cuisine. It’s slightly thinner and a little less sour than sour cream, but it can still be used as an even swap in most recipes—drizzle some on tacos or use it in baked goods.
8. Sour Cream Substitute: Mayonnaise
Here’s an ingredient you probably have on hand: mayonnaise! In most recipes, especially baked products, it may be used as a cup-for-cup substitute for sour cream. (Since it’s created from eggs and oil, mayo lends a lot of moisture to products like cakes and muffins.) It may also be used as a topping; dilute it with a dash of apple cider vinegar to add tang.
9.Sour Cream Substitute: Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a good substitute for sour cream if you want to consume something nutritious. Cottage cheese has nearly five times the protein of sour cream and about half the calories. To make a comparable consistency and taste to sour cream, combine 1 cup cottage cheese (small curd is closest in texture) with 14 cup milk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
10.Sour Cream Substitute: Coconut Milk
Use canned full-fat coconut milk as a dairy-free or vegan substitute for sour cream: Skim the thick coconut cream from the top (it will naturally rise) and transfer to a bowl. To give it a sour flavor, add with a little fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Since it’s thick like sour cream, it’s ideal for dips and salads. You can also use refrigerated full-fat coconut milk in place of sour cream for baked goods: Mix about 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into every 1 cup of coconut milk; use as an even swap for sour cream.