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Home » sauces

Vegan Sour Cream (oil-free)

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A savory vegan sour cream that is oil-free and easy to make, featuring just four very basic ingredients you likely have in your pantry. A wonderful topping for potatoes, soups, chili, whatever you like sour cream on!

Instant Pot vegan chili with greens, polenta rounds, vegan sour cream, and smoky hemp seasoning.

This simple sour cream is so handy, delicious on savory dishes with its rich flavor and texture. No need to run to the grocery store, where you're unlikely to find a sour cream like this one with just three pantry ingredients beyond water and salt.

This sour cream goes so well with my Vegan Instant Pot Chili with Greens and our Favorite Guacamole!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Equipment
  • Instructions
  • Storage
  • FAQ
  • Related
  • Pairing
  • The Recipe
  • general food safety
  • Comments

Ingredients

Just a few simple ingredients creates such a rich sauce!

Ingredients for making vegan sour cream, including cashews.

Cashews: They are so wonderful for sauces like this because they are pretty neutral in flavor while being so rich and creamy. Plus, when blended their color is similar to sour cream.

Lemon juice: The lovely fruity brightness of lemon juice provides a nice amount of sour to this sour cream.

Apple cider vinegar: The sour note in rounded out with just a little vinegar added.

Filtered water: Nothing fancy or creamy needed to make this sour cream creamy - you just need water.

Salt: A bit of salt brings out the flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

I recommend a strong blender so that it can break down the softened cashews to be completely smooth and creamy.

Instructions

Once you've soaked your cashews a couple hours (or boiled them until softened) and strained them, it's just a matter of blending the ingredients until creamy. That's it!

All ingredients for making vegan sour cream placed in a high-speed blender.

Combine all of the ingredients, including the prepared cashews, in a blender.

Vegan sour cream made in a high-speed blender.

Blend, easing up to high, until smooth and creamy.

Place the sour cream in a container and keep it in the fridge for up to a few days.

Storage

Store the sour cream in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a few days.

I have not tried freezing this yet. If you do, let me know how it goes!

Tip: Plan your meals for the next few days with this sour cream in mind. Maybe a nice soup or burritos or baked potatoes with steamed broccoli - well, now I'm hungry!

FAQ

I forgot to pre-soak the cashews. Can I still make this recipe now?

Yes, you can cover the cashews with water in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes to soften them instead of soaking them for a couple hours. If you skip trying to soften them, the sour cream will likely be less smooth and creamy.

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

  • A small bowl of vegan lemon garlic aioli.
    Vegan Lemon Garlic Aioli (oil-free)
  • fresh homemade guacamole
    Easy Vegan Guacamole
  • a jar of creamy vegan cheese sauce
    Everyday Oil-free Vegan Cheese Sauce
  • a jar of homemade enchilada sauce with corn tortillas and a lime
    Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with sour cream:

  • Vegan Instant Pot chili with greens served up in three bowls surrounded by topping options.
    Vegan Instant Pot Chili with Greens (oil-free)
  • a bowl of vegan oyster mushroom chowder with vegan bacon and other toppings
    Oyster Mushroom Chowder
  • Three plates of vegan enchilada casserole.
    Veggie Enchilada Casserole
  • A close-up view of two bowls filled with homemade vegan potato corn chowder with toppings on a marble surface.
    Potato Corn Chowder (vegan)

The Recipe

Smooth and creamy homemade vegan sour cream in a handcrafted bowl.

Vegan Sour Cream

This vegan sour cream has a cashew base and is easy to make! No oil required.
______________________
Plant Diversity: Striving for 30 different plants per week
The number of plants in this recipe: 1 plant
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Course: Topping
Cuisine: Mexican
Lifestyle: Vegan, Vegetarian
Key Attributes: cashews
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Soak Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 8
Fiber: 0.54g
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • strong blender preferably high-speed

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Soak the cashews in filtered water for at least two hours to soften. Alternatively, you can bring them to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes, until they look swollen and softened.
  • Place all the ingredients, including the soaked cashews, into a strong blender and blend on high for several seconds, until the mixture is very smooth and creamy.

Notes

Note: This recipe requires soaking or boiling the cashews in advance; instructions above.
 

Rough Nutrition Estimate provided by WPRM (based on generic ingredients and limited specification options)

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Sour Cream
Amount per Serving
Calories
89.71
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
7.08
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
 
1.26
g
8
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1.26
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3.84
g
Sodium
 
39.06
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
108.82
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
5
g
2
%
Fiber
 
0.54
g
2
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
2.94
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
0.11
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
0.8
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
6.59
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1.08
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! On Instagram, mention @beautifulingredient and tag #beautifulingredient!

general food safety

  • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
  • Wash hands and ingredients well before using
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave cooking food unattended
  • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

More sauces

  • Vegan cheese fondue in a yellow pot, with a dipped piece of broccoli hovering over it.
    Vegan Cheese Fondue
  • Bruschetta on a handmade plate topped with air fryer cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
    Air Fryer Cherry Tomatoes
  • Roasted Sesame Dressing
  • Vibrant plant-based queso topped with cilantro leaves and chopped red pepper.
    Plant-Based Queso

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Kari smelling anise hyssop while standing behind her market basket and fresh produce.

Welcome to a world of beautiful food!

I'm Kari, and this is where I celebrate beautiful ingredients and focus on ways to make eating more plants easier. Recipes are centered around whole foods and are vegan, cooked without the need for oil, mostly refined sugar-free and gluten-free. And so delicious!


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