What if I told you that you could make your own vegan sour cream with pantry staples for half the price of the store-bought stuff? What if I also told you that you could whip it up in less than five minutes? Well, you can do just that! Once you learn how to make your own vegan sour cream with tofu, there's no going back to store-bought. Whether you follow a plant-based diet or just don't agree with dairy anymore, this dairy-free sour cream recipe will become your new go-to.
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YOU WILL LOVE THIS VEGAN SOUR CREAM
- It is an awesome dairy-free alternative to traditional sour cream. Tofu is a great vegan alternative to dairy because it contains lactic acid. Lactic acid gives sour cream that sour flavor. Some vegan sour cream recipes use raw cashews/cashew cream as the main ingredient, but I find that using tofu gives the best result flavor-wise for replacing the real thing.
- It uses simple ingredients. Not only are these ingredients simple, I tend to have them all in my pantry on any given day. Yes, even the tofu, as some brands of silken tofu can be kept in the pantry! Not to mention, the combination of these ingredients costs me less than three dollars, whereas vegan sour cream typically costs around five dollars at my local grocery stores.
- It is much lower fat than the dairy version. Compared to regular sour cream, this vegan tofu-based sour cream has a quarter of the calories and more than double the protein. Plus, it has less than half a gram of fat per serving. This can be helpful if you need to follow a diet lower in animal-based fats or calories due to a chronic disease, or if you are just trying to be more conscious about your food choices.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Extra firm silken tofu- This type of tofu makes for a lush, creamy vegan sour cream when blended. If you cannot find extra firm silken tofu, you can replace with the firmest silken tofu you can find. Try to remove as much excess water as you can from the softer tofu varieties. Avoid block tofu (ie extra firm tofu that does not state silken anywhere on the packaging). It cannot be blended to become as creamy as the silken type.
- White vinegar- After trying multiple different acids in this recipe, I found white vinegar to have the closest resemblance to sour cream. The second closest I found was to use half as much fresh lemon juice (about four teaspoons). If you have neither, you can substitute other vinegars such as white or red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar. These will all have a slightly sweeter flavor, but for most purposes they will work fine.
- Salt- I use just enough salt in this recipe to enhance the bright, fresh flavor without over-emphasizing the more savory notes tofu can have. Feel free to add more or less salt to your taste.
INSTRUCTIONS
Add your tofu, vinegar and salt to a high powered blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is a smooth consistency, pausing intermittently to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula.
When done blending, transfer the smooth mixture to an airtight container for storage.
STORAGE
This delicious vegan sour cream can be stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
TIPS
Your homemade vegan sour cream is the perfect topping anywhere you would normally place a dollop of sour cream:
- vegan chili or chili mac
- a baked potato with crispy vegan bacon bits
- vegan nachos
- a cozy soup
I have also used this recipe in place of regular sour cream when making dips and sauces with good results. I have not used it in baking, but please let me know how it works out if you try it this way!
FAQ
Sure! I prefer this recipe, but there are various options of store-bought vegan sour cream. I like tofutti brand sour cream, but check what is available at your local grocery store. You can usually find vegan sour cream in the refrigerated section near the dairy sour cream, or near health/specialty foods.
Full disclosure: no, it's not exact. There is a light savory taste from the soy that is a bit different from the flavor of dairy products. That being said, I have never tasted a vegan version that is exactly like sour cream.
Personally, this recipe tastes more similar to sour cream than many store-bought vegan sour creams and recipes. If you are new to dairy-free or plant-based eating, I would give your taste buds some time to adjust to these new flavors before throwing in the towel on plant-based alternatives altogether.
While the meaning of "healthy" may vary from person to person, vegan sour cream can likely fit into a healthy diet for most people as it does not have added sugar, is a good source of protein, and does not have animal-based fat.
Recipe
Vegan Tofu Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 1 (12.3 oz) block extra firm silken tofu
- 2 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.
- Blend on low to medium speed about five minutes until completely smooth, pausing intermittently to scrape down sides of blender jar with a spatula.
- Transfer to a container for serving or storing.
Notes
- If you do not have a ½ tablespoon measure, you can use 2 shallow teaspoons.
- Can substitute 1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for vinegar if preferred.
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from Eat Plant-Based's 5-Minute Vegan Sour Cream.
Eric
Tastes better than the store bought vegan sour creams