Sour Cream Substitutes

bowl of sour cream — Photo: Magone/Getty Images

Sour cream is used in a range of recipes, from enchiladas to coffee cake to paprika chicken. It adds richness to our favorite desserts, while also being used in savory dishes like soups and casseroles. If your fridge is looking stark and you're out of sour cream, we've compiled the best options for ingredients to swap in. The best substitute will depend on how you’re planning to use it.

The Most Similar Sour Cream Sub For Any Use: Greek Yogurt

Like sour cream, plain Greek yogurt is thick enough to dollop, has a nice amount of acidity, and is dairy-based. It works well for topping foods like tacos, as well as in dips or salad dressings.

For baking or any cases where heat will be applied (like soups or casseroles), full-fat Greek yogurt will give the best results, as it will be less likely to separate than nonfat and will bake similarly to sour cream. Note that full-fat Greek yogurt is still lower in fat than regular sour cream, so you may want to add a splash of heavy cream to the mix for good measure. Baked goods made with Greek yogurt do tend to be a bit fluffier than those made with sour cream, due to the higher casein (milk protein) levels.

Vegan Sour Cream

Non-dairy alternatives have come a long way in the last few years, and there are a lot of options that taste and perform just like sour cream. Use these as a 1:1 substitute for dairy sour cream. For a homemade option that is good as a topping, check out this recipe for Cashew Sour Cream.

Cream Cheese, Mascarpone, and Cottage Cheese

Fresh, spreadable cheeses like cream cheese and mascarpone generally work well as 1:1 substitutes for sour cream in baking. Be sure to let them warm up to room temperature before using, and thin them out slightly by stirring in milk or lemon juice to get a similar texture. Mascarpone is rich (it’s higher in fat than cream cheese) and slightly sweet in flavor, so it’s better to use in a cake recipe than a casserole. Cream cheese also works well in sweet or savory recipes.

Cottage cheese is another fresh, young cheese that has either small or large curds. To use as a sour cream alternative in baking, puree the cottage cheese with an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender until smooth. We recommend using whole-milk cottage cheese or adding a splash of heavy cream to low or nonfat cottage cheese.

Creme Fraiche

Another cultured dairy product, creme fraiche is thicker, richer, and a bit less acidic than sour cream. It can easily be used as a topping, as a substitute in baking, or in a casserole. It’s frequently more expensive than sour cream, but is delicious and definitely worth trying in recipes.

Crema Mexicana

Thinner and less acidic than sour cream, crema mexicana is terrific drizzled on tacos or nachos, or mixed into mashed potatoes. It’s also a good option for blending into salad dressings, like Bill’s Blue Cheese Dressing. If using in baking, stir in a little lemon juice first (just know that the thinner texture can affect the structure of baked goods that rely on sour cream's body).

close up view of a slice of Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake on a white plate with a fork, and a Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake in the background — ReneePaj

Get the recipe: Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Homemade Sour Cream

With a little time, heavy cream, milk, and vinegar, you can easily whip up homemade sour cream. Generally, the homemade stuff will not be as thick as store-bought options, and takes at least a full day to make, so a trip to the store may be quicker. Some reviewers suggest that whipping the homemade sour cream mixture helps it thicken.

Coconut Milk

While a store-bought vegan sour cream is the closest in flavor and function, you can also use coconut milk as an alternative to sour cream. Skim off the thick top portion of the coconut milk (the coconut cream), and add lemon juice or vinegar and salt for the best results.

Buttermilk

Like crema mexicana, buttermilk is thinner than sour cream. It has a similar acidity, but the thinner texture makes it a less ideal substitute for topping foods like baked potatoes. To use as an alternative in baking, we recommend whole buttermilk over low or nonfat. You’ll also want to use a bit less (about 75%, or 3/4 cup for every 1 cup of sour cream the recipe calls for). Note that this substitution can affect the texture of your baked goods, so you may want to try a recipe that specifically calls for buttermilk, like Chef John’s Buttermilk Biscuits or Buttermilk Pound Cake.