Cashew Sour Cream
Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
Yield
2 cups (500 mL)
Soak time
1-8 hours
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Rich and tangy, this vegan sour cream is the perfect complement to My Favourite Vegan Chili or any Mexican entrée. Be sure to soak the cashews (either overnight or using my quick-soak method) before you begin.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) raw cashews, soaked
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or for 8 hours if you have the time. For a quick-soak method, pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 1 hour. Rinse and drain.
- Place the drained cashews in a high-speed blender.
- Add the water, lemon, vinegar, and salt. Blend on high until super smooth. You might have to stop to scrape down the blender now and then or add a touch more water to get it going.
- Transfer into a small, air-tight container and chill in the fridge. It makes 2 cups. The cream will thicken up as it chills. The cream will keep in the fridge for about 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month. I like to freeze it in silicone mini muffin cups. Once solid, transfer the cups into a freezer-safe zip bag for easy grab and go portions.
A staple in my house!!!
Thanks Diane, so happy you love it!
Yummy. I made this for chili topping. It was great served this way. Waiting for my daughter to taste test. She doesn’t like nuts seeds etc. hope she liked it. I loved it
Hey, do you think almonds would work as well?
Hey Sharon, Oh good question. If using almonds, I would be sure to use the skinned (blanched) kind and be sure to soak them well. If memory serves me correct the almonds don’t tend to get quite as creamy and smooth as the cashews.
Hi, can I use lime juice instead?
Hey Silvia, I haven’t tried it, but lime juice might be fun…especially if pairing with Mexican cuisine! Enjoy
Just made this and liked the spatula clean! Can’t wait to make sour cream coffee cake with it.
Sour cream coffee cake…I love the way you think :)
Every time I make this, I think – why don’t I make this more often?! So delicious. Had it tonight with our favorite tofu and parsnip green enchiladas – a great addition! Many thanks for your wonderful recipes, Angela..
Oh that sounds like a fab combo. Thanks Mary!
This was not good it tastes nothing like sour cream and smelled awful:(
Aw so sorry to hear that, Devon!
I loved the flavor of this but had a hard time getting it to thicken even post refrigerator, maybe less waster next time?? Also has anyone tried the mayonnaise? I followed the recipe to a T and the flavor was great but super runny, any suggestions? Overall loving these recipes, some of the absolute best out there.
Hey Mindi, I’m sorry you had a hard time getting this to thicken. Yes it does sound like too much water was the issue. How much did you use?
As for the mayonnaise, did you change anything in the recipe? I find it’s one of those recipes that has to be followed to a tee as it’s pretty finicky.
Hey! I just made this tonight. It tastes really good but the texture is really grainy (to help you visualize it, it almost looks like curdled milk). I followed the directions using the quick soak method and blended everything in my Ninja blender for several minutes. It’s nice and thick but definitely not smooth. What could I have done wrong? Thank you for your time!
Hey Kaitlin, Oh so sorry to hear that! Some blenders aren’t able to blend nuts smooth so my guess is that it’s the blender.
Kaitlin, I just made this using my Ninja blender and it came out fantastic. I did the quick soak method with boiling water and left the nuts two hours to soak while I was off doing other things. The secret to using the Ninja with nut spreads and butters is to take your time. If it looks ‘curdled’ you need to blend it longer. Your Ninja will do it, it just takes more time. Once it gets smooth, take it out & refrigerate it. The day after you make it the spread will get even smoother as the nuts further break down and the flavors marry. Thank you for this recipe, Angela! I am currently doing a sour cream recipe cook-off to see which recipe I like best. So far, this is the winner.
Easy and delicious!
I bought your Oh She Glows Everyday cookbook a while back and last night decided to whip up your cabbage soup recipe with this sour cream. The soup was amazing but the sour cream was the closest to the real thing I have had! I loved it so much I came here to find other recipes I can use it in!
Thank you for what you do!
Hey Kyle, Yay, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know, and a big thanks also for supporting my cookbook. I hope you find more hidden (or non-hidden) gems!
I am obsessed with this. I’ve eaten this cashew sour cream, along with sciracha, on just about everything over the past month. Pasta, tacos, breakfast hash, burritos, soups, avotoast – you name it. I’ll be making this pretty much forever.
“I’ll be making this pretty much forever.” hahah love it!! Thanks Sharon. And yes it’s SO good on avocado toast isn’t it?
Is there a alternative/substitute for the cashews?
Hi Shella, You can try using 3/4 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds instead, but the flavour will change quite a bit. If you try anything out please let me know how it goes. :)
I love cashew sour cream – and I thought I was doing the healthy thing by using it as a substitute for real sour cream. Im not a vegan – I just want to be healthier and I’m trying to lose weight. I was very surprised and disheartened to learn that cashew “sour cream” has over TWICE the calories of real dairy sour cream. I guess there is no magic bullet when it comes to cutting calories. I will still eat it, but a lot less often than I have been knowing its something of a calorie bomb :)
But a whole lot healthier for you :)
Calories are only one measurement though. The healthy fats and benefits from the vinegar to smooth out you blood glucose are far more beneficial. Thinking differently about our nutritional intake, will help you lose weight naturally, without even trying. Good luck!
Ok, this was DELICIOUS! So glad to have found a recipe that is plant based & super yum!
Made this tonight to top my quinoa meat tacos and man! It was perfect! It would even work in lasagna with a couple extra seasonings. Yummy stuff and easy!! ??
Made this tonight and it was exceptional…well done!
Thank you Rebekah!
This is actually so good! I’m surprised with how good it actually tastes and I think I might like this more that actual sour cream! I added a bit more lemon juice to get more of that sour taste. This goes perfectly with chili!!
Made a batch of this sour cream tonight and it worked a treat as a homemade alternative! Thanks for the quick and simple recipe.
Thanks Audrey! So happy you enjoyed it.
I have had such cravings of late for sour cream. I went to your site and crossed my fingers you would not let me down. As always, you did not :) Wonderful recipe!! If I want more sour, would I add a wee bit more lemon juice and vinegar? Don’t want to waste my expensive cashews on trial and error ;) Thanx again for a truly satisfying condiment.
Yes you can definitely add a bit more lemon and vinegar…i would just add them in very small increments :) Thanks for your kind words, by the way!