Name: Vegan Sour Cream Recipe {gluten free + paleo + whole30}
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: healthy
Ingredients: 1 cup raw cashews; Just boiled water to soak; 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons just boiled water to blend sour cream; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste; 1 clove of garlic

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This vegan sour cream recipe is a delicious plant based alternative to sour cream! It is rich, creamy, tangy, and the perfect thing to add to tacos, chili, nachos, and baked potatoes. And it’s made with only 5 ingredients! Vegan, gluten free, whole30 compatible, and paleo.

Overhead shot of a small rustic looking bowl filled with creamy vegan cashew based sour cream with a wooden spoon tucked into it. On a light grey background next to a folded striped dish towel.

Have you ever wondered if vegan sour cream is a thing?

Well if you haven’t already guessed based on the title of this recipe, it is!

And it’s so delicious. Everything you’d want in a vegan alternative to sour cream – rich, creamy, and perfectly tangy.

There are some things that finding dairy free substitutes for can be tricky. Sour cream is so yummy to add to different meals (tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, etc!), but I’ve never fallen in love with any particular store bought version. They always seem to lack some tang and fall a little flat in the flavor department.

But this homemade dairy free sour cream checks all the boxes, and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Why you’ll love this vegan sour cream recipe

This plant based sour cream is:

Rich & creamy
Tangy
Thick
Versatile
Easy to make
Healthy
SO tasty!

Close up macro shot of swoopy creamy white vegan sour cream

Vegan sour cream ingredients

This dairy free sour cream alternative is made with just a handful of healthy, pantry friendly ingredients.

Raw cashews – I prefer raw cashews for this recipe because they are easy to soak and blend. They also offer a milder flavor than roasted cashews that’s easier to build upon. You could use roasted cashews in a pinch, but if you do make sure you soak them for a full 12-24 hours to sufficiently soften them, and keep in mind that the color will be darker and the flavor will be different.
Boiled water – Just boiled water is used to both soak the cashews, and blend them into sour cream.
Lemon juice & apple cider vinegar – A combination of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar give this sour cream substitute it’s bright and tangy flavor!
Salt – I use Diamond kosher salt but you can use whatever you have on hand. If making a substitution keep in mind that kosher salt has a different structure than table salt, so you may want to reduce the amount slightly. If you’re not sure how much to use start with a lesser amount and adjust the salt to taste after blending.
Garlic – One fresh garlic clove gives this non dairy sour cream a welcome boost of flavor!

I bought many of these vegan sour cream ingredients on Thrive Market – a membership based natural products website that is like a Whole Foods or Costco but based 100% online and with literally the BEST wholesale prices.

I have been a Thrive Market member for 4 years and over that period of time I have saved a projected $3,968.35! That is some serious savings.

Overhead shot of the ingredients for vegan sour cream - raw cashews in a small rustic looking grey browl, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, a peeled garlic clove, and some cut lemon wedges. On a light grey textured background.

How to make vegan sour cream

Like many homemade condiment recipes, there’s more than one to do things. But for this recipe I’m showing you how to make vegan sour cream with cashews.

It’s so easy to make and takes very little hands on time.

Here’s the step-by-step

Add raw cashews to a heat proof bowl and cover with just boiled water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight – until cashews look pale and plump.
Drain cashews and add to a high speed blender along with 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons just boiled water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and garlic.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste and add a little more salt or apple cider vinegar / lemon juice as desired.
Use immediately or transfer to the refrigerator to until ready to use. It will firm up as it sits in the fridge. If you want to thin it out at all before using just mix in a little water until desired consistency is reached.
If you don’t have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, I definitely recommend soaking the cashews overnight for a smoother, creamier consistency.

Overhead shot of a tea kettle pouring hot water in a small bowl of raw cashews.

Overhead shot close up shot of raw cashews that have been soaked in hot water - they are pale colored and plump.

Is vegan sour cream healthy?

Absolutely! This cashew based sour cream is made using simple + healthy pantry ingredients that contain healthy fats, essential minerals, and vitamins!

It is also paleo friendly, Whole30 compatible, and gluten free!

What to serve this vegan sour cream with

This dairy free sour cream alternative would be delicious served with:

Tacos
Burritos
Enchiladas
Chili
Baked potatoes
Nachos
And more!

How long will this vegan sour cream keep in the refrigerator?

This dairy free sour cream should keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can always freeze it if you haven’t used it up in that time!

Can you freeze this vegan sour cream?

Yep! Absolutely. It can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 2 months. You might want to re-blend it after thawing to get the smoothest consistency.

Love this dairy free sour cream recipe? Be sure to check out our other vegan sauce and condiment recipes!

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review the recipe below. It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any changes you made! Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK! We’re so grateful you’re here.