Dairy-Free Sour Cream Recipe (Vegane Sauerrahm)

by: Sylvie Fulson  /  Oma Gerhild's daughter-in-law and plant-based cook

Sour cream plays an important role in German food, so when cooking dairy-free, having a plant-based alternative is a must.

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Thick, creamy dairy-free sour cream ready to be used in sauces, dressings, soups, or as a topping or condiment.

In many traditional recipes, it’s stirred into sauces and gravies to soften flavors, used as a base for creamy soups and dressings, or simply added as a dollop for a little extra richness.

This homemade vegan sour cream, with its mild tang and yummy creaminess, works the same way. It's perfect for keeping your favorite German dishes as authentic as possible.

Top Tips for Best Results

1. Soak the Cashews in Water: The cashews should soak for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight, but if you’re short on time, you can boil them for 15 minutes.
2. Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice always tastes better, but if you’re in a pinch, bottled lemon juice works well too.
3. Taste Test: Adjust the amount of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt to your liking.
4. Chill: This homemade sour cream will thicken even more as it chills in the fridge.

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How to Make Dairy-Free Sour Cream

(Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.)

You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this easy recipe.

Add everything to the blender and let it run until completely smooth.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.

This is the finished texture you’re aiming for after it chills.

Thick, creamy dairy-free sour cream that turns even more spoonable after a chill in the fridge.

Use This Vegan Sour Cream in Your Favorite German Recipes

This is my go-to sour cream recipe when making my plant-based version of Königsberger Klopse mit Soße , and it works beautifully in any German dish that calls for sour cream.

Use it in sauces, dressings, and soups:

• The aforementioned Königsberger Klopse mit Soße (Meatballs with Sauce)
• Jägerschnitzel und Soße (Schnitzel with Hunter’s Mushroom Gravy)
• Sauerbraten (Marinated Beef with Gravy)
• Norddeutscher Gurkensalat (Creamy German Cucumber Salad)
• Sauerrahm-Dressing (Sour Cream Salad Dressing)
• Brokkolisuppe (Broccoli Soup)

Use it as a topping or condiment:

• Gulaschsuppe (Goulash Soup)
• Linsentopf mit Lauch (Leek and Lentil Stew)
• Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes)
• Sauerkrautauflauf (Sauerkraut Casserole)
• Kartoffelsuppe (Potato Soup)
• Grüne Bohnensuppe (Green Bean Soup)

Storage Tips

Fridge: Store your homemade vegan sour cream in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. It will thicken as it chills. If it gets too thick, dilute it with just a little bit of water, about one teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Freezer: Freezing is generally not recommended because it can affect the texture—it separates and becomes grainy. However, if you do freeze it and this does happen, simply blend the thawed sour cream in a blender and it should be as good as new.

Substitutions

For a nut-free option: Use 12 to 16 ounces silken tofu instead of cashews, omit the water, and adjust the lemon juice, vinegar, and salt to taste. The result is a lighter, less rich, yet still creamy and tangy sour cream.

For a soy-free option: Swap 1 cup (150 grams) cashews for 1 cup (133 grams) raw sunflower seeds. Soak, drain, and rinse them just as you would the cashews. Sunflower seeds have a stronger flavor, so you may want to increase the amount of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.

Print Recipe ♥ Save Recipe

Dairy-Free Sour Cream Recipe (Vegane Sauerrahm)

This Vegan Sour Cream is thick, creamy, and delicious. It will thicken even more as it chills.

Prep Time:

5 minutes

Soaking Time:

4 hours

Total Time:

4 hours 5 minutes

Servings:

1¼ cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (150 g) raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar
• rounded ½ tsp (3 g) salt

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
2. Taste and adjust the lemon juice, vinegar, and/or salt, if needed.
3. Pour into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week.

Notes/Hints:

• If you have a high-powered blender, it is not absolutely necessary to soak the cashews, but the sour cream will be slightly creamier if you do.
• If you’re short on time, you can boil the cashews for 15 minutes, but soaking for a longer period of time is preferable.
• If the mixture is too thick and not blending well, add just a little bit of water at a time until it starts to blend properly.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.