I’ve had more than one reader ask if there’s a substitute for sour cream. You savvy Cook’n cooks know the answer to this already. But for those who aren’t as experienced, let’s explore the question.

In a word, YES, there is a terrific substitute. I say “terrific” because this replacement is a healthy one. I’m referring to plain, unflavored yogurt. And not just cow’s milk yogurt. Goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and even non-dairy alternatives (coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk yogurts) work wonderfully well.


With yogurt comes that nice tang that sour cream provides, but you get the added bonus of a healthy dose of protein and calcium, plus live, active cultures (which improve and support intestinal health).

The one thing to keep in mind when substituting with yogurt, though, is that it’s thinner in texture, which might affect your recipe’s end product. If this is an issue, then there are a few things you can do to thicken it:

• Drain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. A coffee filter or good grade paper towel will even work. And don’t throw away the liquid (known as whey) that strains away; put it in your green smoothie, the soup pot, bread or biscuit dough, or something.
• Add gelatin or agar agar (a vegan alternative to gelatin).
• Add tapioca starch.
• Add arrowroot.

OR, you can use nonfat plain Greek yogurt, which is naturally thick and creamy, since the liquids are already strained away.


Now here are a few more substitution ideas that I found on www.about.com. You might want to substitute one of the following for each 1 cup of sour cream:

FOR BAKING:

• 7/8 cup buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup yogurt plus 1 teaspoon baking soda.
• 3/4 cup sour milk plus 1/3 cup butter. Sour milk is made by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup milk.
• 3/4 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup butter.

FOR COOKED SAUCES:

• 1 cup yogurt plus 1 tablespoon flour plus 2 teaspoons water.
• 1 cup evaporated milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

FOR DIPS:

• 1 cup yogurt (drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 30 minutes in the refrigerator for a thicker texture).
• 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender.
• 6 ounces cream cheese plus 3 tablespoons milk, briefly whirled in a blender.

Here’s an easy dip recipe to test out the yogurt-instead-of-sour-cream approach:




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In closing, here’s our thanks to those readers that ask specific food- and cooking-related questions. Cook’n is here to meet your needs and concerns, so we pay close attention to your comments, and as you can see, they often drive our articles!