Jordan Myrick
Justine Sterling
You might love sour cream and think it’s delicious—but you won’t truly have an appreciation for sour cream until you taste nearly 20 brands and varieties back to back. We did just that. And we recently did it again in order to confirm our findings—and score a new addition to this list.
What we looked for in the best sour cream:
- Creamy texture. It’s right there in the name: sour cream. We want super creamy sour cream—even if it’s low fat. None of that watery stuff.
- Tang. It’s also right there in the name: sour cream. If there’s no tang, it’s not for us. Bonus if that tang is accompanied by other good flavors like grassy dairy or a tiny bit of savory salt.
We tried pretty much every readily available sour cream on the market and we found a few that we’d buy again and again. Whether you’re looking for the best sour cream to buy to make stroganoff, the best light sour cream, or even the best Mexican crema for your burritos, we have the best sour cream for you.
Best Sour Cream, Ranked
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- Daisy Light Sour Cream
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Light sour cream options are weak. If you’re eating something where sour cream is the star, buy full fat sour cream. It’s worth it. Or just buy nonfat Greek yogurt. But if you must use light sour cream because you still want that extremely good squeeze bottle/bag, buy Daisy Brand Light Sour Cream. It’s the best light sour cream out there because it still tastes rich and isn’t watery. — Jordan Myrick & Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Sprouts Sour Cream
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Sprouts is one of the most reliable grocery store brands out there, and their sour cream is proof of that. It’s super affordable and top quality. The salty and sour notes sing. Best of all, it’s creamy as all get out. To me, it has a texture best fit for crunchy, gringo-style tacos (like Old El Paso Taco Kit tacos). If you put sour cream on your tacos, this one is thick enough to stay put while you’re eating. Or, if you’re like me and smear sour cream all over the inside of the shell to help keep the toppings in (life hack!), it’s thick enough to not make the shell disintegrate when you add the taco meat. Either way, put this on a taco! — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Trader Joe’s Sour Cream
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Trader Joe’s Sour Cream is one of the best products in the entire store. I said what I said. The off-the-charts tanginess made my mouth literally water. It was the tangiest sour cream we tried in both our taste tests. The bold flavor would perfectly complement something warm and carby, like a baked potato or a plate of farmer’s cheese-filled pierogies topped with buttered onions. Trader Joe’s always has it in stock and within my budget. What a steal! — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett
- Daisy Pure & Natural Sour Cream
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I would happily do a dollop (do do a dollop) of Daisy Pure & Natural Sour Cream any day of the week. You may have grown up on this sour cream, and probably know its iconic jingle. It’s a household name for a reason. It has a silky texture and clean finish that doesn’t coat your mouth. It’s thick, but not too thick. One packet of powdered dip mix can transform it into an incredible batch of homemade ranch or French onion dip. Hard to say what’s better, though, the sour cream or the jingle. They both slap. They rank on the lists for best sour cream and best sour cream commercial. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Knudsen Hampshire Sour Cream
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Don’t judge a book by its cover. This sour cream may look a little gelatinous, but I assure you it’s as rich and creamy as can be. Justine Sterling, Sporked editor-in-chief, thought this one felt luxurious and wanted to use it as a creme fraiche dupe on a potato chip with some caviar. Fancy! It’s savory and mild and one of the best sour cream options at the grocery store. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Kalona Super Natural Organic Sour Cream
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This is the thickest sour creamy I’ve ever encountered. I mean, Knudsen is thick—but this is thiiiicckk. It’s not dripping off of anything. It has a nice rich tang and it is super creamy, which makes it some of the best sour cream to use as a dip. It’d also be delicious with anything sweet. Seriously, if you gave me a pint of strawberries and a tub of this sour cream, I’d finish ‘em both off easy. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Sprouts
- El Mexicano Crema Mexicana Sour Cream
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Have you ever ordered sour cream with your meal at Chipotle? And if so, have you noticed that it’s a lot thinner than the sour cream you have at home? That’s because it’s crema! Mexican crema typically has more fat and is less tangy and more salty than sour cream. So if Chipotle’s sour cream is something you find yourself craving, try El Mexicano Crema Mexicana Sour Cream! It’s pourable, savory, and rich. I brought it home to put on soyrizo tacos for dinner that week! Personally, I think you should make the switch from sour cream to this. It’s the best Mexican crema we tried. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Good Culture Probiotic Sour Cream
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I didn’t realize probiotic sour cream was a thing, but it is and it’s good! If you’re looking for the best sour cream that will also help with your gut health, this is the best sour cream for you. It’s super rich, perfectly tangy, and lightly salty. I had never heard of this before our taste test, but I would absolutely buy this sour cream again. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
Best Light Sour Cream
Best Sour Cream for Gringo Tacos
Best Extra Tangy Sour Cream
Best Sour Cream for Dips
Best Thick Sour Cream
Best Extremely Thick Sour Cream
Best Mexican Crema
Best Probiotic Sour Cream
Other sour creams we tried:
Nancy’s Probiotic, Shamrock Organic, Knudsen Light, Lucerne Light, O Organics Sour Cream, Lactaid, El Mexicano Crema Oaxaquena, 365 Sour Cream, 365 Light Sour Cream, Horizon Organic Cultured Sour Cream (originally included but currently unavailable)
Naajia Shukri
Vinz Karl
