I always want to be honest with y’all, so here is my true opinion on vegan sour cream: In general, it is not very good. And that’s coming from someone who adores vegan food and thinks almost anything can be veganized. I regularly use plant-based alternatives for meat, cheese, ice cream, milk, and more. They just haven’t cracked the code yet on vegan sour cream.
If you are desperate for a dairy-free alternative to sour cream, these are the four best vegan sour creams we could find. There are lots of great uses for them and I think they would totally satisfy a vegan palate. I do, however, want to encourage plant-based brands to keep working on their sour cream alternatives because sour cream is so delicious and I truly believe they can do better.
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- Sprouts Plant Based Sour Cream Alternative
I was shocked that a generic store brand took our top spot, but Sprouts knows what’s up. This vegan sour cream is as close to the real deal as we could find, and it’s super affordable compared to many pricey vegan brands. The taste is mild and the texture is nice and thick. Plus, there was no weird layer of water on top. This would be great for making creamy onion dip or topping crunchy soyrizo tacos. This is a very solid option.
Credit: Paula Kunatee / Instacart
- Kite Hill Sour Cream Alternative
Don’t let its slightly grayish color scare you! Kite Hill Sour Cream Alternative has the best texture of any of the vegan sour creams we tried. It’s made from almond and coconut and it has the slightest coconut-y finish. It’s tangy just like dairy-based sour cream. It’s on the pricier side but it gets pretty close to the real deal and Kite Hill products are readily available nationwide. Now, all you need is some vegan cheddar and you’re set for the best plant-based baked potato of your life.
Credit: Paula Kunatee / Instacart
- Trader Joe’s Vegan Sour Cream Alternative
While the Trader Joe’s Vegan Sour Cream Alternative smells like sour cream, it has a texture more like cream cheese. It’s very thick. So while I don’t know if I’d put it on top of enchiladas, I do think that it could be excellent for cooking. Buffalo jackfruit dip, potato pancakes with apple chive sour cream, and mushroom stroganoff—the options are literally endless. Plus, it’s cheap and would be ideal if you’re cooking in bulk.
Credit: Paula Kunatee / Trader Joe’s
- Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Sour Cream
I love Follow Your Heart products in general. I find them to be so high quality. While their sour cream isn’t my favorite, it’s still a great choice if you’re someone who exclusively uses plant-based products. It’s creamy, and the tang is strong. I found it a little overpowering, but I think others might find it interesting. However, if you don’t like it, don’t write off Follow Your Heart products forever. I think their cheeses, mayonnaises, and salad dressings are top-tier.
Credit: Paula Kunatee / Instacart
Best of the Best
Best Splurge
Best Budget
Best Allergen-Free
Other Products We Tried: Forager, Tofutti, Simple Truth
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Plain unsweetened Forager or Kite Hill yogurt is just as good as their sour cream, there is little difference besides the size of the container and of course the price!