I have a few variations of this basic cashew sour cream on a couple recipes in the collection and thought it was time to add a simple version which you can adjust adding herbs or spices to suit your taste. I love simplicity and am always looking for ways to share them here. It's extremely easy to make your own vegan sour cream and will last up to five or six days in the refrigerator. Just soak, process and you have yourself a raw, soy free, vegan food that is much cleaner than any sour cream you will purchase in the grocery store, vegan or not. It's so easy to make and will enhance a variety of meals and recipes. I encourage you to give this a try and be amazed how wonderful these simple ingredients come together to make a vegan sour cream of your dreams!
It is recommended to soak your nuts before processing. I know we snack on nuts without soaking or eat them in our foods without going through this process but it does have some advantages. The soaking of the cashews will increase enzyme activity, offer greater absorption of the food's nutrients by the body and help to increase digestibility. But please don't panic if you don't have time to go through this process, you'll be just fine if you don't. Ideally they should be soaked for 2 - 4 hours, overnight is great too but not necessary for cashews. Find more about soaking here: How to Soak & Sprout Nuts, Seeds, Grains & Beans from Vegetarian Times & The Benefits of Soaking Nuts and Seeds from Food Matters
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So now to the good stuff and where you can use your homemade sour cream. Try adding a dollop on Cuban Black Bean Soup, Texas Three Bean Chili, Raw Taco Salad, Street Tacos, burritos and baked potatoes for starters....anywhere you would normally use sour cream. Use in baking whenever sour cream is called for like this Sour Cream Banana Bundt Cake from VeganYumYum. When making ranch or onion dip let this be your go to sour cream. Try using it in stroganoff recipes or blend in your mashed potatoes. Make a sour cream fruit topping by adding maple syrup and dash of vanilla for a sweet, tangy dessert. From sweet to savory, this cashew sour cream will come in handy and save the day.
Basic Cashew Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 - 3 hours
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or water
- juice of one small lemon or about 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch of mineral salt
Soak and drain your cashews. In food processor/high-speed blender, add all ingredients and blend until nice and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides every now and then. Add a tad more water/milk as needed to create desired consistency. If using fresh herbs, add once the cashew blend is creamy pulsing until just incorporated, or blend in by hand. Best refrigerated for at least an hour before serving but will do fine if served right away. Sour cream will thicken upon being chilled.
Makes about 1 cup. Will keep in refrigerator for 5 - 6 days.
Variations:
Use lime instead of lemon and add a few sprigs of cilantro at the end for a Lime Cilantro Sour Cream.
Try adding a few dill fronds and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard for a Dill Sour Cream.
Try this Chili Cilantro Sour Cream from Food 52.
Make a sour cream fruit topping by adding 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup and a dash of vanilla to this recipe. Top on strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mango, raspberries, oranges, etc.
Try this Spicy Avocado and Sour Cream Puree from Huff Post.
Notes:
Adding extra water will depend on how long you've soaked your nuts. The longer you soak, the more water they'll absorb making for less extra liquids needed. Less water will result in a thicker sour cream while more water makes it thinner. If you feel you've put in too much liquids, add a few more cashews and blend until smooth. Keep in mind that refrigerating will also thicken your cream.
You can sub in blanched almonds that have been soaked for 8+ hours in place of cashews.