When it comes to cooking, there are a lot of substitutes that you can use when you happen to be out of a specific ingredient.
I think we can all relate to that moment when you’re in the middle of cooking and realize you’re out of a key ingredient. For me, it’s usually sour cream.
Luckily, sour cream is one of those ingredients that you can almost always find a suitable replacement for.
As you’ve stumbled upon this article, you’re probably out of sour cream and wondering if cream cheese is a good enough replacement.
Let’s find out right away!
If you’re looking for a one-to-one replacement in a dish where sour cream is used for its tanginess, then cream cheese won’t be suitable. However, if you’re using sour cream for its texture and richness, then cream cheese can definitely turn out to be a good substitute.
Just keep in mind that your dish will be slightly sweeter with cream cheese.
Now let’s go ahead and take a look at the differences between sour cream and cream cheese to better understand why and when one can replace the other.
After that, we’ll also take a look at some other substitutes for sour cream that will work even better than cream cheese!
Sour Cream vs Cream Cheese
Cream cheese and sour cream are both dairy products that share a lot of similarities.
They’re both high in fat and have a similar consistency, which is why cream cheese is often used as a sour cream substitute.
However, there are also some noticeable differences between the two that need to be addressed.
Cream cheese is made from milk and cream, while sour cream is made from fermented cream.
This means that cream cheese is sweeter and milder in taste, while sour cream has a tangy flavor.
So depending on the type of dish you’re making, you’ll need to decide whether cream cheese would be a good substitution.
In general, cream cheese is a good replacement for sour cream in dishes where the sour cream is used for its texture rather than its flavor.
So if you’re making a dish like mashed potatoes, where the sour cream is used to add richness and creaminess, then cream cheese would be a good substitute.
Cream cheese is also a good replacement for sour cream in baked goods, like cakes and muffins.
So if you don’t have any sour cream on hand, go ahead and use cream cheese as a replacement.
Next to cream cheese, there are even better substitutes for sour cream that you can use.
Let’s go ahead and find out what those are!
Best Substitute For Sour Cream
There are a few different options that you can use in place of sour cream and keep the same flavor profile in your dish.
You can use greek yogurt, plain yogurt or even cottage cheese.
These are all good substitutes because they’re tangy and have a similar consistency to sour cream.
I personally find that Greek yogurt with a dash of lemon juice works best as a sour cream substitute.
As Greek yogurt is already quite thick, you won’t need to add as much to your dish to get the same consistency as sour cream.
And the lemon juice will help to add that desired tanginess.
In order to make this substitution, simply take plain Greek yogurt and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Mix it together until smooth and then use it in place of the sour cream.
If you want to keep the same texture but don’t mind the sweetness, then you can also use heavy cream.
Other Questions You May Have
Can You Use Cream Cheese Instead Of Sour Cream In Stroganoff?
Cream cheese can definitely be used for Stroganoff if you happen to be out of sour cream!
Just keep in mind that your sauce will be slightly sweeter with the cream cheese.
I like to add a drop of lemon or lime juice to the sauce to help cut through the sweetness and add that desired tang.
Can You Use Cream Cheese Instead Of Sour Cream For Tacos And Enchiladas?
While you could technically use cream cheese as a replacement for sour cream in tacos and enchiladas, I would not recommend it.
The reason being, is that cream cheese can be quite overwhelming in flavor and completely change the taste of your dish.
If you’re looking for a sour cream substitute for tacos or enchiladas, I would recommend using plain yogurt or even cottage cheese.
These substitutes will add the same creaminess and tanginess to your dish without being as overpowering in flavor.
How Much Cream Cheese Should I Use In Place Of Sour Cream?
A good rule of thumb is to use half as much cream cheese as you would sour cream.
So if a recipe calls for one cup of sour cream, you would use half a cup of cream cheese.
Of course, this may vary depending on the dish you’re making and how strong you want the cream cheese flavor to be.
Start with half the amount of sour cream called for in the recipe and then go from there.
Can You Use Dairy-Free Substitutes For Sour Cream?
Yes, there are a few dairy-free substitutes that you can use in place of sour cream.
Coconut cream, cashew cream and avocado are all good substitutes.
These replacements will add a similar creaminess to your dish but won’t have the same tangy flavor as sour cream.
In order to do so, simply take your desired dairy-free milk and add it to a blender with some lemon juice.
Blend it until smooth and then use it in place of the sour cream.
Final Thoughts
So, by now you should know that there are a few different substitutes you can use in place of sour cream.
Cream cheese, Greek yogurt, plain yogurt and cottage cheese are all good substitutes because they’re tangy and have a similar consistency to sour cream.
We found that the best substitute for sour cream is Greek yogurt, but if you’re looking for a dairy-free option then coconut cream with a dash of lemon will do the trick as well.
Just keep in mind that your dish might turn out a bit more tropical tasting if you opt for coconut cream.
You can always experiment with different substitutes until you find one that you like best.
So, the next time you find that you don’t have any sour cream on hand, don’t worry! You’ve got this.