Skip to content
FriendsPantry
Sour cream

Eggs & dairy · Milk & cream

Sour cream

Thick, tangy cultured cream spooned onto tacos, potatoes and soups, or stirred into dips and bakes.

Also called: smetana

A kind of cream

58 recipes with it

Photo: jules, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0)

What it is

Cream (around 18–20% fat) fermented with lactic bacteria so it thickens and sours. It is white, spoonable and tangier but lighter than crème fraîche; Eastern European smetana is a close relative, often a little richer. Its lower fat means it can split if boiled.

How it’s used

  • Topping for baked potatoes, chilli, tacos and nachos
  • Dolloped into borscht and goulash
  • Base for dips and dressings
  • Moist cakes, coffee cake and scones
  • Stroganoff and paprikash sauces, stirred in at the end

Characteristics

Taste
Tangy, fresh and creamy.
Texture
Thick, smooth and spoonable.
When cooked
Curdles when boiled or added to very hot liquids; temper it with a little hot liquid first, or stir in off the heat. A spoon of flour mixed in helps stabilise it in sauces.
Sold as
fermented
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep chilled and use a clean spoon each time; discard if mould or a pink or yellow tint appears.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains milk (allergen).

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
198 kcal
Protein
2.44 g
Carbohydrate
4.63 g
Fat
19.35 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
3.41 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cream, sour, cultured.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Greek yogurt — 1:1 for toppings, dips and baking; slightly sharper and more prone to splitting when hot.
  • Crème fraîche — 1:1 and better in hot sauces.

Related ingredients

Recipes with sour cream

See all 58

46 more

More milk & cream