Instead · 1
greek yogurt
one for one
- What it gets you
- The same tang and the same thickness in a dip, a dressing or on top of a bowl.
- What it costs you
- Fat, and stability under heat. Yogurt splits sooner, so it goes in off the flame.
Substitutions · 20 dishes here use it
Out of sour cream
Acid and fat that cools heat and loosens a heavy dish. It splits over direct heat, so it goes on top or in off the flame.
Everything below is judged against that job. A swap that covers it is a swap; one that only looks similar is not.
60% of the 20 dishes here that mention sour cream already list it as optional. Before you look for a replacement, check whether you are in one of them.
What to reach for
Instead · 2
creme fraiche
one for one
- What it gets you
- A richer, less acidic version of the same thing, and it will not break in a hot pan.
- What it costs you
- The sharpness, which in a taco or a borscht is the reason it was there.
Instead · 3
cream with a squeeze of lemon, left ten minutes
a cup of cream, a tablespoon of juice
- What it gets you
- A thickened, acidic cream that behaves the same way in a sauce.
- What it costs you
- The cultured flavor, which is a different thing from simple acidity.
Where you can just leave it out · 12
These dishes list sour cream as optional. They were written to work without it, so no ratio is needed and nothing has to be bought.
Where the swap will be tasted · 3
These need it and are short enough that nothing hides: 4 required ingredients or fewer, which makes sour cream a quarter of what is in the pan. Make the swap a decision rather than a repair.
Check what else is in the pan
The company sour cream keeps in this library, counted off required ingredients. A swap that argues with the top two is the wrong swap, whatever a chart says.