What Is Sour cream and How Can I Use It?

If sour cream has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 2,449 recipes to try it in.

What is sour cream?

Sour cream or soured cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Although sour cream is only mildly sour in taste, its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial fermentation, a process referred to as "souring".

Traditional

Sour cream, made out of cream, contains from 12 to 16 percent butterfat (about 14 grams per 4 ounce serving), and gets its characteristic tang from the lactic acid created by the bacteria. Commercially produced sour cream often contains additional thickening agents such asgelatin, rennin, guar and carrageen, as well as acids to artificially sour the product.

Light varieties

Light sour cream contains about 40 percent less butterfat than regular sour cream because it is made from a mixture of milkand cream rather than just cream.

Non-fat varieties

Non-fat sour cream is thickened with stabilizers and thickeners such as corn starch, gelatin, carrageenan, and guar gum, and contains no or trace amounts of butterfat.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (230g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 492Calories from Fat 433

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 48.2g 74%

Saturated Fat 30.0g 150%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 101mg 34%

Sodium 121mg 5%

Total Carbohydrate 9.8g 3%

Dietary Fiber 0g 0%

Sugars 0.4

Protein 7.3g

Vitamin A 30% Vitamin C 3%

Calcium 27% • Iron 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Where found

Sour cream is usually found in the dairy section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Sour cream is a member of the Dairy and Egg Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does sour cream weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 cup	230 grams
1 tbsp	12 grams

Dairy and Egg Products

Butter 14585 Ghee (clarified butter) 240 Blue cheese 95 Havarti cheese 6 Cheddar cheese 1679 Cheese 557 Cheddar cheese, very old, sharp 334 Cheddar cheese, medium 23 Cheddar cheese, mild 32 Colby cheese 26

In Chinese:	酸奶油
British (UK) term:
en français:	crème aigre
en español:	crema agria

Recipes using sour cream

There are 2449 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Very P-Nutty Muffins

Peanut butter banana muffins with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a swirl of sour cream for extra-tender crumb. Elvis-inspired snack muffins, freezer-friendly, ready in under an hour.

Awesome Stuffed Mushrooms

Easy mushrooms stuffed with a simple savory, sour cream and bread crumb filling, baked in the oven until juicy and ready for guests in a flash.

Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Pie)

A savory German onion pie featuring a yeasted crust topped with caramelized onions, crispy bacon, and a creamy sour cream custard. Perfect as an appetizer or main dish, especially during autumn or Oktoberfest celebrations.

Creamy Bacon Spinach Salad with Hard Boiled Egg & Radish

A vibrant, nutrient-packed salad featuring fresh spinach, crispy bacon, tender hard-boiled eggs, and peppery radishes, all tossed in a creamy garlic-cheese dressing with a zesty lemon kick. Perfect as a hearty side or light main dish

Always Loved Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili with bulgur and vegetables--Vegetarian chili: hot satisfying dish for fans of meatless mains.

Farmer's Market Pancakes

Beakfast pancake or muffin batter with zucchini, bananas, and raisins.

Cheddar Bacon Treat

Sharp cheddar whipped with sour cream, Worcestershire, and crispy crumbled bacon makes a rich, tangy spread for this loaded cheddar bacon sandwich. Ready in 10 minutes flat.

Grilled Burgers

Grilled burgers with sour cream, dried thyme, and parsley mixed right into the patty for extra moisture and herby savor. The juicy weeknight cookout staple in 20 minutes.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

White chocolate chip cookies built on a deep chocolate dough loaded with creamy white chocolate chips. Sour cream keeps them soft, melted semi-sweet gives them brownie-like depth.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Curried pumpkin soup with sweet pumpkin puree, golden sauteed onions, warm curry powder, and a swirl of half-and-half. A silky, autumn-spiced soup garnished with pepitas or chives.

New Potato Salad with Dried Tomatoes

This creamy and flavorful new potato salad is a great side dish with any summer BBQs.

Finnish Onion Pie

A savory Finnish classic featuring a yeast bread-like crust filled with caramelized Vidalia onions, ham or bacon, and a creamy egg and sour cream mixture, flavored with (optional) caraway seeds.

Banana Coffee Breakfast Shake

For those of us who cannot really chew in the morning, but still need some intake with nutritional value and the awakening effect of coffee - a breakfast which helps you and yours to make it through the day. Sour cream and heavy whipping cream instead of milk is handy, as they last longer in the fridge, and for the bananas you can also take those which are already brown.