Out of Sour cream, one case

Sour cream substitute for soup

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Crème fraîche

Same amount as the sour cream

For soup, use crème fraîche in the same amount as the sour cream. It is the one cultured cream that can be stirred into a simmering pot without curdling. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt also works cup for cup if you take the pot off the heat and temper it first, and it is fine as a cold dollop on top. Low-fat and nonfat yogurt split in hot soup.

Verdict —: Works
The tweak —: Where the soup wants more tang, add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup.
Best for —: stirring into hot soup: potato, mushroom, tomato, goulash

One casethe full sour cream card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Sour cream substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of sour cream	Verdict
1	Crème fraîchestirring into hot soup: potato, mushroom, tomato, goulash	Same amountWorks	Works
2	Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)a cold dollop on any soup	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
3	Heavy cream + lemon juicecream soups and chowders	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
4	Cream cheese + milkpotato soup and chowder	¾ cup cream cheese + ¼ cup milk per cupTweak it	Tweak it
5	Coconut milk (full-fat, canned)dairy-free and vegan soups	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Nonfat or low-fat yogurt	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Crème fraîche

milder and richer than sour cream

Cultured cream with about 30% fat. The extra fat is what lets it go into a boiling soup and stay smooth.

Best for: stirring into hot soup: potato, mushroom, tomato, goulash, a dollop on borscht or chili, soups that will be reheated
Prep: Where the soup wants more tang, add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup.
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: It is less sour, so a borscht or a paprika soup that leans on the tang tastes rounder without the lemon.

Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)

a sharper, brighter tang

The easiest swap to find, with the same tang and thickness. Heat is the only caution.

Best for: a cold dollop on any soup, stirring in off the heat, chilled soups such as cucumber or cold beet soup
Prep: Take the pot off the heat, whisk a ladle of hot soup into the yogurt to warm it, then stir that back into the pot. Do not let it boil again.
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: It curdles if the soup boils after it goes in, and it can split again when leftovers are reheated hard.

Heavy cream + lemon juice

richer and sweeter, with the tang coming from the lemon

Heavy cream gives the richness and never curdles at a simmer. It has no tang, so finish the soup with lemon juice.

Best for: cream soups and chowders, soups that simmer after the dairy goes in
Prep: Stir in the cream, simmer, then add 1 ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup of cream off the heat. Taste and adjust.
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: It is thinner than sour cream and will not sit on top as a dollop. The soup ends up richer than the recipe intended.

Cream cheese + milk

milder and slightly cheesy

Cream cheese is high in fat, so it melts into hot soup without curdling and thickens it as well.

Best for: potato soup and chowder, chicken enchilada and taco soups, slow cooker soups
Prep: Soften the cream cheese, whisk it with the milk and a ladle of hot soup until smooth, then stir it into the pot over low heat. Add 1 tsp lemon juice per cup.
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Dropped in cold and whole it leaves white flecks that take a long time to melt. It makes a thicker soup than sour cream would.

Coconut milk (full-fat, canned)

rich with a clear coconut flavor

The dairy-free option. Full-fat coconut milk brings richness and holds up to simmering; lime or lemon juice stands in for the tang.

Best for: dairy-free and vegan soups, squash, carrot, lentil and curry soups, tortilla soup and chili
Prep: Stir in the same amount, then add lime or lemon juice to taste, starting with 1 tsp per ½ cup.
Suits: vegan, dairy-free
Where it fails: The coconut taste does not suit borscht, potato soup or other Eastern European soups. Light coconut milk is too thin.

For a dollop, chill the can overnight and spoon the thick cream from the top.

Nonfat or low-fat yogurt

sharp and thin

Commonly reached for as the lighter choice. With almost no fat to protect the proteins, it splits on contact with hot liquid.

Best for: only as a cold dollop at the table
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Stirred into simmering soup it clumps into grains within seconds. Blended cottage cheese and soured milk do the same.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeSour cream

In soup, sour cream is either a cold dollop on top or stirred in at the end for body and tang. The dollop is easy to replace. Stirring in is where swaps fail, because heat and acid make low-fat dairy curdle; fat is what keeps it smooth.

Tips for substituting sour cream

5 tips

Dollop on top: any thick option works because nothing gets boiled. Full-fat Greek yogurt with a pinch of salt is the closest.
Stirred in: add the dairy at the end. Crème fraîche can go into a simmering pot; yogurt goes in off the heat, tempered with a ladle of hot soup first.
If the soup curdles, take it off the heat and blend it with a stick blender. That smooths out most of the graininess and leaves the soup slightly thinner.
Reheating: warm soup made with yogurt gently and do not boil it. Soup made with crème fraîche, cream or cream cheese reheats without trouble.
Freezing: soups finished with sour cream or yogurt turn grainy when thawed. Freeze the soup without the dairy and stir it in after reheating.

Questions

5 questions

Can I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in soup?

Yes, cup for cup, with full-fat yogurt. As a dollop it needs nothing. To stir it in, take the pot off the heat, whisk a ladle of hot soup into the yogurt, then stir that back in and do not boil the soup again. Nonfat yogurt curdles even with care.

What can I use instead of sour cream in potato soup?

Crème fraîche in the same amount, or cream cheese: for ½ cup sour cream, whisk 6 tablespoons of softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of milk and a ladle of hot soup, then stir it in over low heat. Both stay smooth. Finish with a little lemon juice if the soup tastes flat.

What can I use instead of sour cream on borscht?

Full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche, spooned on at the table. Yogurt keeps the sharpness borscht wants; crème fraîche is milder. Smetana, the Eastern European sour cream, is richer than American sour cream, so crème fraîche is close to the original.

Why did my soup curdle?

The dairy was too low in fat or the soup was too hot. Sour cream, yogurt and milk proteins clump when boiled, and acid in the soup, such as tomato or lemon, makes it worse. Add the dairy last, off the heat, and choose a higher-fat option.

Can I use milk or half-and-half instead of sour cream in soup?

For richness, yes, in the same amount, added at the end over low heat. They thin the soup where sour cream would thicken it, and they bring no tang, so finish with a squeeze of lemon. Both can curdle in a boiling or very acidic soup; heavy cream is safer.