Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup

I grew up eating sour cream all the time. I would slather it on everything from steaming hot potatoes to fruit salads. My love of sour cream even extended to Passover, where I would devour sour cream with my breakfast all week. But starting in my late 30s, I began noticing that I had become intolerant of dairy. I eventually stopped eating almost all dairy. However, I do miss the creaminess of sour cream.

If you are like me and cannot eat dairy, you can still enjoy the creaminess and richness that dairy provides, with a simple sour cream recipe made of cashews. It is a perfect substitute for any recipe that calls for sour cream. Sealed in an airtight container, it will last for 5-7 days in the fridge.

The Ingredients

• 1 cup raw Kirkland cashews (do not roast or salt beforehand)

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 small lemon, juiced (we used a Meyer lemon, which is milder and even tastier than a regular lemon)

• ¼ cup cold water (dribble it in slowly; you may not need all of it if your mixture is the right consistency)

The Instructions

1. Soak the cashews in room-temperature water for 2-8 hours (or 15-20 minutes in boiling water, if you are short on time) and make sure to cover while soaking

2. Drain the water and pour the nuts into a food processor or Vitamix

3. Add the salt, vinegar, lemon juice and cold water

4. Purée 3-4 minutes in a food processor until the mixture is smooth and creamy (or, if using a Vitamix, blend on high for about 30 seconds, then scoop down the sides and blend on low to medium for about a minute, or until the mixture is creamy)