Can Sour Cream Replace Yogurt?

We've all been there. You're in the middle of a recipe when you realize it calls for yogurt. Maybe you're out or have the wrong kind. For example, a sweet-flavored yogurt wouldn't be the right choice for a chicken marinade, and the nonfat variety of Greek yogurt doesn't work well for cooking because its lack of fat molecules makes it clump up when heated. So what's a cook to do? If you eat baked potatoes or Tex-Mex food, you probably have another dairy product in your fridge that will work just as well. They're both white, creamy and a little tangy. That's right — we're talking about sour cream. 

There's no need to water it down or adjust the amount. These two ingredients are so similar in taste, texture, and performance that you can swap sour cream for yogurt at a 1:1 ratio. However, there are a few small differences to note. A side-by-side taste test would demonstrate that sour cream is more acidic than yogurt. (In fact, we've previously suggested adding lemon juice or vinegar to plain yogurt to make it taste more like sour cream). And while yogurt is made with milk, sour cream is made with — you guessed it, cream, making it slightly thicker and firmer than the more watery yogurt. That also makes yogurt leaner, at about 12 % fat while sour cream is closer to 20% fat.

In most situations, it's still fine to use either one in place of the other. However, there are a few cases where one of them might give you an edge. For example, if you're baking a rich, heavy dessert like a pound cake or cheesecake, the higher-fat choice will give you a noticeably denser, creamier result. Meanwhile, yogurt, with its lower fat content, would be a better choice for lighter, airier bakes such as sponge cake or batter for fluffy pancakes.  

Yogurt is the traditional ingredient for tikka masala and creamy curries, but sour cream can do the job just fine — if anything, the results will be even richer. With either choice, remember to simmer at a low temperature to prevent a broken sauce. Condiments like Greek tzatziki and its Indian cousin raita are also ripe for experimentation. Though they're typically made with yogurt, the thicker sour cream can help them stick to pitas, chips, or vegetables even better.  It's always good to have an easy substitution on hand and reassuring to know that whichever one you choose, your guests will be satisfied.