While we are all stuck at home and stores struggle to keep their shelves stocked, this is the perfect time to learn how to be self-reliant when it comes to your pantry staples– even the refrigerated ones!  Below are a few different options for dairy alternatives made from shelf stable ingredients so you can stock up on the bulk dry goods and get cooking to keep you going.

Below I go over a few different methods to make cultured and flavored cream cheese and sour cream from a few different ingredients to be allergen-friendly.  Dairy free options that are price friendly and delicious, simple and fast to make and a range of complexity for different levels of home cook or food science geek below!

Homemade Vegan Dairy replacement Collection

 

 

Simple Cream Cheese

Who doesn’t love a good vegan cream cheese on their bagels for brunch? When everyday is stay-at-home day you can have the breakfast of your dreams 7 days a week! Bagels and cream cheese go together like cupcakes and frosting. This 9 ingredient dairy free cream cheese has only three simple steps, so fast that you will have this cream cheese whipped up in no time. Extremely creamy and simple nut based cream cheese will be your go-to shmear for any bagel and lox combo.

Ingredients:

1 pint soaked cashews

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ tablespoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutritional yeast

¼ cup safflower oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ cup water

Instructions:

1. Add lemon juice and oil in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. While on, stream in water, and add the remaining ingredients
3. Blend until whipped and smooth consistency 

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The prospect of making your own cultured cream cheese at home can be an intimidating idea. To make something cultured it has to go through a fermentation process which consists of bacteria converting dairy sugars into lactic acid. In this recipe, the cultured cream base consists of probiotics and coconut milk. Unlike most dairy free cream cheeses, this recipe is great for anyone with a nut allergy as this is a nut free recipe. This recipe does take some time to make but the wait is worth it to have your own dairy free cream cheese in your fridge.  This cream cheese would be great to make a delicious dairy free vegan cheesecake. 

 

Cultured Cream Cheese

(Cultured, whipped style)

Ingredients:

¾ cup coconut milk (Cultured Cream base- see below)

¼ cup cooked rice (Bulk base- see below) 

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon agave

¼ teaspoon tartar

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

3 tablespoon tapioca starch

¼ teaspoon citric acid

¼ teaspoon lactic acid

 

Instructions:

Cream base

1. Add 5 crushed probiotic tabs to 1 can of separated coconut fat
2. Whip it up using a whisk and place aside to culture for 12-20 hrs

 

Bulk Base

1. Cook 1 cup of rice (glutinous white rice is best) in 6 cups water and 1 tbsp vinegar
2. At the end, add 1/4 cup white rice flour 

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Sour Cream- Tofu

Tofu is one of those products that is so versatile, and yet so misunderstood (and misused!). Despite the bad rep, organic soy is a great part of a healthy diet and tofu makes one of the best creamy vegan dairy free sour cream alternatives. This simple 5 ingredient recipe is nut and dairy free. We have heard in the news this misinformation that consuming high amounts of soy products is bad for us but in fact eating tofu is a great source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids. It is a valuable plant source of iron, copper, and zinc. To build an even more immune support dish, add a dollop of this amazing vegan sour cream on top of my Immune Booster Iron Chili recipe. The combo will be packed with a variety of  immune supporting foods to help fight against illnesses.

Ingredients:

Silken tofu package (12 oz)

1.5 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

½ teaspoon lactic acid

1 teaspoon citric acid

2 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions:

1. In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

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Not too different from the vegan sour cream recipe using tofu, this cashew based dairy free sour cream is just as quick and simple. A lot of dairy free cheese alternatives call for cashews as the main base. When you soak the cashews for a period of time (usually 4-6 hours) this softens the nut and allows the nuts to create a creamier consistency. This vegan sour cream recipe makes an amazing loaded baked potato (there’s a potato in the photo I swear!) but it would go great as the base of a veggie dip. Toss in some of your favorite herbs and spices and whip up a quick and easy appetizer for your guests in minutes or enjoy on your own.

 

Sour Cream- Cashew

 

Ingredients:

Cream: 1 3/4 cup cashews soaked

1 ¾ tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp coc milk

2 tbsp cashew milk

3 Tbs agave

2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

 

Instructions:

1. In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

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Hemp seeds are known to be rich in healthy fats and a great protein source, but they also make a creamy and nutritious dairy replacement when soaked and blended! Hemp contains high amounts of vitamin E and essential fatty acids (oh those OMEGAS!) which makes consuming hemp seeds majorly beneficial to our health. How would you like to add a vegan dairy free sour cream full of nutrients on your baked potato? This nut free sour cream recipe is a good option for people with nut allergies and want sour cream that is a healthy dairy free alternative. 

 

Sour Cream Hemp Seed

 

Ingredients:

Cream: 1 1/2 cup hemp hearts 

1 ¾ tbsp lemon juice

6 Tbs coc milk

4 tbsp hemp milk

4 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

 

Instructions:

1. In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

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When you look on the back of the ingredients of most sour creams, you will notice that they are going to be cultured. When you make this dairy free sour cream, you won’t even know it is vegan. It tastes and has the same consistency as other sour cream but by using this nut free recipe you will be filling your body with healthy probiotics. Sour cream can be used in so many different ways, as a spread, in soups, baking or on top of your favorite vegan quesadilla. This recipe will be your go to vegan sour cream to enjoy on taco tuesday. You will have your friends  begging to come over on Sunday to watch football while indulging on the food items that feature dairy free sour cream.

Cultured Sour Cream

 

Ingredients:

¾ cup coconut milk (Cultured Cream base)

¼ cup cooked rice (Bulk base) 

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp agave

2 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp arrowroot powder

2 tbsp tapioca starch

¼ tsp citric acid

¼ tsp lactic acid

 

Instructions:

Cream base

1. Add 5 crushed probiotic tabs to 1 can of separated coconut fat
2. Whip it up using a whisk and place aside to culture for 12-20 hrs

 

Bulk Base

1. Cook 1 cup of rice (glutinous white rice is best) in 6 cups water and 1 tbsp vinegar
2. At the end, add 1/4 cup white rice flour