Sour cream

śmietana / smetana · sour cream

Flavor and role

Cream fermented with lactic acid bacteria, tangy and rich. Adds both freshness and smoothness to dishes.

Typical dishes and uses

With pierogi, borscht, beef stroganoff, topping for tacos and nachos

Substitutes

100 g sour cream = 100 g Greek yogurt, or 100 ml heavy cream + 1 tbsp lemon juice (let stand 10 minutes).

Storage

Refrigerate and use within 1-2 weeks of opening.

Main countries

Poland · Russia · United States

Used in this book

Pierogi RuskieBlini (Russian Thin Pancakes)Ukrainian BorschtClassic Buffalo WingsKapustnyky (Ukrainian Cabbage Patties)Campfire Skillet NachosChicken Paprikash (Csirkepaprikás)Chilaquiles RojosChili con CarneDeruny (Ukrainian Potato Pancakes)Elote (Mexican Street Corn)Chicken Enchiladas RojasHolubtsi (Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls)Kotlet Schabowy (Polish Breaded Pork Cutlet)LángosClassic New York CheesecakePelmeni (Russian Meat Dumplings)Quesadilla SalvadoreñaRakott Krumpli (Hungarian Layered Potato Bake)Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup)Solyanka (Russian Mixed Meat Soup)Syrniki (Russian Cottage Cheese Pancakes)Tinga de Pollo (Chipotle Shredded Chicken)Varenyky (Ukrainian Potato Dumplings)Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)Ajiaco Loaded Smashed PotatoesAloo Keema Quesadillas with Green Chutney Crema (Pakistani × Mexican)Ayam Goreng Tacos with Sambal Matah (Indonesian × Mexican)Coconut-Garlic Pork Quesadillas with Khmer Pickle Pico (Cambodian × Mexican)Brown Butter Walnut Banana BreadBandeja Paisa Loaded Fries with Avocado CremaBigos Breakfast Hash with Crispy Potatoes and EggsYeasted Buckwheat Blini with Smoked SalmonBlini Mille-Crêpe Cake with Honey Sour CreamRoasted Beet and Smoked Rib BorschtKoryo-saram Kimchi BorschtPink Borscht RisottoCheddar and Chive Boxty Bites with Mustard Sour Cream DipBratkartoffeln Tortilla FlammkuchenDouble-Fried Buffalo Wings with Chunky Blue CheeseCrispy Rice Burrito BowlMushroom and Sauerkraut Kapustnyky with Garlic-Dill SmetanaKapustnyky Okonomiyaki (Ukrainian × Japanese)Cheesy Kapustnyky Muffins with Garlic-Dill Sour CreamFresh-Cob Cachapa with Cochino FritoLoaded Cheesy Hash Foil PacketsCarne Asada Nachos with Fire-Charred SalsaChorizo Chili Walking NachosChakalaka Cheese Quesadillas (South African × Mexican)Georgian Chicken Tinga Tacos (Georgian × Mexican)Chapati Chicken Quesadilla (Kenyan × Mexican)Chicken Adobo Tacos with Pickled Red Onion and Lime CremaMini Chicken Kyiv Balls with Garlic-Dill DipWine-Braised Chicken Paprikash with Butter Nokedli and Cucumber SaladCrispy Gnocchi Chicken Paprikash with ParmesanPaprikash Chicken Skewers with Dill Sour Cream DipGuajillo-Ancho Chicken Chilaquiles with Crispy Fried EggChilaquiles Breakfast Torta with Salsa VerdeChile Relleno Egg CasseroleChole Lángos with Garlic and Sour Cream (Hungarian × Punjabi)Cheddar Colcannon Cakes with Fried Egg and Chive Sour CreamCơm Tấm Tacos with Lemongrass Pork and Scallion OilHidalgo-Style Chicken Tinga Paste (Mexican Cornish Pasty)Dakgalbi Cheese QuesadillasMushroom-Stuffed Deruny with Garlic-Dill Sour CreamDeruny Waffles with Fried Egg and Garlic-Dill Sour CreamHusk-Grilled Elote with Chipotle Butter and Roasted Garlic CremaElote Cheese QuesadillaThree-Chile Enchiladas GratinadasChicken Enchilada Rice BowlChipotle Feijoada ChiliBergen Fish Soup (Bergensk Fiskesuppe) with Homemade StockMexican Black Bean and Corn Gemista (Greek × Mexican)Githeri Chili con Carne (Kenyan × Tex-Mex)Goulash Melt with Dipping BrothCrispy Dauphinois Pavé Bites with Chive Sour CreamHalászlé Paprika Fish Bowl with Dill Rice and Sour CreamHawawshi Cheese Quesadillas with Tahini-Lime CremaOven-Braised Holubtsi with Smoked BaconCheesy Unrolled Holubtsi SkilletChipotle Hot Honey Salmon Tacos with Cucumber-Lime SalsaJansson Cheese ToastClarified-Butter Kartoffelpuffer with Smoked Salmon and Horseradish CreamCrispy Kartoffelpuffer Cups with Apple-Bacon Sour CreamElote Kartoffelsalat with Charred Corn, Lime and Chilli (German × Mexican)Crispy Käsespätzle Cups with Chive Sour CreamPot-Baked Buckwheat Kasha with Porcini, Smetana and Jammy EggsCrispy Kasha-Mushroom Cakes with Jammy Eggs and Dill Sour CreamKefta Tagine Tacos with Harissa Crema and Pickled Onion (Moroccan × Mexican)Chorizo-Jalapeño Khachapuri (Georgian x Mexican)Golden Brown-Butter Kopytka with Wild Mushroom SauceKopytka and Kielbasa Skewers with Honey-Mustard GlazeGochujang Buffalo WingsCold-Fermented Lángos with Brown Garlic Butter and Dill Sour CreamOkonomiyaki Lángos (Hungarian × Japanese)Mini Lángos Cinnamon-Sugar Bites with Honey Sour-Cream DipLarb Gai Tacos with Pickled Red Onion and Sriracha CreamBacon-Crackling Lecsó with Creamy Eggs and Garlic ToastLecsó Risotto with Smoked Sausage and Parmesan (Hungarian × Italian)Lomo Saltado Burrito with Ají Amarillo CremaChilli Con Carne Cheese Pie with Jalapeño (Mexican × New Zealand)Mujaddara Lentil Tacos with Crispy Onions and Lime CremaDeli-Style New York Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping and Strawberry GlazeNo-Bake New York Cheesecake Jars with Blueberry CompoteKroeung Fish Tacos with Coconut-Lime Crema (Cambodian × Mexican)Olivier Salad Cake with Egg Mimosa TopPabellón Burritos with Chipotle Mechada and Sweet PlantainPabellón Sweet Plantain Boats with Melted CheeseChorizo-Chipotle Pasta e Fagioli with Black Beans (Italian × Mexican)Pav Bhaji Cheese QuesadillasSiberian Pelmeni in Golden Beef BrothCheesy Lazy Pelmeni Pinwheel SkilletPeri-Peri Chicken TacosPhilly Cheesesteak Quesadillas with Chipotle CremaPicadillo Smash TacosBrown Butter Bacon PierogiKimchi Cheese Potsticker PierogiPierogi Lasagne BakePirozhki Toast Pockets with Garlic-Dill Sour CreamCheddar & Spring Onion Poffertjes Skewers with Chive Sour Cream DipBBQ Pulled Pork Sweet Potato BoatsBrown Butter Triple-Cheese QuesadillaMatcha Quesadilla with Black Sesame CrustQuesadilla Hotcake Stack with Cinnamon CremaKimchi Bacon Quesadillas with Gochujang CremaMini Raggmunk Bites with Skagen Shrimp ToppingRakott Krumpli with Crisp Sausage, Bacon and Sour-Cream CustardKimchi Bacon Rakott Krumpli with Gochujang Sour Cream (Hungarian × Korean)Rakott Krumpli Hash Brown Nests with Baked EggRendang beef tacosRopa Vieja Loaded TostonesRösti Egg Cups with Chive Sour CreamGochujang Pork Belly Tacos with Kimchi SalsaScallion Pancake QuesadillaOven-Braised Sauerkraut Sutochnye ShchiShchi Pot Pie with a Puff Pastry LidShepherd's Pie Loaded Jacket PotatoShish Tawook Quesadillas with Toum Crema and Pickled Onions (Lebanese × Mexican)Stjerneskud (Danish 'Shooting Star' Smørrebrød)Restaurant-Style Solyanka with Smoked-Rib BrothSolyanka Melt Toast with Lemon-Dill Sour CreamSom Tam Chicken TacosGuajillo Sopa de Fideo with Crispy Ancho ChileChipotle Fideo Cheese BakeCrispy Smashed Potatoes with Stegt Flæsk Crumble and Parsley CreamSweet and Sour Pork Tacos with Pineapple SalsaGhee-Seared Syrniki with Warm Berry CompoteCrispy Smash TacosTafelspitz Rösti Stack with Apple-Horseradish Cream and Fried EggBaked Tamal Cups with Red Chile ChickenChorizo Tinga Poblana with Avocado CremaTwice-Cooked Pork Tacos with Pickled OnionKefir-Dough Potato and Twarog Varenyky with Bacon ShkvarkyJalapeño Cheddar Varenyky with Pico de Gallo and Lime Crema (Ukrainian × Mexican)Crispy Potato-Dill Gnocchi Skillet (Lazy Varenyky)Charred Poblano White Chicken Chili with Seared ThighsWhite Chicken Chili Baked Taquitos with Lime CremaHomemade Zakwas Żurek with Smoked Ribs

Updated 2026-10-10