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Make this sour cream sauce in just 5 minutes using simple pantry ingredients! This versatile sauce is a perfect drizzle or dip for potatoes, fish, tacos, and so much more.
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of whisking together a few simple ingredients and watching them become a creamy, flavorful sauce. This cooling sour cream takes just 5 minutes to put together: and it tastes incredible!
I discovered this sauce recipe by accident one evening when I was serving roasted red potatoes and realized I had nothing to go with them. I now make it often as a quick fix, using it to drizzle over pan seared chicken or grilled salmon, or even as a sauce for tacos or falafel!
Secrets to this easy sour cream sauce
There are lots of ways to make a sour cream sauce. I decided to try the easiest way: just stirring the ingredients together so there’s no cooking required. Turns out, this simple combination of ingredients actually works! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sour cream is obviously the star here. I like to use full-fat sour cream because it creates the richest texture. Light sour cream can also work in a pinch, but you’ll notice the sauce isn’t quite as creamy.
- Fresh chives is my secret for a bright, oniony flavor without the bite of raw onions. I grow chives in a small pot outside my door because they’re so useful in sauces like this (here are my tips for growing herbs). The mild onion flavor pairs perfectly with the tang of sour cream. If you’re making this as a sauce for enchiladas, you can omit the chives.
- Garlic powder and onion powder provide the savory backbone flavor-wise. I’ve found that powder works better than fresh garlic here so it doesn’t overpower: but feel free to substitute a grated small garlic clove if you like.
- Milk is what gives the sauce its perfect drizzling consistency. I add just enough to make it pourable but not watery – usually 2-3 tablespoons, depending on the thickness of my sour cream.
Tips for a creamy sauce every time
All you need to do? Mix the ingredients together! For the quantities, head down to the recipe below. Here are a few quick notes:
- Use just enough milk to bring the sauce together. Add just enough so that it has a pourable consistency. The exact quantity will depend on the sour cream brand, and what you’re using the sauce for. If you’d like it thicker or thinner, feel free to improvise. We’ve specified whole milk, but you can use 2% if you like.
- Use fresh or dried chives. We use chives often, because we’re growing them right outside our door. But if you don’t have easy access, you can use dried chives too! It’s doesn’t have as fresh of a flavor, but it works.
Serving suggestions
Once you’ve stirred it up, there are many ways to use this sour cream sauce! We love it best on these roasted red potatoes: our kids couldn’t get enough of it! Here are my favorite ways to use it:
- Potatoes: I love it as a dip for baked French fries or home fries, drizzled over crispy pan fried potatoes, or dolloped on baked sweet potatoes.
- Enchiladas: Omit the chives and it’s a great sour cream sauce for chicken enchiladas or cheese enchiladas.
- Seafood: I like to serve it with seared tuna steak, sautéed shrimp, grilled shrimp, or grilled salmon.
- Tacos: Instead of plain sour cream on your tacos, try this sauce! It’s great on fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or black bean tacos.
- Vegetables: Roasted vegetables become gourmet when served with this sauce. Try it with roasted broccoli, grilled asparagus, or crispy Brussels sprouts.
- Sandwich spread: Use this as a spread for salmon burgers or as a cooling element in falafel sandwiches.
- Breakfast: A small dollop transforms sunny side up eggs or scrambled eggs into something special, especially when paired with sautéed kale or other breakfast vegetables.
Storage and make-ahead tips
This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container. If you’re planning to serve this for a dinner party, you can make it a few days in advance.
If your sauce has been in the fridge and seems too thick, whisk in a teaspoon or two of milk to restore the consistency.
Dietary notes
This sour cream sauce is vegetarian and gluten-free. For those avoiding dairy, you can substitute with vegan sour cream alternatives, but the flavor and texture will be slightly different.
Easy Sour Cream Sauce
Make this sour cream sauce in just 5 minutes using simple pantry ingredients! This versatile sauce is a perfect drizzle or dip for potatoes, fish, tacos, and so much more.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon dried or fresh chopped chives
Instructions
- Stir together all ingredients, using just enough milk to bring the sauce to a pourable consistency*. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
*The exact quantity will depend on the sour cream brand, and what you’re using the sauce for. If you’d like it thicker or thinner, adjust as necessary. We’ve specified whole milk, but you can use 2% if you prefer.
Other sour cream recipes you might enjoy
There are many ways to use sour cream in your cooking and baking, from cookies to dips. In fact, you can even make homemade sour cream! Here are some great sour cream recipes for utilizing this versatile ingredient:
- Try fluffy sour cream pancakes.
- Add it to crisp and cool cucumber salad with sour cream.
- Use it to make avocado crema, cilantro lime crema, lime crema or dill pickle dip.
Any ideas on how to make this into a dry mix? I need recipes for dry mixes to use making meals in jars… I have whole milk powder, heavy cream powder, butter powder, sour cream powder, and the spices. I just need the amounts for the dried powder to make this into a dry mix that is shelf stable…
Thanks!
I’m not sure, sorry!
Could I use Heavy whipping cream instead of milk?
Yes
I am going to use this as a dipping sauce for mini perogies.
I’m looking for a good sour cream sauce to make chicken Enchiladas covered in sour cream sauce.
Would this sauce hold up to being heated?
I’m not sure. I think it might split.
Would this sour cream sauce work over chicken enchiladas?
Yes!
Would this sauce be good to use in a chicken pot pie???
It sounds delicious, but was wanting your options please. Thank you!!!
I’m not sure how it would hold up in a pot pie, sorry!