It's far more than just a chili or taco topper. 
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Horseradish-Dill Sour Cream Sauce
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Sour cream, long relegated to being a mere topping option on chili night, is so often underrated in terms of its versatility in the kitchen. It adds a crave-worthy tang and creaminess to your favorite recipes as well as an added bonus of moistness to your baked goods. If you’ve got a surplus of sour cream on hand that you’re trying to finish up or are just looking for new ways to make use of this handy ingredient, here are seven effortless ways—both savory and sweet—to incorporate it into your cooking.

1. Ranch Turkey Burgers

ranch-turkey-burgers
Credit: Photographer: Mark Driskill; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox


Sour cream serves two crucial purposes in this recipe. It makes a worthy addition in the sauce, providing just the right texture along with a hint of tang. Not to mention, an additional dollop of it in the patty mixture helps keeps the burgers moist.

2. Sour Cream Ice Cream

mr-sour-cream-ice-cream-image
Credit: Photographer Victor Protasio, Prop Stylist Mindi Shapiro, Food Stylist Anna Hampton


It’s only five ingredients and requires no stovetop time, so what is stopping you? This ice cream is insanely rich and smooth because sour cream adds a delicate “something-special” factor to the concoction without overpowering the sweetness of this simple treat.

3. Cheesy Jalapeño-Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Cheesy Jalapeño Sour Cream Corn Muffins
Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas


Do your corn muffins dry out if you make them too far in advance? Sour cream fixes that: It makes the muffins incredibly soft and tender. Serve these with a hearty chili—they only take 10 minutes of prep time, so you have all the time in the world to focus on your main dish.

Sour Cream Doughnuts
Credit: Tara Donne; Styling: Alistair Turnbull


You’ve picked them up at your favorite coffee and doughnut shop before, but nothing can beat homemade. These baked doughnuts taste incredibly rich and have a perfect tenderness thanks to the sour cream.

5. Salmon with Potatoes and Horseradish Sauce

Salmon with Potatoes and Horseradish Sauce image
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen


Salmon with a lucious sour cream sauce already sound great, but the addition of dill and horseradish adds a fresh pungency that takes this beautiful main dish to the next level. This impressive meal comes together in a snap—serve with steamed veggies and potatoes to round it out.

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6. Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins
Credit: Iain Bagwell Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas


We’ve taken a classic blueberry muffin and perfected it: A crisp and crumbly oat streusel topping meets a fluffy, sour cream-enriched muffin. Make a batch of these on Sunday afternoon for a breakfast you’ll look forward to every day of the week.

7. Shredded Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa

Shredded Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart


While these sweet-and-sour tacos are topped with Mexican crema in the recipe, sour cream makes a worthwhile replacement if that’s what you have on hand. Don’t skimp on the salsa—it’s a fantastic balance of zesty, spicy, and sweet.