Can ricotta be substituted for sour cream?
On One Hand: Ricotta Will Do in a PinchRicotta will add body and thicken the dish you are preparing, and it doesn’t have the slightly sour, tangy taste that sour cream has. Depending on the dish, it might be an acceptable substitution. If you are looking to put a dab on top of soup, or say, a burrito, it’s not going to hurt anything and it might provide an interesting textural twist.On the Other: Chemistry RulesHowever, if the actual acidity is a key to the recipe you’re preparing, ricotta may fall flat. The taste of ricotta is pretty neutral, and its pH balance may affect its ability to emulsify within the dish you’re preparing. If the recipe calls for sour cream to be blended into the dish, and you want to substitute ricotta, you may want to try putting the ricotta in a blender with a little milk to thin it out.Bottom LineMany great dishes were created out of spontaneous substitutions. Substituting ricotta for sour cream is certainly safe and probably won’t ruin what you’re cooking.
