What Kind Of Sour Cream Does Chipotle Use? Solved

Last Updated on September 15, 2024 by Shari Mason

Tacos or burritos, **sour cream** at Chipotle **makes each dish taste fantastic.**

But a store-bought sour cream isn’t the same if you want to imitate the unique taste of this Mexican restaurant favorite at home. 

As a seasoned food enthusiast, I’ve always been curious about what kind of sour cream Chipotle uses. Join me as I uncover Chipotle’s sour cream secret. Read on. 

What Sour Cream Does Chipotle Use?

Based on my insider, the sour cream that Chipotle uses is the Daisy Brand Sour Cream.

If bought in-store and you used it at home, the sour cream is thicker and not that spreadable than at Chipotle. In restaurants, the sour cream is thinned to recreate the Mexican crema.

But Chipotle doesn’t use any flavorings, seasonings, or sugar. Chipotle thins their sour cream to make it spreadable for use in tacos and burritos. 

Just a quick overview, Daisy Brand Sour Cream is a well-known sour cream brand in the US. And anyone who likes the kind of sour cream at Chipotle can get this simple and tasty ingredient. 

However, some of the other ingredients might be hard to find, like the flour tortillas, which are made just for Chipotle. But where does Chipotle get their tortillas?

What Is In Daisy Brand Sour Cream?

Daisy Brand Sour Cream comprises skim milk, cultured cream, and Vit A palmitate. These healthy and simple ingredients perfectly complement Chipotle’s mission to deliver high-quality, healthy food.

Chipotle uses Daisy brand sour cream, so the ingredients are easily accessible. Daisy takes pride in being preservative-free. That’s why they have a very short number of ingredients.

However, we can’t know for sure what is in their recipe, but we can assume that they make the sour cream mixture by mixing chipotle, salt, sour cream, garlic, and lime juice.

What Makes Chipotle Sour Cream Different? 

The kind of sour cream Chipotle uses is much thinner compared to most brands of sour creams, which is why most people wouldn’t think Chipotle uses Daisy brand sour cream. 

Tasting both brands, I noticed that Chipotle Mexican Grill likes its own sour cream thinner because it tastes more like Mexican crema. When it is thinner, they can use it more easily and in smaller amounts because you don’t need that much.

Overall, Chipotle restaurants successfully stand out from the crowd because of their thin sour cream, making them unique from other food establishments. Also, this distinctiveness provides a more authentic feel to the customers.  

Is It Healthy? 

Not entirely. Despite its health benefits, Chipotle sour cream is not a healthy food due to how much fat and calories it contains. But as long as it’s part of your well-rounded diet, it’s fine to consume occasionally. 

Sour cream is made through the fermentation process of milk and cream containing lactic acid bacteria. 

Chipotle sour cream gets its distinctive tangy flavor from fermentation. It is high in Vitamin A, phosphorus, and calcium. Besides, it has active and live cultures, aiding a healthy digestive system. 

“Chipotle’s sour cream: a tangy masterpiece that elevates every bite.”

–Eat Pallet Restaurant & Food Advice

Chipotle’s sour cream, on the other hand, is high in calories and fat. Sour cream has around 50 calories plus 5g of fat per tablespoon (15 mL), as per the nutrition facts. But what kind of steak does Chipotle use?

Why Is Chipotle Sour Cream Runny? 

Chipotle thins down the sour cream on purpose to look more like the Mexican crema recipe.

This also makes it easier for them to drizzle and mix it into food, like burgers, tacos, and even steak, giving a tangy, creamy bite throughout your meal.

Chipotle’s sour cream is runny because they add milk until the right thickness is reached. 

“Ate a chip, then went to the fridge for the dip. Everything was better with sour cream and chives.”

– Kim Harrison, The Undead Pool

If you like Chipotle’s sour cream, you can prepare it at home with the same stuff or dairy product (Daisy sour cream and milk). 

This has the same effect –and since it’s the same brand, it will deliver the same taste. But you can use other ingredients according to your liking to enhance the flavors. 

What Does It Taste Like? 

As a loyal customer, I always like Chipotle sour cream because it tastes sour and spicy with the flavors of garlic. But, if you want it to taste authentic, thin it out with a little milk. 

If you’ve tried the Mexican crema, the taste is almost the same (which is the inspiration of Chipotle). 

The flavor of the Chipotle sour cream goes well with all kinds of Mexican food and other foods as well. This would be a great cream dressing for a salad or a tasty addition to a veggie wrap. But what does Chipotle do with leftovers?

Make-Your-Own Chipotle Sour Cream 

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Total Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

• One lime juice
• One clove of minced garlic
• One Chipotle pepper 
• Pepper and salt
• ½ cup of mayonnaise
• ½ cup of Daisy sour cream 

Instructions: 

1. In your food processor, combine all the ingredients and blend until you get a smooth consistency.
2. Taste the liquid mixture and add seasonings if needed. 
3. In your serving pan, serve it with your favorite Mexican food. 

FAQs 

Summary

Now you know what kind of sour cream Chipotle restaurants use, it may be easier for you to imitate their sour cream at home. 

You can head over to the grocery store near you and grab the Daisy brand sour cream to make your own sour cream to accompany your favorite Mexican foods. 

Just one simple tip – to get the consistency of Chipotle’s sour cream, beat the sour cream in the bag or dilute it with water or another dairy product [2], like cheese. 

References:

1. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label 
2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/dairy-product