Easy Homemade Cashew Cream
- PREP 10min
- TOTAL 10min
Cashew cream is easy to make, vegan and a perfect multipurpose dairy-free alternative with the texture of dairy. We love it as an alternative for sour cream, ricotta cheese, heavy cream, milk and yogurt. You can even use it as a base for creamy sauces and dips like vegan queso, Alfredo sauce or macaroni and cheese!
You Will Need
1 cup (5 ounces) raw cashews
3/4 to 1 cup hot water
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional spices or fresh herbs, see variations in article
Directions
(Optional) Soak Cashews
If you have a high powered blender (most blenders are), it is not necessary to soak the cashews. We do not soak cashews for this recipe, however, you may decide to soak cashews for two reasons: (1) to soften the nuts, making them easier to blend into a smooth and creamy sauce, and (2) to break down the shell of the nuts for easier digestion.
Quick soaking method: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, turn off the heat, and then add the cashews. Allow the nuts to soak for 30 minutes, drain, and then use in the recipe.
Overnight soaking method: Add cashews to a bowl of water and allow to soak for 6 to 8 hours, drain, and then use in the recipe. Be careful with this method since cashews soaked for too long can take on an unpleasant flavor. Changing the water after a few hours can help.
Make Cashew Cream
Place the cashews and 3/4 cup of the hot water into a blender. Blend until very smooth.
Add lemon juice and the salt. Blend until smooth.
If the cashew cream is too thick, blend in a splash more water.
Taste, and then season with additional salt or blend in additional spices or fresh herbs.
Store in the fridge for a week or so or freeze 3 to 6 months. If you do freeze, you might find that it needs a quick blend after thawing to get the consistency back to where you want it.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- The article has suggestions for variations on this recipe, however, some of our favorite spices and herbs to blend into this cashew cream are nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy flavor), chili powder, taco seasoning or fresh green herbs like basil and parsley.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
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