We absolutely LOVE cashew cream! It’s a staple in our households and we use it in a lot of our dishes (check out our baked mac n cheese recipe) for an extra creamy texture. It’s also delicious in soups, as a dip, and served on top of all things Mexican!
It may sound daunting at first, but it’s actually really easy to make and only uses a few (simple) ingredients. You will surprise even your non-vegan guests with how delicious and flavorful this cream is!
To make cashew cream, all you really need is cashews and water but lemon juice and salt add a little extra flavor. For the best flavor, make sure the cashews are raw and unsalted (but in a pinch, you can use any you have on hand). It is also very important to soak the cashews prior to making the cashew cream — this helps make it extra creamy! We suggest soaking the cashews for at least two hours. If you are in a time crunch, you can pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 20 minutes (alternatively, you can boil the cashews for a just few minutes if you’re really in a time crunch and have a high-powered blender)!
Some optional add-ins are garlic and onion powder (for some extra flavor) or nutritional yeast if you’re looking for more of a cheesy taste! Just blend all of the ingredients together and voilà — you are done! We suggest using a high-speed blender or food processor for best results. Check out our favorites here! So, get those cashews soaked and get started. The opportunities with cashew cream are endless!
Here are a few of our favorite recipes using cashew cream:
Slow-Cooker Creamy Corn Chowder
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews + 2 cups water, for soaking
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cover in the 2 cups of room temperature water. Soak for at least 2 hours. *See notes for alternative options.
- Drain and rinse cashews.
- Add soaked cashews, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice & salt to a high speed blender & blend until creamy (may need to stop blending and scrape the sides often).
- Transfer to a Tupperware and refrigerate (you can keep this in the fridge for about a week).
Notes
- For the best flavor, make sure the cashews are raw and unsalted (but in a pinch, you can use any you have on hand).
- It is also very important to soak the cashews prior to making the cashew cream — this helps make it extra creamy! We suggest soaking the cashews for at least two hours. If you are in a time crunch, you can pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 20 minutes – alternatively, you can boil the cashews for a just few minutes if you’re really in a time crunch and you’re using a powerful blender!
