Cashew cream is rich, super creamy, and incredibly easy to make. It’s ideal for using in all sorts of vegan and dairy free recipes, including luscious desserts, hearty salad dressings and flavorful sauces.
I’ve always been curious about cashew cream, and was inspired to make it after attending a (virtual) Melissa’s Produce event with Laura Theodore.
Laura is a TV food personality, vegan chef and popular cookbook author. You can find more about Laura and all of her cookbooks here.
If you’ve been following Cooking On The Weekends for a while, you know I’m not vegan and I eat just about everything.
Although people use cashew cream to replace dairy much of the time, it’s not just for vegans or those who don’t eat dairy. It’s a very tasty, magical ingredient for everyone!
What is Cashew Cream?
Cashew cream is a creamy mixture made with two ingredients: raw cashews and water. The two are blended together to make a rich mixture that’s incredibly versatile.
It’s the perfect ingredient to enhance recipes for those who eat vegan or dairy free, and for those who don't.
How to Make Cashew Cream
- Add the cashews to a blender with water.
- Blend on high until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t have a super powerful blender (like a Blentec or Vitamix, for example), you will want to soften the cashews by soaking them before blending. Soak them for at least a couple of hours, and ideally overnight. (The longer the cashews are soaked, the smoother the cream will be.)
- When cashews soak in water, they will expand a bit -- so if they soak longer than about 2 hours, the yield of this recipe will be more like 3 to 3½ cups.
- You can use roasted cashews, but they will give the cream much more flavor — a delicious cashew flavor. This is great in many instances, but using raw cashews gives you more of a blank canvas to work with, as the cream will be fairly bland with them. This way, you can make it more of what you want by either adding flavors to it, or adding it to other flavors.
How long will it keep?
Refrigerator. The cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Freezer. The cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. If it’s lumpy, blend it in the blender quickly once more before using it.
Uses for Cashew Cream
This vegan ingredient, packed with protein and other nutrients, is extremely versatile and excellent in so many different types of recipes. It great for making the following:
- dips
- sauces (Here’s a Creamy Vegan Mushroom Sauce I made with it.)
- soups
- salad dressings
- cake frosting
- whipped “cream”
- puddings and mousse (Here’s my Vegan Chocolate Mousse I made with it.)
Buy Sustainable Cashews
You might not think about this sort of thing when purchasing nuts, but in the case of cashews, it’s very important. This article links to why, and explains why purchasing Fair Trade is SO MUCH better.
So please, please purchase Fair Trade cashews! Equal Exchange Raw Cashews are fantastic!
Recipes with cashew cream:
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
- Make the Cashew Cream. Add the cashews to a very powerful blender with the water and blend on high until a smooth, somewhat thick cream has developed. (If your blender is not super powerful, soak the cashews in cold water for at least two hours, and ideally overnight first.)
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Eha Carr
Love cashews but somehow have not realized such a product could me made . . . and so easily ! Shall surely look up your recipes and think of a few other ways of my own to use . . . thank you !
valentina
Thank you, my friend. It's amazing how versatile it is. Ever since I first made it, I try to have some at the ready in the fridge. I hope you like it. I also make an easy salad dressing with it -- just add lemon, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and fresh herbs. (All more or less to taste.) So good! 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Fabulous idea ! First day of summer here . . . just happening to be a too hot 43 C for the day . . . ! In our climate I eat lots of salads all year round but one does open the crisper almost every day at the moment !!! The honey and the nutty flavours would really make such a dressing special !
valentina
Thanks! Hope you try and enjoy! It's feeling like summer again here in Los Angeles, so I've been making lots of salads. ~Valentina
Marly
So delicious! thank you for the recipes Valentina.. :)) just started making new recipes with my Vitamix and so excited. Question: do you have to blend this for a while ? I feel that it's a little gritty? your photos don't look like how it comes out for me. Thank you! appreciate anyone's guidance..;)
Valentina
Hi Marly, Thanks for writing in. I blend only until it's as smooth as possible, maybe 20 seconds, max (with a super powerful blender, which a Vitamix is). If it's any coarser than you'd like, soak the cashews in cold water first -- 2 hours to overnight. I hope this helps!
🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes
So creamy, nutty and delicious!
valentina
Indeed! Thanks. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I love knowing about cashew cream! I wish I had seen this yesterday, as a friend was looking for a mayonnaise substitute to use in a salad dressing. This would be perfect. Sending it to her right now…
valentina
Thanks so much for sharing this with friends, David. Hope everyone finds it as magical as I do. 🙂 ~Valentina
Terri Lyman
I tried raw sunflower seeds instead of cashews- perfect for savory foods and mayo substitutes. I haven't tried it as a frosting or whipped creme yet.
valentina
Hi Terri! That's awesome! I'm going to try that! Hope all is well in your part of the world. We miss seeing your whole family! xo Valentina