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    Home » Dip, Dressing, & Spreads » Cashew Cream Sauce

    Cashew Cream Sauce

    Published: Nov 11, 2020 · Modified: Apr 25, 2021 by Kaylie Grace · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read the affiliate disclosure here. 

    This vegan cashew cream sauce is a delicious addition to any recipe! It’s super smooth and creamy with a savory, subtly “cheesy,” and tangy flavor. This will be your go-to dairy-free replacement for any creamy sauce or condiment, like alfredo and sour cream. It’s quick and easy, made with 8 healthy ingredients, and ready in under 30 minutes.

    vegan cashew cream sauce inside a glass mason jar with a black label

    Say hello to your new best friend! If you follow a plant-based diet, this cashew cream sauce will be a very popular recipe in your household. In fact, I make this at least once every single week. It’s commonly referred to as “liquid gold” in my kitchen. I use it on EVERYTHING. (And I really mean everything!)

    It’s super creamy, bright and tangy, and perfectly savory. The best part? You can adjust the amount of liquid to make it as thin or as thick as you’d like. Oftentimes, I prepare the recipe as written and use it as a sauce or dressing. Alternatively, you can reduce the amount of water and enjoy it as a replacement for sour cream. You’ll be adding this sauce to pasta, salads, sandwiches, burritos, pizza, soup, chili, curry, tacos, and so much more. Name any meal and this cashew cream will make it 10x better – I guarantee it!

    This cashew cream sauce is:

    • Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free
    • A healthy alternative to heavy cream, alfredo, and sour cream
    • Quick and easy // Ready in under 30 minutes
    • Made with 8 ingredients and easily adaptable
    • Super versatile // Can be enjoyed with countless recipes!
    an overhead photo of vegan cashew cream sauce inside a mason jar, surrounded by a bowl of cashews, lemon slices, and a spoonful of nutritional yeast

    What ingredients are in vegan cashew cream?

    • Cashews: Raw cashews are the main ingredient in this cashew cream. Be sure to use the raw variety instead of roasted cashews.
    • Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast provides a subtle “cheesy” flavor. It’s also loaded with B vitamins, magnesium, copper, and manganese.
    • Lemon juice: A dash of lemon juice adds a tartness that mimics real cream.
    • Mellow white miso paste: Mellow white miso paste is a key ingredient for flavor depth. It’s a popular “secret ingredient” in dairy-free recipes.
    • Seasoning: In particular, we’ll use garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
    a wood and marble cutting board topped with bowls of cashews, nutritional yeast, white miso paste, salt, pepper, and lemon slices

    How to make cashew cream sauce

    For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

    Soak the cashews

    First, add the cashews to a bowl. Bring water to a boil on the stove, then pour the boiling water over the cashews. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.

    raw cashews inside a white bowl
    raw cashews soaking in hot water inside a white bowl

    Blend the ingredients

    Next, transfer the soaked cashews (along with the water) to a high-powered blender. Add all of the other ingredients. This includes the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mellow white miso paste, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

    Blend the ingredients on high speed for a few minutes, or until a totally smooth and creamy sauce forms. Finally, transfer the sauce to an airtight jar or container. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for 4-5 days.

    cashews, water, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper inside a blender container
    cashew cream sauce inside a blender container

    Why do you need to soak cashews?

    First thing’s first: don’t skip the soaking process! It’s super important to soak the cashews before blending. How come? While soaking, the raw cashews will soften, absorb some of the water, and become plump in size. This helps them blend into a super smooth and creamy sauce later on.

    Why is my cashew cream grainy?

    If your cashew cream is grainy, one of two things likely occurred: the cashews were not soaked long enough or the blades of your blender are getting dull.

    I highly suggest using a high-powered blender or food processor for this recipe. Personally, I use my Vitamix blender. Be sure to blend the ingredients for a few minutes or until a completely smooth consistency forms. If needed, a teaspoon of oil (such as melted coconut oil or olive oil) will help you achieve a smoother texture.

    Ways to use vegan cashew cream sauce

    There are endless ways to use this cashew cream sauce! One of my favorite things about this recipe is how versatile it is. By adjusting the amount of water in the recipe, you can make it thinner or thicker (as needed). In other words, create a thin consistency to use it as a sauce/dressing or reduce the water to create a thick cream.

    • As a sauce or dressing: Enjoy as a pasta sauce, salad dressing, pizza sauce, or drizzled over roasted vegetables, grain bowls, and buddha bowls.
    • To replace sour cream: Add a dollop to your favorite sandwich, veggie burger, chili, burritos, tacos, baked potatoes, and soup.
    • As a dip: Use it as a dip for raw vegetables, crackers, baked french fries, and warm pita bread.
    a spoon scooping into a jar of vegan cashew cream sauce

    More vegan sauce recipes

    • Vegan Chipotle Aioli
    • Easy Vegan Pesto
    • Vegan Nacho Cheese

    More vegan dips

    • Best Guacamole Recipe (Easy & Healthy)
    • Roasted Garlic Hummus
    • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Green Pea Hummus
    • Pumpkin Hummus

    If you try this Cashew Cream Sauce, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

    Print
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    vegan cashew cream sauce inside a glass mason jar with a black label

    Cashew Cream Sauce

    • Author: Kaylie Grace
    • Prep Time: 25 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 2 cups 1x
    • Category: Dip, Dressing, and Spreads
    • Method: Blend
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This vegan cashew cream sauce is a delicious addition to any and every recipe! It’s super smooth and creamy with a savory, subtly “cheesy,” and tangy flavor. It will be your new dairy-free replacement for any creamy sauce or condiment, like alfredo and sour cream. Enjoy it as a pasta sauce, salad dressing, or drizzled on pizza. Alternatively, add a dollop to sandwiches, chili, burritos, tacos, and so much more. You can enjoy it with nearly everything!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp mellow white miso paste
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • ⅓ tsp black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Add the raw cashews to a bowl. Set aside.
    2. In a small pot, bring 1 + ¼ cups water to a boil. Once boiling, pour water over the raw cashews. Soak the cashews for 20 minutes.
    3. Transfer the soaked cashews (along with the water) to a high-powered blender. Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mellow white miso paste, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
    4. Transfer the cashew cream sauce to an airtight jar or container. Keep stored in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    • Cashew cream sauce will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼ cup
    • Calories: 100
    • Sugar: 1g
    • Fat: 6g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Carbohydrates: 6g
    • Fiber: 1g
    • Protein: 4g

    Keywords: cashew cream sauce, vegan cashew cream

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @purelykaylie on Instagram and hashtag it #purelykaylie

    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use, trust, and love!

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    Welcome to the Purely Kaylie kitchen! I share plant-based recipes with simple, healthy ingredients. Whether you’re vegan or not, take a look around. There’s something here for everyone to enjoy! About Kaylie →

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