Basic Cashew Cream
The first time I made cashew cream, the vegan wondersauce and swap-out for all things dairy, out of curiosity. Cashews and water. How good could this be, really? And seriously, a texture like cream?
The second time I made this it was because the first batch was gone in two days.
With the first tester batch, I added a pinch of nutmeg and stirred it into pasta, because it was a dead ringer for one of the most famous of the French mother sauces, the béchamel. It was creamy, light, and held together as it should with the hot pasta.
On its own, I spooned it on top of black bean and spinach tacos, à la sour cream at my favorite Tex-Mex joint back home, and I nearly ate it all in one sitting. I chopped up a chipotle pepper and some adobo sauce with another batch.
Cashew cream may be a wondersauce for the vegans, but it is also a wondersauce for me.
Imagine what you usually use sour cream, yogurt, or even cream for — and use this instead. Add a spoonful or two to soups to make them more creamy without the cream.
Strawberries are just around the corner and I’m going to try a sweetened-up version of this with honey or maple syrup.
I’m not saying I’m going dairy-free or anything, but I’m always looking at how I can continue to eat great-tasting food that’s easy to make and that’s good for me, too. This crazy-easy cashew cream checks all the boxes.
Basic Cashew Cream
Makes 1 ½ cups
- 1 cup raw cashews, preferably organic
- ½ cup fresh water
- pinch of salt
- First, you need to soak your cashews in water to soften them — the longer they soak, the softer they’ll be, so I like to do this overnight. Put the cashews in a jar and make sure they’re well covered with water.
- To make cashew cream, simply drain and rinse the cashews and put them in your blender. Add 1/2 cup of fresh water and blend. Depending on the thickness you’re after, you might want to add a bit more water. Add a pinch of salt. Taste. Now, wasn’t that easy?
