Homemade Cashew Cream

This all purpose cashew cream is perfect as a dip, a base for dressings, pasta sauce, or even mixed into your morning oatmeal. Make it plain, sweet, or savory for all types of recipes.

Cashew cream is one of those recipes I always suggest to people who are new to a dairy free diet because it’s good in so many different dishes.

I don’t know why it took me so long to put this recipe on the blog because I use it all the time, but here we are!

I love to combine it with a jar of tomato sauce to make a creamy pasta, stir it into overnight oats to add some healthy fats, blend it up with maple syrup to drizzle over waffles, the options are virtually endless.

You can easily use cashew cream as a substitute for heavy cream because it has a much more neutral flavor than coconut cream and won’t add such a sweetness to a savory dish. If you love this recipe try my lemon tahini dressing next!

No soak method

Most recipes you’ve stumbled upon (even mine) that require cashews usually tell you to soak your cashews overnight.

That’s a great method until you’re in bed at midnight and suddenly realize you forgot to put water over your cashews. Or you just absolutely need the recipe right now and don’t have the patience to wait until they soften.

SO, I came up with a new method! All you have to do is boil the cashews for about 20 minutes. That’s it! It takes away the hours of the soaking, the frustration when you forget to soak and ensures they’re ultra soft so they blend completely smooth.

Soaking them for too long can make them slimy and bitter, which can happen even if left out overnight. Boiling gets rid of this risk!

How to make cashew cream

Add the cashews to a small pot and cover with water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium/low and let simmer for about 20 minutes. This will really soften the cashews and make them easier to blend.

After 20 minutes, drain and rinse the cashews and add to a blender with 1/2 cup of water and the salt.

Blend until completely smooth. Add an additional 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more water to get the consistency you like. Add in any of the sweet or savory seasonings at this time if you’re using them.

Blend for about 1 full minute to ensure it’s really smooth.

Transfer to a container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How to store

Once prepared, this recipe will store in the fridge for about one week in an air tight container. Give it a cook stir or shake before using!

Is cashew cream the same as cashew milk?

No, but they’re made with more or less the same ingredients, just in different proportions! Cashew cream uses much less water than cashew milk, which makes it really thick and creamy and a healthier replacement for heavy cream. If you want a homemade nut milk, try my walnut milk recipe.

Enjoy with these recipes!

• Mushroom Stroganoff
• Strawberry Chia Pudding
• Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

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