Make Cashew Cream for Velvety Sauces, Dips, Soups, Cheeses, and So Much More

Did you know cashews aren’t actually nuts? They grow inside cashew apples, and the “nut” that we eat is actually the seed nestled inside the kidney-shaped shell at the bottom of the fruit. Cashews are mostly harvested from their fruits in places like India, Vietnam, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania before making their way to grocery stores around the world. And while you likely already enjoy them as a delicious snack, cashews have even more to offer. 

When blended into a creamy base, cashews become the secret behind many mouthwatering plant-based recipes. Whether you’re craving a rich, velvety Alfredo sauce, a thick hearty soup, or a delectable dip, cashew cream is the answer. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients and a blender. Once you try cashew cream, you’ll want to add it to everything—trust us.

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What is cashew cream?

Cashew cream is a rich, creamy, and versatile plant-based alternative to dairy cream. It can be made in a few ways, but in its simplest form, it’s just soaked cashews blended with water. If you want an extra rich, velvety texture, you can blend the cashews with plant-based milk, and if you want a tangy flavor (like sour cream) you can blend them with ingredients like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.

One of the most important parts of making cashew cream is to soak the cashews first, or else the texture will be grainy and bitty. Soaking softens the cashews, allowing them to break down more easily into a silky, creamy consistency when blended. If you have plenty of time, you can soak the cashews for hours in advance before you start cooking. However, If you’re short on time, you can quickly soak the cashews in hot water for 15–30 minutes instead. This will still soften the cashews enough to blend them smoothly.

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Is cashew cream good for you?

In their original form, cashews are incredibly nutritious. They’re a source of fiber, which helps to support digestive health, as well as monounsaturated fats, protein, and carbohydrates. They also contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Plus, like most plant-based foods, cashews contain antioxidants. 

Alina Petre, MS, RD explains for Healthline: “Antioxidants are beneficial plant compounds that keep your body healthy by neutralizing damage-causing molecules known as free radicals. In turn, this helps reduce inflammation and increases your body’s ability to stay healthy and free from disease.”

Eating cashews regularly has been associated with some major health benefits. In 2018, one study from the Yale Cancer Center found that eating two or more servings a week of tree nuts, including pseudo nuts like cashews, was linked with a significant reduction in cancer recurrence for people with colon cancer. The research suggested that the cancer was 46 percent less likely to return, while the reduction in mortality was 57 percent.

These antioxidants are stable during blending, so they won’t be lost when you’re making cashew cream. In fact, most of the cashew nutrients are kept during the blending process, so you don’t need to worry if you prefer cream over snacking on cashews in their whole form.

What do you do with cashew cream? 

As mentioned above, cashew cream is incredibly versatile. It can be used in everything from sauces to soups to dips. The flavor is neutral, so it won’t overpower the dish. Instead, it will simply add a delicious, velvety, smooth texture.

8 vegan cashew cream recipes

Find out more about how to cook with cashew cream in some of our favorite recipes below.

The Colorful Kitchen

1 Vegan Lox With Homemade Cashew Cream Cheese

Bagels and cream cheese are already a match made in heaven, but when they’re topped with vegan lox, they’re hard to beat. This recipe will show you how to make lox with carrots and vinegar, and cream cheese with blended cashews, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and vegan yogurt. It’s mouthwateringly good.
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Hannah Kaminsky

2 Vegan Eggplant Enchiladas With Paprika-Lime Cashew Cream

Enchiladas are the ultimate comfort food. This recipe takes their flavor to the next level thanks to a rich sun-dried tomato sauce and a velvety, zesty paprika-lime cashew cream topping. it’s a delicious, hearty midweek dish you’ll want to make again and again.
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Francesca Bonadonna

3 Vegan Buttery Lemon Pasta With Cashew Cream

Some nights call for nothing less than a thick, creamy, buttery pasta. When a craving hits, open this recipe from the Plantiful cookbook, which is made with a deliciously zesty and velvety cashew cream sauce. Need a little more? Serve it up with garlic bread and a generous sprinkle of vegan parmesan.
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Trilogy Sanctuary

4 Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse With Vanilla Cashew Cream

Just like dairy cream, cashew cream works well in desserts, too. Put it to the test by whipping up this delectable avocado mousse from the Healthy Living Through a Plant-Based Diet: A Trilogy Sanctuary Cookbook. For extra deliciousness, top it off with berries, chocolate shavings, or vegan caramel sauce.
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Little Pine

5 Cashew Cream Risotto With Crispy Maitake Mushrooms

This tasty, creamy risotto is perfect for a chilly fall day. And the best part? It looks impressive, but it’s actually really easy to make, which means it’s the perfect recipe to keep in your back pocket for dinner parties. Change it up and make your mark on the dish by swapping in your favorite seasonal vegetables and herbs.
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The New Nourishing

6 Easy Roasted Tomato Soup With Cashew Cream

As the nights cool down, a steaming bowl of nourishing roasted tomato soup is hard to beat. This version from The New Nourishing cookbook comes together with garlic, sweet tomatoes, and of course, a luscious homemade cashew cream.
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Kate Ramos

7 Butternut Squash Al Pastor With Charred Poblano Cashew Cream

Next time you’re craving Mexican food, cook up this delicious feast of tender, caramelized butternut squash al pastor, which is served with an ultra-flavorful cashew cream dip and warm tortillas. It’s set to become a regular on your fall and winter meal rotation, there’s no doubt.
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Ela Vegan

8 Homemade Cashew Cream and Frosting

All you need is four ingredients and about 20 minutes to make this clean cashew cream and frosting from Ela Vegan (she includes an option for a sweet version, as well). Top everything from dinners to dessert for a deliciously creamy addition. 
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