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Learn how to make Cashew Cream like a pro! It's an easy and versatile dairy-free staple that makes delicious homemade yogurt, pasta sauce, salad dressing, cheese and more!
Cashew cream is a game-changing alternative for those who need to avoid dairy! It can be used in countless dishes, both sweet and savoury.
It's the best replacement for heavy cream but can be made as thick or thin as you want. So, it's perfect for making all the best creamy comfort foods like sauces, dips, pudding, whipped cream and even dairy-free cheese!
Health Benefits of Cashews
Source of macronutrients. Cashews are a wonderful whole food with nearly balanced ratios of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Fibre-rich. Cashews are a great source of fibre that can contribute to gut, hormone and heart health.
Heart-healthy cashews are rich in heart-healthy nutrients, including potassium, monounsaturated fats and cholesterol-lowering fibre.
Vitamin and mineral-rich. Cashews are a great source of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, E, biotin, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Seasonal Benefits
Spring and summer are great seasons to use cashew cream to make no-bake desserts (like peaches and cream), salad dressings and creamy veggie dips.
Autumn and winter are great seasons to use cashew cream to make creamy comfort foods like nourishing soups, casseroles and "cheesy" pasta sauces.
The Best Way to Make Cashew Cream
Making cashew cream is surprisingly easy! Only two ingredients are needed and there's no straining required. Follow the steps below or watch the video.
What You Will Need
Equipment
- Blender. To make extra smooth cashew cream, you do need a good, high-speed blender.
- Colander or strainer. You will need to rid of the soaking water and rinse your cashews. A strainer or colander works best for this.
- Kettle or a stove and pot (optional). If you need cashew cream in a pinch, you will also need a way to warm or boil water.
- Sealable glass jar or container. If you won’t be using your cashew cream right away, you can store it in a well-sealed jar in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- Raw Cashews are key. They make the smoothest, creamiest cashew cream with a nice, mild flavour.
- Filtered water is the only other ingredient required. You will need it to blend the cashews into a cream and soften the cashews beforehand.
- ACV or kelp powder (optional). You can add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or ½ teaspoon of kelp powder to your soaking water to further break down phytic acid, increasing digestibility and the bioavailability of nutrients.
Step: 1 Soak
There are two ways you can soak cashews.
Overnight Soak: Place the cashews in a sealable glass container. Add cool or temperature water, covering the cashews. The cashews will expand, so make sure the cashews are completely submerged with about a ½ inch of water above. Optionally, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or 1/12 teaspoon of kelp powder to further soften the cashews and increase nutrient absorption. Then place in the fridge overnight (or for eight to twelve hours).
Quick Soak: Pour warm or hot water over the cashews. Let them soak for ten minutes to a half-hour. You can also add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help them soften.
Step 2: Rinse & Strain
Once your cashews are soaked, they should be nice and soft. It's expected that the soaking water will turn a little murky. This isn't anything to worry about, and you're going to toss it anyway!
Drain out the soaking water by pouring the cashews into a colander or strainer. Rinse with cool water while shaking the cashews to clean any excess murk off.
Step 3: Blend
Next, dump the cashews into your blender with fresh, filtered water. If using 2 cups of cashews, I find 1 ¼ cups of water makes the perfect consistency for things like yogurt, pudding and replacing heavy cream. However, using a 2:1 ratio (2 cups cashews to 1 cup water) is best for making dairy-free cheese and thicker, greek-style yogurts.
Blend the cashews and water until a smooth cream forms.
My Top Tips
Start with less water and add more if needed. If you're unsure of how to get your desired consistency, start with a 2:1 ratio (ex., 2 cups cashews to 1 cup water). Slowly add more water to create a thinner consistency.
Don't have a high-powered blender? Use warm water for blending to further soften and break down the cashews. You can also add more water (a tablespoon at a time) if it seems to be sticking or blending roughly. Pulse your blender by using the pulse setting. Or turn it off or to a lower speed and back on to shake loose any chunks stuck under the blades.
Soak overnight. I find soaking overnight in cool water lessens the cashew flavour, whereas soaking in warm or hot water tends to bring out the cashew flavour more. Soaking overnight also makes the cashews easier to digest and the nutrients more bioavailable.
Soak with ACV or kelp powder. To further soften the cashews and increase digestibility, add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or ½ teaspoon of kelp powder when soaking.
How to Use Cashew Cream
Heavy Cream is the most common ingredient cashew cream can replace. It’s perfect for adding dairy-free creaminess to all your favourite recipes.
Whipped cream can be substituted with a sweetened whipped cashew cream.
Mayonnaise can easily be swapped for cashew cream. I love using cashew cream to make tuna and chicken salad. It also makes great flavoured aioli!
More Ways to Use Cashew Cream
Dairy-free yogurt is probably my main use for cashew cream. It’s such a simple way to begin adding homemade cultured foods to your routine.
Pudding is another delicious use for cashew cream. It’s already the perfect texture. So, all you need to do is add your natural sweetener and flavour. My favourite is No-Bake Banana Cream.
Cream sauces are a breeze to make with cashew cream. From mac and cheese, Alfredo and rosés to white pizza sauce, the options are endless.
Creamy salad dressings and dips are so easy to make with cashew cream. You never have to miss out on your favourites like Caesar, ranch, chipotle and poppy seed. Simply shake it up with some liquid (oil, vinegar and/or water), spices, a sprinkle of salt and voila!
Cream-based soups don’t have to be a thing of the past! Cashew cream is perfect for making hearty chowders and creamed veggie soups. It’s also delicious topped on soups like Butternut Squash and Cream of Beetroot.
No-bake desserts, like Peaches and Cream, are another delicious way to use cashew cream.
Dairy-free cheese can be made with a cashew cream base. Cashews make the best nut-based cheese with clean and simple ingredients.
Turn it into milk or creamer by thinning it out with more water. Just add a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You can even make flavoured milk or coffee creamer by blending it with soaked dates, cacao powder, cinnamon or vanilla.
My Favourite Cashew Cream Recipes
FAQs
When stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, cashew cream will last up to seven days. If you know you won't use it up by then, you can always turn it into cashew yogurt to make it last another seven days!
While it will lose some of its creaminess, cashew cream can be frozen for up to 6 months. It may be slightly thinner or runnier when thawing from frozen. However, it still works wonderfully in warm dishes like soups, pasta sauces and even hot drinks.
A great way to freeze it is in ice cube trays for convenience. In a regular-sized tray, one cube would equal ¼ cup.
Though they are made of the same ingredients and in the same process, cashew milk has a much higher water ratio. You can easily turn your cashew cream into milk by adding more water.
I like to add 1 tablespoon to ¼ quarter cup at a time until I reach my desired consistency.
Soaking softens the cashews and increases nutrient bioavailability. However, if you're blender is strong enough, you can make cashew cream without soaking. I find adding a bit of warm water can help the process along.
I have done this in a pinch when forgetting to soak the cashews. However, I do recommend soaking them in warm water for at least 10 minutes. This will soften them enough to make it easier on your blender, ensuring the smoothest cream.
You could potentially use roasted cashews. However, it will turn out more like a nut butter than a heavy cream replacement. It will also have a much stronger flavour that may stand out in certain dishes. I always use raw cashews because they offer the creamiest consistency and a much milder flavour.
Recipe Highlights
Endless uses. Cashew cream can add dairy-free creaminess to countless recipes, both sweet and savoury.
No added sugar. This all-purpose cashew cream is unsweetened, so it can be used in both savoury dishes and homemade sweets.
Good source of macronutrients. Cashews have a nearly balanced ratio of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats, making them a great whole food to include in a balanced diet.
Dairy and lactose-free. Cashew cream is perfect for those who need to avoid lactose and dairy. It's also naturally free of gluten and soy.
More Homemade Dairy-Free Staples
If you try this Homemade Cashew Cream recipe, let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and/or a rating below! And make sure you're following along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more wildly nutritious recipes!
How To Make Cashew Cream
Print RecipeEquipment
- High Speed Blender
- Strainer / Colander
- Kettle / Stove Top & Pot (Optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Raw Cashews
- 1 ¼ cup Filtered Water (plus extra for soaking)
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Add 2 cups of raw cashews to a bowl or sealable container.
- Next, pour in enough water to cover the cashews fully. You can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to improve digestibility and further soften the cashews for blending.
- Let the cashews soak overnight or for eight to twelve hours.*If you are in a pinch and need your cashews soaked right away, soak them in hot water for 10 - 30 minutes.
- Once your cashews are soaked and softened, pour into a colander to strain the soaking water. Rinse the cashews well.
- Dump the cashews into a blender and pour in 1 cup of fresh water. You can add up to ½ cup more, depending on your desired consistency. Blend until smooth.
- Once your cashew cream is blended and smooth, use it right away or store it in the refrigerator for later use.
Notes
*If your blender isn't high-powered or if you're having trouble getting a smooth cashew cream, add an extra tablespoon of water (warm will help even more) and blend for at least 30 seconds.
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