This quick and versatile sauce is perfect to use as a thick cream substitute, alfredo sauce base, or anything else you can think of! It’s a great replacement for a thinned “sour cream” on enchiladas or addition to any sauce to make it creamy.
Why Use Cashews Instead of Dairy?
Cashews are incredibly rich in a number of nutrients including magnesium, protein, fiber, zinc, phosphorus, iron, copper, and vitamin K. Milk also contains plenty of nutrients, but many people struggle to digest diary – especially in cream sauces!
I created this recipe because my husband struggles to digest cream, and subsequently couldn’t enjoy alfredo sauce or creamy enchiladas without discomfort. This was an easy switch because of the neutral flavour and creamy mouthfeel.
Why Soak Cashews?
Soaking cashews in water for at least 2 hours has multiple benefits, including:
- Digestion Benefits:
- Soaking your cashews makes them more digestible by removing phytic acid and neutralizing enzyme inhibitors. This will make them easier to digest.
- Nutritional Benefits:
- By soaking your cashews and removing the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, more nutrients are able to be absorbed from the nut, including magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.
- Texture and Taste:
- For a creamy sauce, the nuts need to be softened. Using raw, unsoaked cashews will leave a grainy mouthfeel and be difficult to blend into a sauce.
- Soaking for too long will also negatively impact the texture. Soaking in excess of 8 hours can make the cashews slimy. I recommend a maximum of 6 hours.
To Prepare:
Start by soaking 1 cup of cashews in cold or room temperature water in a small bowl. Make sure you have at least 1″ of water above the cashews. Soak them for 2-3 hours at room temperature until they’ve swelled up.
Quick soak: Pour freshly boiled water over the cashews in a heat safe dish (or add the cashews to a pot of boiled water). Cover the cashews by at least 1″ and set aside for 15 minutes.
Once the cashews have swelled up, rinse in a colander with fresh water. Add the rinsed cashews to your blender along with 3/4 cup water, and 3/4 tsp fine sea salt. Blend on low for 10-15 seconds then slowly increase the speed to high. Blend on high speed for at least 30 seconds (high powered blender) or longer until completely smooth. You may want to scrape down the sides once or twice if lots of cashew debris lines the sides.
Smooth and Creamy Cashew Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by soaking 1 cup of cashews in cold or room temperature water in a small bowl. Make sure you have at least 1″ of water above the cashews. Soak them for 2-3 hours at room temperature until they’ve swelled up.
- Once the cashews have swelled up, rinse in a colander with fresh water.
- Add the rinsed cashews to your blender along with the fresh water, and fine sea salt. If you are adding additional ingredients or seasonings add them now.
- Blend on low for 10-15 seconds then slowly increase the speed to high. Blend on high speed for at least 30 seconds (high powered blender) or longer until completely smooth. You may want to scrape down the sides once or twice if lots of cashew debris lines the sides.Enjoy!
[…] Soak your cashews for 4 hours in cold water or 15 minutes in boiling water to soften. Full instructions for cashew crema can be found HERE. […]