Who knew that a simple blend of cashews and filtered water could create something so creamy and luxurious?

It is my intention for this blog to bring you creative, globally inspired recipes and ideas. With that said, it would be a miss if I didn’t introduce a quick recipe for cashew cream very early on as this has become a staple in my kitchen. I’ve never been a huge fan of dairy – particularly milk, cream and half & half. I was one of those kids who absolutely refused to drink their milk. All these years later and the idea of pouring an entire cup of heavy cream into a pot of soup to add that velvety touch still doesn’t sit well with me.

Fast forward to the moment where I watched the documentary Forks Over Knives. For those that haven’t seen it, it is an extremely well done documentary by two doctors from the Cleveland Clinic who explore the correlation between diet and disease. Now, I’m not here to evangelize a plant-based diet (although I do try to eat a whole foods plant based diet most days), but the documentary did lead me to start exploring how I could incorporate more plant based products into my food. Cashew cream was part of that discovery process and has changed my cooking for the better!

It has allowed me to make many of my favorite recipes, sauces, soups, pastas and stews but remove the element of dairy. For example, I recently made Nick & Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola with cashew cream in place of the heavy cream. I’ve never had a vodka pasta sauce that wonderful! Or in Ina Garten’s Weeknight Bolognese, I used Beyond Meat and homemade cashew cream to turn a hearty rich Bolognese into something plant based.

Cashew cream can also add a velvety finish to soups! Check out my Roasted Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup recipe featuring, yes you guessed it – cashew cream!

You can use the cream in sweet dishes as well. Have dessert on the table in seconds by adding maple syrup and vanilla to cashew cream to create a delicious fruit dip!

If it isn’t abundantly clear at this point, cashew cream is now a kitchen staple of mine. It is best to make in a high speed blender such as a Vitamix (this is the model I have and it works like an actual dream). I had actually put off buying one for years because I wasn’t sure what all the hype was about or how often I would use it. Well, I’m officially a convert – even if just for the cashew cream alone.

With that said, you can also make it in a regular blender. I used to make it with my Ninja but it required me to strain the cream as a regular blender tends to not be able to get the cream smooth enough.

If you’re vegan, lactose intolerant or are just interested in trying something new – have at it! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I’m also including my YouTube tutorial below for further reference. If you try making this, let me know what you think in the comments below! Hopefully you’ll find as many uses for it in your kitchen as I have.

Bonne Chance et Bon Appétit!

Easy Cashew Cream

Recipe by dinnerswithdaveCourse: Pantry StapleCuisine: Plant BasedDifficulty: Easy

Use this plant based dairy alternative in both savory and sweet dishes. It works wonderfully in soups in place of heavy cream or milk. Sweeten it with maple syrup and vanilla to use as a drizzle on fruit or in your desserts.

Ingredients

• 1c raw cashews

• Filtered Water

Directions

• Place raw cashews in a jar or bowl. Cover with filtered water, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, 12 hours is ideal.*
• Strain, rinse and add soaked cashews to a high speed blender. Add 1.5c of filtered water and blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes until the cream is smooth and has the appearance of heavy whipping cream. If you’d like a thinner cream, add additional water to obtain desired consistency.
• If you don’t have a high speed blender you may need to strain the cream with a fine mesh sieve at this point to remove any grittiness.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If the cream separates at any point, simply throw it back in the blender or give it a whisk and it should come back together.

Recipe Video

Notes

• If you have a high speed blender and you’re in a pinch you can get away with less soaking time. I still recommend soaking 2-3 hours to ensure maximum silky consistency.