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A blue speckled ceramic bowl rests on a light blue background and is filled with Vegan Cashew Crema. Loose raw cashews surround the bowl and a blue and white striped linen napkin is tucked against the bowl in the lower right hand corner. A spoon rests inside the bowl of crema.

Cashew Crema (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
  • Category: Sauces & Condiments
  • Method: No-Cook, Blender
  • Cuisine: American, Mexican & Tex-Mex

Description

Easy Vegan Cashew Crema made with just 5 simple ingredients & a quick zip in a blender. Use it to add bright flavor & a touch of dairy-free creaminess to any meal!

Meal prep & make-ahead friendly, & incredibly versatile – See Recipe Notes, below, for flavor variations & storage instructions. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 large, juicy lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon juice)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon each kosher salt & ground black pepper

An overhead shot of ingredients for Vegan Cashew Crema on top of a light blue surface. Ingredients include raw cashews, garlic, lemon & lime juice, water, kosher salt & ground black pepper.

Instructions

  1. Prep: Add all listed ingredients to a high-speed blender (Nutribullet, Vitamix, etc.)An overhead shot of Vegan Cashew Crema ingredients inside a high-speed blender carafe. Including raw cashews, garlic, lemon & lime juice, water, kosher salt & ground black pepper.
  2. Blend: Blend ingredients until smooth & creamy, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender canister as needed.An overhead shot of blended Cilantro Lime Cashew Crema inside of an open high-speed blender carafe.
  3. Serve: Serve immediately, drizzled over your favorite tacos (roasted veggie tacos & vegan taco meat tacos are PWWB faves!), burrito bowls, as a dipping sauce, or with any plant-based meal you’d like to give a little extra boost of dairy-free creaminess. Enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

  • Storage: Cashew crema will keep, stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. The crema will thicken up quite a bit as it sits. Feel free to stir in a splash of water & it’ll thin back out to your desired consistency easily.
  • Freezing instructions: You can also freeze cashew crema in an air-tight freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cashew crema in the refrigerator overnight & reblend as necessary to smooth out any clumps that may have formed while frozen.
  • A note on blending cashews: If you have a high-speed blender (Nutribullet, Vitamix, etc.), you shouldn’t run into any achieving a smooth & creamy sauce following the directions above. Do NOT prep the cashew crema in a food processor – the blades won’t break the cashews down into the smooth, creamy consistency we’re after here. If you are concerned about the cashews breaking down in your blender or you do not have a high-speed blender, you can:
    • Soak the cashews overnight at room temperature. To make your cashew crema, drain the cashews, then proceed as described in the Recipe Directions, above, using fresh water to blend.
    • Soak the cashews in hot water for 10-15 minutes. To make your cashew crema, drain the cashews, then proceed as described in the Recipe Directions, above, using fresh water to blend.
    • Swap out raw cashews with cashew butter. Replace the raw cashews with 1/2 cup cashew butter (no sugar added). Proceed as described in the Recipe Directions, above, or combine all listed ingredients in a medium bowl & whisk together, using some elbow grease, until creamy & smooth.
  • Easy Variations:
    • Smoky Chipotle Cashew Crema: To the base recipe, add 2-3 chipotle peppers from a can (or 2 tablespoons adobo sauce for less heat) and 1 1/2 teaspoons each chili powder, ground cumin, & smoked paprika. 
    • Cilantro Lime Cashew Crema: To the base recipe, add 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro and 1 small jalapeno (deseeded as desired for less heat).

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/cashew-crema/