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Learn How to Make Cashew Cream, an easy vegan sauce made with just 3 ingredients (cashews, water, and salt). It’s delicious in both vegan entrees and side dishes alike, anywhere you might use a regular cream sauce. Or, transform it into your new favorite morning coffee creamer.
Cashew cream is an extremely versatile condiment to keep in your back pocket. It’s not just for vegans, either! Cashew Cream is lower in calories, total fat, and saturated fat compared to regular heavy cream. So even if you’re just minding your nutrition information, cashew cream is a delicious alternative.
When you turn your cashew cream into a savory sauce, you blend it with less water so it ends up with a thick and creamy texture. You can also add fresh herbs and spices like thyme, garlic, or sriracha along with a pinch of salt. It’s excellent as a creamy pasta sauce or Alfredo sauce alternative. You can use cashew cream in recipes that call for cheese, sour cream, canned cream soups, or even a creamy dip.
When you make cashew cream as a substitute for your morning coffee creamer, you can add vanilla extract, maple syrup, or cinnamon. It’s 100% dairy-free just like almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk, and it’s totally customizable depending on your preferences.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cashews: Look for raw, unsalted nuts. Soaking cashews that are roasted and/or salted works too but have a different flavor and are not recommended.
- Salt or vanilla: Cashew cream can be sweet or savory. For a savory sauce, add salt to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon in 1 ½ cups cashew cream). For a sweet cashew cream to use in your coffee, add vanilla to taste (I like 1 teaspoon in 2 cups cashew cream).
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium bowl, add cashews and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain well and discard the soaking liquid.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add drained cashews and ½ cup water.
- Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed to get a creamy consistency (scrape down the sides of the blender jar as needed). For a savory sauce, I add an additional ½ cup water for 1 ½ cups total. Season to taste with salt (I like ¼ teaspoon). For a coffee creamer, I add an additional 1 cup water for 2 cups total. Add vanilla extract to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups homemade cashew cream. It’s enough for one Vegan Pot Pie, one batch of Vegan Green Bean Casserole, or 6 servings, ¼ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Cashew cream can be made 3 days in advance. Some separation may occur, so stir to recombine before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roasted, salted cashews will soften like raw cashews and can be blended to make cashew cream. However, they will retain their roasted, salted flavor. I prefer to start with raw cashews and season the sauce as I see fit.
Cashew Cream is lower in calories, total fat, and saturated fat compared to regular heavy cream.
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How to Make Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (5 ounces, see note 1)
- 2 cups boiling water plus more water as needed
- Salt or vanilla (see note 2)
Instructions
To make cashew cream:
- In a medium bowl, add cashews and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well and discard soaking liquid.
- In a high-speed blender, add drained cashews and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed to get a creamy consistency.
Savory cashew cream (sauce):
- For a savory sauce, I add an additional ½ cup water for 1 ½ cups total. Season to taste with salt (I like ¼ teaspoon).
Sweet cashew cream (coffee creamer):
- For a coffee creamer, I add an additional 1 cup water for 2 cups total. Add vanilla extract to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
Notes
- Cashews: Look for raw, unsalted cashews. Roasted and/or salted cashews work too but have a different flavor and are not recommended.
- Salt or vanilla: Cashew cream can be sweet or savory. For a savory sauce, add salt to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon in 1 ½ cups cashew cream). For a sweet cashew cream to use in your coffee, add vanilla to taste (I like 1 teaspoon in 2 cups cashew cream).
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups homemade cashew cream. It’s enough for one Vegan Pot Pie, one batch of Vegan Green Bean Casserole, or 6 servings, ¼ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.