Cashew Cream

Every vegan kitchen needs this 4-ingredient cashew cream recipe! As an easy vegan heavy cream substitute, homemade cashew cream comes with endless uses and adds richness to all kinds of meals. Bonus: It’s easy to make savory or sweet!

The Easiest, Creamiest 4-Ingredient Cashew Cream

Learning how to make kitchen staples, like vegan mayo and spaghetti sauce, is a great way to save money. If you are buying vegan creamers or can after can of coconut milk, you may just love this easy homemade cashew cream recipe. It’s a quick and easy heavy cream substitute made from just 4 ingredients!

Soaked cashews are quickly blended with water, salt, and lemon juice, yielding a nutty and creamy sauce you can add to pasta sauces, soups, curries, and more. It lasts in your fridge for about a week, but because it’s so versatile, you’ll be lucky if you end up with leftovers.

And did we mention how easy it is to put your own spin on homemade vegan cashew cream? Think of it like a blank slate—add fresh herbs, spices, nutritional yeast, and more to play with the flavors.

Craving a sweet version? No problem. Swap the lemon juice for the sweetener of your choice, and voila! You have a sweet and creamy dip for fruit or a topping for your stack of vegan waffles. 

Looking for more creamy vegan kitchen staples? Check out our vegan tofu ricotta cheese, vegan custard, and homemade cashew milk.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

• Cashews: We recommend using raw unsalted cashews to keep the flavor of the cream nice and balanced. Roasted cashews don’t work as well.

Don’t forget to soak the cashews ahead of time! This speeds up the blending time. You can either soak them overnight or use the quick soak method in the Recipe Notes and Tips section.

• Water: It thins the consistency of the cream. Remember to use fresh water in the cream, not the water you used to soak the cashews.
• Salt: A pinch of salt brings out the flavor.
• Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. 

What Else Could I Add?

• Sweeteners: Replace the salt and lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup or agave, or 2 pitted dates, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use the sweet cashew cream as a vegan yogurt substitute or as a dessert dip for fruit and fresh berries.
• Spices: Add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice for warmth.
• Spicy things: If you’re a spice lover, make up a spicy cashew cream by blending in sriracha, chopped jalapenos, chipotles in adobo sauce, or green chilis.
• Herbs: Make a vegan ranch substitute by stirring in chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, dill, or chives.
• Nutritional yeast: A few tablespoons of nutritional yeast will give the cream a ‘cheesy’ flavor, making it perfect for pasta dishes and casseroles. 

How to Make Cashew Cream

• Soak the raw cashews in water.

• Add the soaked cashews, water, salt, and lemon juice to a blender.

• Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

FAQs

Recipe Notes and Tips

• When shopping for cashews: Head to the bulk section! In some stores, the broken cashew pieces are cheaper than the packaged whole cashews.
• Did you forget to soak the cashews? Try the quick soak method instead. Pour boiling water over the cashews and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Use a high-powered blender: It’s the best at blending the nuts and water into a smooth cream. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, use a regular blender but blend for longer.

Serving Suggestions

As-is, the cashew cream is rich and savory, making it a great addition to:

• Soups: Use it as a replacement for coconut milk or non-dairy milk in vegan soups, like vegan broccoli soup, potato leek soup, and tomato basil soup.
• Curries: Just like in soup, the cream adds a nice richness to chickpea and carrot curry, tofu vegetable curry, and pumpkin curry.
• Pasta sauce: Use the cream anywhere you would use non-dairy milk in a vegan pasta recipe. It’s perfect for this creamy pumpkin pasta, carrot pasta sauce, and pasta primavera.
• Topping: Use it as a protein and healthy fat-packed topping on a sweet potato quinoa bowl, vegan nachos, vegan chili, or BBQ chickpea wraps.
• Vegetables: Use it as a cashew sour cream and drizzle it over top of stuffed sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, or roasted potato salad.
• Casseroles: Stir some cashew cream into this green bean casserole or zucchini and potato casserole for extra indulgence.

If you transformed this into a sweet cashew cream with vanilla extract and sweeteners, it’d be perfect for:

• Fruit dip: Serve the sweet and creamy dip with sliced apples, bananas, berries, and grapes for dipping.
• Breakfast: Add a dollop on top of a stack of vegan waffles, pancakes, or crepes. You can also blend a dollop into your morning smoothie for more creaminess.
• Sweet topping: Drizzle it over your morning oatmeal, chia pudding, or vegan baked oatmeal.

Storage Instructions

Transfer the leftover cashew cream to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

You can also freeze cashew cream for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

More Creamy Vegan Sauces to Try

• Vegan Caesar Dressing
• Healthy Vegan Mayonnaise 
• Creamy Vegan Garlic Sauce
• Easy Hummus Dressing
• Tomato Tofu Pasta Sauce
• Easy Avocado Sauce

Photos by Alfonso Revilla