Description
A creamy, dairy-free cashew cheese sauce that’s silky, flavorful, and perfect for drizzling over vegetables, pasta, or baked dishes. This vegan and gluten-free sauce uses soaked raw cashews blended with nutritional yeast, garlic, and spices to create a rich, cheesy flavor without any dairy.
Ingredients
Cashew Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 grams) raw cashew nuts
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (or chipotle powder)
- ¾ to 1 cup (180 ml to 240 ml) dairy-free milk (unflavoured & unsweetened)
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Put the cashews in a small bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 15 minutes. Soaking helps to soften the cashews, making the sauce extra silky and glossy even if you have a high-powered blender.
- Drain Cashews: Drain the cashews through a sieve, discarding the soaking water. Transfer the drained cashews into a blender along with all the other ingredients, starting with the lower amount of dairy-free milk (¾ cup) to control consistency.
- Blend Sauce: Blend all the ingredients together until completely smooth. Check the sauce’s consistency and add more milk if necessary, blending a few seconds after each addition to fully combine.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or spices according to your preference.
Notes
- Use unsweetened and unflavoured dairy-free milk to avoid altering the sauce’s flavor.
- Soaking the cashews is essential for a silky smooth texture but can be skipped if using a very powerful blender.
- This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Try variations by adding herbs like chives or dill for different flavor profiles.
- Perfect as a dip, dressing, or sauce for pasta, roasted veggies, or grain bowls.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (soaking time)
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Vegan
