Cashew Cream
Updated May 26, 2025
Make cashew cream from home with raw cashews and water. I've included cheese sauce, herb sauce, sweet topping, and tangy variations to make with it as well.
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I Love using cashew cream!
I started making cashew cream when I was testing out dairy-free swaps, and now I keep a batch in the fridge more often than not. I use it in pasta sauces, as a topping on tempeh tacos, and sometimes even mix it with lemon and garlic as a dip for roasted veggies. It’s just soaked cashews and water, blended until smooth. If you’ve never made it before, it’s way easier than it sounds, and you can tweak the thickness depending on what you’re using it for
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cashew Cream Ingredients
- Raw, unsalted cashews: Read labels and take a close look at your cashews’ packaging. Raw cashews are a lighter beige than the roasted ones. The raw nuts are milky in color and have a softer-looking texture.
- Water: Filtered water, if available, is best because it will not leave any chlorine taste in the cashew cream.
How to Make Cashew Cream
Homemade Cashew Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole raw cashews
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until cashews are tender, at least 60 minutes or overnight.
- Drain cashews and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer the drained cashews to a blender or small food processor. Add the water on top, making sure it’s covering the cashews by at least 1 inch.
- Blend until smooth. Place the cashew cream in a colander lined with cheesecloth to strain for an ultra smooth consistency, if desired. Then use in a recipe that calls for cashew cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Sauces to Make with Cashew Cream
Cheesy Cashew Sauce (great for pasta or nachos)
Blend it all with your soaked cashews and water. Add more water if you want it pourable.
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional for color)
Herbed Garlic Cashew Spread (use as dip or sandwich spread)
Goes great on crackers, toast, or as a base layer for wraps
- 2 cloves garlic (raw for punch, roasted for mellow flavor)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Optional: squeeze of lemon juice
Tangy Sour Cream–Style Cashew Cream
This one’s perfect for dolloping on tacos, chili, or baked potatoes.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for extra zing
Sweet Cashew Cream (for pancakes or fruit)
Blend until super smooth—great on oatmeal, muffins, or as a dip for apple slices.
- 2 Medjool dates, soaked and chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- Pinch of salt
Recipe Tips
- Soak overnight if possible. While it’s enough to soak the raw cashews for one hour, soaking overnight will help to really soften them so they are extra creamy for the sauce.
- Refrigerate: If soaking more than two hours, put them in the refrigerator and cover.
- Scape your blender for maximum creaminess: Pause and scrape down the sides of your blender to make sure every piece of nut gets incorporated.
- Add more water if needed: If the cream seems thicker than you would like, keep adding more water, a half teaspoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.
- Strain according to use: When, an ultra-thick consistency is desired, put the nut cream in a colander lined with cheesecloth and strain until desired texture is reached. For instance, if you are using the nut cream to replace cream cheese in frosting, definitely strain to thicken. If it is replace heavy cream in pasta sauce, do not bother.
FAQs
Store cashew cream in a tightly lidded jar in the refrigerator. Cashew cream has a fairly short refrigerator life. It is best used within three to four days. Do not use it if it looks or smells off.
Yes! It will last six months in the freezer. Pack tightly in a freezer-safe ziplock-type bag or freezer-safe container. Fill the container almost to the top. Before placing a lid on the container, cut a small piece of parchment paper over the very top to prevent freezer burn.
It will not be a total disaster but it will different: not as creamy with a salty roasted flavor. If that works for the recipe go ahead. But it probably will not enhance most baked goods.
Sub it for mayo in homemade salad dressings like caesar, sub for cream cheese in frosting on cupcakes or cookie bars, or add to sautéed garlic and some herbs an easy, creamy pasta sauce. Thin out with pasta water if necessary.
The soaking cashews will swell, especially the ones that sit overnight. However, if they have turned purple-ish it is a sign they have soaked too long and you should start over.
