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Home » Snacks

Simple Cashew Cream

Published on 9.23.2021 by Jen Hansard

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cashew cream

I'm about to share a recipe that's a staple in my house, in my cleanses, and in Simple Green Meals. I don't mess around when it comes to sauce. It's gotta be a winner for me to share it—and this cashew cream is exactly that. A cashew sauce that acts like a vegan sour cream in a variety of recipes... as well as replaces yogurt, mayonnaise and even sweet cream.

It can be frozen for later, or refrigerated and used within a week— the possibilities are pretty much endless with cashew cream. Now, don't get me wrong: I do like dairy. Yet whenever I eat it my body gets sluggish, I've gotta stick close to the bathroom, and I break out with acne. That's where this equally creamy, tasty, versatile recipe steals the show... and I'm all-in for the win here.

How to make cashew cream

Just 3 ingredients will create the vegan cream of your dreams:

  • raw cashews: are the creamiest and most nutrient dense
  • water: filtered water is best
  • lemon juice: helps neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors found in cashews to make them more digestible

1. Soak the cashews

Place the cashews in a medium container and pour lemon juice over the top. Add enough water to cover the cashews by a few inches and allow them to soak for 2 hours. Rinse and drain well.

If you don't have time, you can "flash soak" by using boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. This method does remove some of the nutrients in the nuts, but does save you in a pinch.

vegan sour cream

2. Blend the cashews

Combine the cashews with ½ cup water in a blender (you can also use a food processor, but it won't get the super creamy texture that you can achieve in a blender). A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec will get you the best results.

vegan cashew sauce

Pulse the cashews lightly and increase speed to high. If mixture is not blending, slowly add more water (1-2 tablespoon at a time) and try again. You want just enough water for it to blend nicely, yet not too much for it to get watery. Take your time and know this is gonna be worth it! If you can still see some gritty texture like below, blend longer and higher speed with more water to help it puree.

vegan sour cream recipe

3. Store your cashew sauce

Transfer the cashew cream to a bowl (it will make about 2 cups). I suggest you measure ½ cup to use for now and Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Divide the rest into ½ cup portions and store in freezer safe containers. Store in freezer until ready to use. It will freeze up to 6 months. When you're ready to use it, thaw in the refrigerator and use within a 1 week.

Add the desired flavor add-ins to the cashew cream that is fresh or defrosted.

vegan sour cream recipe

4 Cashew Cream Recipe Variations

While the flavorful variations are incredible, you don't wanna miss out on all that this basic recipe can do too! I most often use plain cashew cream— it's the best swap for sour cream. Yet when I need something a little more robust and recipe enhancing, these combinations are incredible. The basic vegan sour cream recipe can easily turn into ranch sauce or sandwich spread, a sweet cream to top pancakes or pie, or a lovely filling for cookies.

1. Maple Cinnamon

Mix in maple syrup + cinnamon. This goes great with apples, on top of crisps and pies (blueberry and apple crisp are my go-tos!), mixed in granola, and more.

2. Dill Ranch

Mix in lemon juice and zest + garlic + onion powder + fresh dill and parsley + salt and pepper. I love using this as a dipping sauce with my cauliflower buffalo wings, fresh veggies, pizza... wherever you like to use ranch sauce. My cashew sauce becomes an instant fav whenever I bring it to parties.

3. Lemon Vanilla

Mix in agave syrup (or maple syrup) + vanilla extract + lemon zest. Dip berries in it, use it as a curd, topping for pancakes, or in granola.

4. Chipotle

Mix in chipotle peppers + lime zest + lime juice + salt and pepper. I love adding this to a great sandwich spread or as a veggie dip. Add to tacos for an extra special topping.

4 vegan sauces recipes

Vegan Cream FAQs

What's in plant based sour cream?

Store-bought vegan sour cream has a whole lot of ingredients. My recipe has 3: cashews, water, and lemon juice.

Can I substitute vegan yogurt for sour cream?

Sure. Yet vegan yogurt also has a multitude of ingredients. My vegan sour cream recipe has 3 ingredients that are all pronounceable and common.

Why is sour cream not vegan?

Sour cream is considered vegetarian because while it has no meat products in it, sour cream does contain dairy which is an animal byproduct. It also contains additives + preservatives that often have animal byproducts in them as well. If you want a truly vegan option, my cashew cream recipe gives you the creaminess, texture, and sourness of traditional sour cream without the dairy.

Tips for a creamy cashew sauce

If you've tried this recipe in the past and didn't get a silky smooth finish, then read on! I can help 🙂

First, there is a big difference in using a food processor vs a high-powered blender. If I need to make a quick batch or want a more ricotta-like texture, then the original recipe in a food processor works. Yet if I want to recreate sour cream in all its smooth glory, then follow my recipe because I quadrupled what most people recommend so that it blends in the Vitamix.

I use my 48-oz stainless steel Vitamix container, yet lots of rawkstars use the 64-oz container just fine. Make sure you've got the tamper ready. Place 2 cups of soaked cashews and 4 tablespoon of water into the blender, attach the lid with the tamper in place, then blend on the lowest setting. Starting on low helps break up the cashews better than going immediately to high speed.

Once the blender blades aren't moving, turn off the blender and add 2 tablespoon more water. Start blending again, turning up the speed slowly. It will blend like a smoothie bowl, so use the tamper to keep the sides scraped down. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is just blending on its own. Adding too much water will make this soupy instead of dip-like. Then blend your heart out until your cashew cream is silky.

lemon vanilla cream

Recipes that use cashew cream

I use this cashew sauce on pies, crisps, cobbler, baked potatoes, fruit salad, smoothie bowls, lettuce wraps... I'm not joking when I say it can be used on everything. Whenever a recipe calls for sour cream, you can swap it for this vegan sour cream option. The following recipes from the blog would be amazing with cashew cream. You can even build a custom meal plan with any of them using Rawk the Year.

  • Taco salad, spiralized taco salad
  • BBQ jackfruit tacos, Austinite tacos, crispy chickpea tacos, potato tacos
  • Coleslaw
  • Cauliflower buffalo wings
  • Chipotle veggie bowl
  • Roasted red pepper soup, pumpkin soup, Thai coconut soup, carrot ginger soup, tomato soup
  • Breakfast bowl
  • Loaded sweet potato
  • Pumpkin pancakes

Cookbooks & cleanses

I wasn't joking when I said I use this cashew sauce on everything #delicious. Do you have any recipes that use yogurt, sour cream, ricotta, whipped cream, etc. that you still wanna make but need a dairy-free version? Try using this cashew cream recipe!

  • Winter Cleanse: warm apple crisp, winter ambrosia salad, rosemary cauliflower rice bowl, mushroom-stuffed sweet potato
  • our Seasonal Cleanse Cleanse: raw berry crisp, vegan Waldorf salad, simple kale slaw, black bean tacos, veggie quinoa pizza
  • our Seasonal Cleanse: rawesome tacos
  • Simple Green Meals: Tex-Mex breakfast bowl, kale caesar salad, grilled veggie kabobs, simple cashew slaw, black bean dippers, cacao chili, poblano enchiladas

I can't wait for you to try this recipe! Make sure to leave a rating + review to let me know how yours turns out. If you have any questions, leave a comment with those too; I want you to experience all the magic of cashew cream.

cashew cream

Simple Cashew Cream

4.94 from 29 votes
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Cashew cream is a deliciously creamy way to take your meals to a new level! This recipe highlights how easy it is to make cashew cream multiple ways. Each variation uses ½ cup cashews, but depending on your blender or food processor, it may be easier to make one large batch then flavor individually!
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Servings16

Ingredients

  • 2 cup cashews (raw)
  • water (for soaking, plus 2-3 tablespoon )
  • 2 tablespoon lemon (juiced)

For Dill Ranch

  • ½ cup cashew cream
  • 2 tablespoon lemon (juiced)
  • ½ teaspoon lemon (zest)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

For Chipotle

  • ½ cup cashew cream
  • 2 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo
  • ½ teaspoon lime (zest)
  • 2 teaspoon lime (juiced)
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

For Lemon Vanilla

  • ½ cup cashew cream
  • 2 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon lemon (zest)

For Maple Cinnamon

  • ½ cup cashew cream
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Place the cashews in a medium bowl and pour lemon juice over the top. Add enough water to cover the cashews by a few inches.
  • Soak for 2 hours then drain and rinse well.
  • Combine the cashews w/ 1-2 tablespoon per water per serving in a blender or food processor. Pulse to break up the cashews lightly and blend on low. Add water by the tablespoon, blending until smooth.
  • Transfer the blended cashews to air tight container and store in fridge until ready to use.

For flavor variations

  • Stir in the suggested ingredients to ½ cup cashew cream.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Video

Notes

  • I strongly suggest using 2 cups of cashews like the recipe to get the creamiest result in a high-speed blender.
  • You can soak the cashews up to 12 hours before blending, to soften.
  • If you don't have time to soak, heat up water like you would for tea, then soak the cashews in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften.
  • Feel free to use the cashew cream as-is with no flavor add-ins if you want to use it like sour cream. 
  • If you can't use cashews, then swap for soaked almonds.

Nutrition (estimated)

Calories: 90kcal (5%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 7g (11%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Sodium: 2mg Potassium: 108mg (3%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 1IU Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 6mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
« Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Thai Coconut Soup »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bel

    March 31, 2022 at 7:37 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! Way better than anything store bought. So creamy, so simple and easy to make. This is making it into the recipe folder as a 'go-to'.

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      March 31, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      Yes! I totally use it on everything!

  2. Jeaneen

    March 23, 2022 at 10:41 am

    Can this be stored in the refrigerator for use later? If so, how long does the cashew cream keep? Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Cheryl Herfurth

    March 22, 2022 at 10:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is an amazing salad!! Very tasty and very filling, although I have to say it took me several hours to make the walnut and cashew mixtures, do all the prep work, and finally put it all together. I don’t think I put things on the plate in the right order and almost forgot about the chips & cilantro! In any event, enjoying eating the salad was worth the effort.

    Reply
  4. J.R. Pollnow

    March 21, 2022 at 10:08 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Had this on the Healthy Taco Salad. Next time, we will add the chipotle peppers.

    Reply
  5. Olivia

    November 11, 2021 at 12:25 pm

    5 stars
    Just pulled this up to soak for dinner tonight. Love this staple recipe!!

    Reply
  6. Marsha Green

    November 11, 2021 at 7:28 am

    5 stars
    You give the calorie for one portion and the recipe says there are 16 portions. It’s a little difficult to divide the cream into 16 parts! Do you have any idea how many level tablespoons of these portions would be!

    I haven’t made the recipe yet but it looks great

    Reply
  7. Jo

    November 11, 2021 at 7:08 am

    I wonder instead of chipotle peppers if I can use chipotle spice powder - 1 tsp to make it a little less spicy

    Reply
  8. Carolyn

    October 21, 2021 at 1:58 am

    Curious: Why are the directions to make the Simple Cashew Cream different in the video from what is written as the recipe? Which directions are correct?

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      October 25, 2021 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Carolyn! Great question! The recipe as written in the post is a great base Cashew Cream recipe that you can switch up using other ingredients as you'd like. In the past, we've featured other Cashew Cream recipes that went along with a specific dish (i.e. more tart, more sweet, different flavors) and the video featured here is from one of those past recipes. It's helpful because it shows how to make cashew cream for those who are more visual, yet the written directions in the post recipe are our fav for the best base to start with.

  9. Geri Quintanilla

    October 09, 2021 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    Super easy to make. Creamy, tasty and smooth texture. I have been adding it to all my vegetable soups snd coffee drinks!

    Reply
  10. Suellyn

    October 08, 2021 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    This was very easy to make using a Vitamix blender. I love it mixed in soups and on top of a baked potato. I added the maple variation to oatmeal which was delicious!

    Reply
  11. Simone

    October 08, 2021 at 7:18 am

    5 stars
    I followed the directions and it came out perfect! Thanks for all the encouraging tips, it really helped! I like spice so I’ve made the chipotle and am really loving it! Easy recipe

    Reply
  12. Lalita Howell

    October 08, 2021 at 12:04 am

    5 stars
    I totally love this cream!!
    Today I was thinking of making a key lime silk pie with it. Every time I lick a spoon I think of more possibilities for this cream.

    Reply
  13. Dan

    October 07, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    I've used this SOOOO many different ways. Very versatile. Can be used to add to sweet or savory dishes.

    Reply
  14. Julie Lopez

    October 07, 2021 at 7:42 pm

    Easy to make. Did the 2 hour version. My daughter is lactose intolerant, she sort of liked it. Said it was better than the store bought cashew sour “cream”, though.

    Reply
  15. Eve

    October 07, 2021 at 5:29 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe makes the perfect silky cashew cream. It’s so addicting and versatile.

    Reply
  16. Renee Lembcke

    October 07, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    This is my first time making and trying cashew cream, and WOW. I absolutely love this, I could eat it by the spoon full. It has been great adding it to some of the soups in the 10 day soup challenge, and I have even added some to my green smoothies. Was even thinking of adding it to my coffee instead of regular milk. Or making it into a milk. This will definitely replace normal cream and sour cream in my house. ❤

    Reply
  17. Briana

    October 07, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    5 stars
    Five full stars! A little time consuming (and maybe a little confusing the first time) to make, but so very worth it to have this deliciousness on hand.

    Reply
  18. Erin

    October 07, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is actually a staple in our house thanks to Simple Green Smoothies. First tried it in 2013 during the first cleanse, and was immediately hooked. It has a great texture and is super versatile for both sweet and savory dishes. So easy to add spices to it as well and make it work for whatever dish you want. My favorite ways to use it are as a cream topping for blueberry crisp, as sour cream on top of tacos, and as a ricotta filling for lasagne.

    Reply
  19. Michele

    October 07, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making and eating cashew cream. I soaked my cashews overnight and it turned out amazing! Will definitely make this again !

    Reply
  20. Esther

    October 07, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    5 stars
    Results are a 5, but gave 4 because the recipe can be a bit confusing if you don't read the full post. After doing the soak, you drain and rinse the nuts, put in blender, add 1/2 cup water, then blend. Adjust thickness (creaminess) by adding 1-2 tbsp and continue to blend.

    Video also says to add lemon juice to blender, but I didn't see that in recipe. If you want a zingy cream ala sour cream or yogurt flavored, then add a little lemon juice at a time. (I didn't do this, but will on the next attempt.)

    Tasted like cashews. 🙂 BUT you add it to soup? Yum! Added it to the Vegan Tomato Soup and a Lentil Curry in place of dairy. Added the perfect amount of creaminess and no longer noticed the nut flavor.

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      October 07, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      Hi Esther! So glad you're rawkin this Cashew Cream! The recipe here is a little different than the others because this is actually a base that you can add other flavors to, like suggested in the recipe. Each instance of Cashew Cream (here in the blog, in the book Simple Green Meals, or in a cleanse) is going to be different depending on what foods we're pairing it with. Hope you find a mix that's you're fav!

  21. Jennifer

    October 07, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    I use this recipe often and love how versatile it is! Just keep adding water as you blend to get it smooth and creamy. It’s really hard to believe it’s dairy-free!

    Reply
  22. Gwen

    October 07, 2021 at 3:57 pm

    4 stars
    This was easy to make, the texture turns out very creamy, and really goes well in tomato soup! I am looking forward to turning this into dill ranch and chipotle flavors!

    Reply
  23. Teri Leigh Baird

    October 07, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    4 stars
    This gave a very good creamy level to tomato soup!

    Reply
  24. Sombra

    October 07, 2021 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe during the soup challenge. Not only is this recipe simple, the cashew cream is so versatile for sweet and salty dishes! I love it! This was one of those life changing recipes you can’t get enough of!

    Reply
  25. Shoshanna

    October 07, 2021 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutley love this recipe. I use cashew cream most on tacos and in soups.

    Reply
  26. Tina Mig

    October 07, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    This cashew cream is amazing! The perfect condiment for all kinds of dishes.

    Reply
  27. Jennifer Smith

    October 07, 2021 at 2:56 pm

    5 stars
    I am not vegan or vegetarian, but decided to give this a try. It’s a great add in for so many things and works great for pot lucks where you have many different diet requirements to meet. I have been using it in soups to tamper down spicy heat, I plan to try a flavored version for a veggie dip to have an alternative for hummus.

    Reply
  28. Debra

    October 07, 2021 at 2:49 pm

    5 stars
    This cashew cream is for the win! I've tried a few however this one was the right consistency and flavor was just right! i will be making this cream again with a few additions!

    Reply
  29. Keisha

    October 07, 2021 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! This cream is magical! I have used it on top of soups. Today I added the dill and made a dip for celery and carrots. I’m planning to make some more for use with apples. I highly recommend you try this cream. It’s good and very versatile!

    Reply
  30. Holly Day

    October 07, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    5 stars
    It took me a few tries to get the consistency right, but once I did, this recipe was awesome! It really can be a substitute for so many things. I love the versatility, especially with all these variations.

    Reply
  31. Heather Guerra

    October 07, 2021 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    From a person who loves creams, cheeses, milk, all dairy basically I can say this is surprisingly creamy and quite tasty. I was very hesitant to try it, but I'm sure glad I did.

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      October 07, 2021 at 2:00 pm

      Haha! Thanks Heather!!!!!

  32. Sombra Wagner

    October 05, 2021 at 10:18 pm

    5 stars
    This was my favorite substitute for sour cream, heavy cream. It is non dairy and so delicious and easy to make.

    Reply
  33. Barbara

    October 03, 2021 at 12:40 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply

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Jen hansard blogger at Simple Green Smoothies About

I'm Jen Hansard, mom of two, plant-based foodie, adventure junkie + cookbook author.

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