I’m not vegan, but when a dish calls for a lot of heavy cream I almost always substitute either greek yogurt or cashew cream. This cashew cream adds the same rich velvety notes heavy cream has, but without making me feel lethargic after eating. A must make for anyone who wants to pound back a frankly concerning amount of chicken alfredo without repercussion.
Jump to RecipeRoasted vs. Raw
Raw cashews will give you a more neutral flavor reminiscent of real cream. But I have used roasted cashews and it turned out good as well. Roasted cashews tend to come salted but it doesn’t affect the end product much since the nuts need to soak in water first, washing off the majority of salt.
Do I need to soak?
Soaking the cashews softens them up for a smoother end product after boiling. I try to soak my cashews for at least an hour. In a pinch I will boil the cashews for a few minutes to soften them. However the flavor will be slightly different and it doesn’t blend as smooth with less powerful blenders. For the blender recommendation you didn’t ask for, this is the blender I have. This bad boy has made me the smoothest smoothie bowls, tomato soups, and of course cashew creams.
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
1 cup cashews
1 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Soak the cashews in room temperature water for 1-2 hours. Or alternatively boil the water for ten minutes. Drain the cashews completely.
- Place cashews in a blender with fresh water. Blend at high speeds, occasionally scraping down the sides of the blender, until smooth and homogenous.
