When I went vegan in 2015 I practically lived off cashews. I would create a cashew sauce base every weekend and store it in the fridge to use throughout the week.
I would then use it to create a whole variety of tasty dishes. Either as a cream sauce or as a cheese alternative. The beauty of it was in its versatility. You can flavour it in many different ways and use it in so many dishes. It is a pretty nutritious ingredient too.
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 400 g Raw cashew kernels
- 300 g Water add more if your blender can’t take it – just water it down less when cooking with it or reduce it over the hob
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- Flavour variations: see below recipe
Instructions:
- Soak the cashew nuts for at least 6 hours – overnight is easiest. To cheat you can soak in boiling water and keep covered for an hour.
- Drain and then rinse the soaked cashews before using
- Place the soaked cashews in the blender with the remaining ingredients
- Blend until smooth
- Use straight away or place in to any suitable fridge/freezer containers for future use
Notes
- Cashew cheese: add turmeric, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, black pepper
- Sour cream: add lemon juice and apple cider vinegar
- Aioli: add fresh garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil
What can you cook with the cashew base?
This recipe creates the base for so many different recipes. Here are some great ways to make the most out of this cashew sauce base:
- Use it to make a creamy vegan pasta dish
- Use it as a vegan cream cheese and serve it with carrot lox
- Use it as a bechamel for a vegan lasagne
- Stir it into your favourite soup (like broccoli or tomato soup)
- Use it to make a creamy vegan mac and cheese
Honestly, there is so much you can do with this recipe. This is why I love making a batch every week and storing it in the fridge to use in a whole variety of dishes. It speeds up the cooking process, especially after work.
How do you store the cashew sauce base?
Simply decant your blended cashew sauce base into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. I personally like to use a glass Kilner jar. It will last up to 1 week in the fridge. But do make sure to check out if you haven’t used it during this time.
If you won’t be using it as regularly, you can also freeze it. Ideally, I like to blend up a massive batch to freeze and then cut away at it over the week to use and flavour as I wish. This process also works really well if you would like to use it as a vegan parmesan alternative. Simply grate a frozen chunk of it over your food when you’re ready to serve it up.
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