Cilantro-Lime Cashew Cream (Vegan)

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 2 cups

I love this sauce!  And, there are at least four more sauces using soaked cashews on the website where I got the recipe. Serve this as a dip for quesadillas, or spoon into burritos, dollop on top of tacos or on top of a Buddha bowl.  Use as a spread for wraps or as a spread for sandwiches in lieu of mayonnaise.  As you can see, I drizzled it over this salad plate.

1 cup raw cashews, soaked* in cool water for 8 hours

½ cup water (or more)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

¾ - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-2 chopped jalapeno peppers**

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.  Add the cashews and the remaining ingredients to a high speed blender.  Blend for 2 minutes.  (If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can use a food processor and process for 4 minutes.)

Taste the sauce and adjust*** any seasonings to your liking. 

Store in the fridge in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid for up to 1 week.

*Soaking the cashews will make them soft and easy to turn into a smooth sauce.  If you are in a hurry, you can cover the cashews with boiling water and allow them to soak for 1 hour.

**If you like things hot and spicy, leave the seeds and membranes in the peppers when you add them to the blender.  If you prefer a milder sauce, use only one pepper and remove the seeds and membranes.

***To make it spicier, add another jalapeno.  To make it saltier, add more salt. For a more cheesy/umami flavor, use more nutritional yeast.  To add more acidity, add more lime juice.