Easy Homemade Cashew Cream
A foolproof 2-ingredient cashew cream with ratios for both milk and heavy cream. Silky and pourable for soups, pasta sauces and more.
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Servings: 8
Equipment
- high-speed blender
- Small saucepan or electric kettle for boiling water to quick-soak cashews
- Fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag if you don't have a high-speed blender
Ingredients
Cashew Milk Base (Whole Milk Substitute)
- 1/4 cup (35 g) raw cashews
- water for soaking
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot water for blending
Cashew Cream Base (Heavy Cream Substitute)
- 1/2 cup (70 g) raw cashews
- water for soaking
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot water for blending
Instructions
- Soak the cashews: Place raw cashews in a bowl and cover with room temperature water. Allow to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.Quick soak: Place raw cashews in a heat-safe bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Blend: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender with 1 cup hot water. Blend on high for 60-90 seconds until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the blender pitcher and blend again for another 60 seconds to ensure it's completely smooth and grit-free.
- Strain (optional): If you are using a standard, lower-powered blender, you may wish to pass the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining grittiness from the cashews.
- Use: Use the Cashew Milk formula anywhere a recipe calls for dairy whole milk, or any time you want to add just a little bit of body to a soup or sauce without much thickening. Use Cashew Cream formula as a 1:1 swap for heavy cream in soups, sauces, and more.
- Store: Cashew cream can be used immediately or stored for later. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It will separate as it sits; just give it a quick shake when you're ready to pour.
Notes
Yield: Makes 1 cup cashew milk or cream.
Nutrition is for the Cashew Cream base, per 2 tablespoon serving.
Note on whipping: This cashew cream is formulated as a culinary substitute for savory cooking (soups, pastas, bakes, gravy, etc.). Please note that it will not whip into stiff peaks for whipped cream or cold dessert toppings. For whipped applications, I recommend using a chilled can of full-fat coconut cream, or a store-bought nondairy heavy whipping cream. (Silk makes my favorite, but Country Crock also offers one.)
Nut-free alternative: Substitute raw, unsalted sunflower seeds 1:1 for the cashews. Quick-soak in boiling water for 15 minutes before blending. Please note sunflower seed cream has a slightly earthy flavor, but it performs almost identically to cashew cream in hot soups and sauces.
Avoid other nuts: I don't recommend substituting almonds, walnuts, or pecans for this base recipe. They have much stronger flavor profiles and lower fat content, so they won't blend up into a truly silky and neutral creamy base.
Nutrition
Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.