A great non-dairy alternative to heavy cream, cashew cream has a similarly mild flavor and rich texture to its milk-based counterpart. Like heavy cream, cashew cream is also a high-calorie high-fat food, but it is a more complete source of nutrition, pulling its fat and calories from protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats—unlike heavy cream, where all of the calories come from pure fat. Cashew cream is very easy to make at home using just a few simple ingredients, and it can be added into pretty much any recipe in place of heavy cream. It works well in pasta, soups, potatoes and casseroles. It can be used in sweet dishes as well, and when diluted in a little water and strained, it is great in coffee or cereal in place of coffee creamer and milk.
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Yields 4 cups
3 cups raw cashews
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½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 ½ to 2 cups purified water
- Place the raw cashews into a large bowl and cover them completely with water. Soak the cashews for 1 hour, then drain and rinse.
- Place the soaked cashews into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add in the salt and then turn it on to puree.
- With the motor running, add in the purified water and continue pureeing for 1 minute. Turn off the motor and scrape down the sides. Turn the motor back on and puree another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the cashew cream is smooth and creamy. The cashew cream should have a thick consistency, resembling sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Pour the cashew cream into a 4-quart container with an airtight lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This article was originally published in the November 2023 issue of 225 magazine.