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Recipes

Put-It-On-Everything Cashew Sauce

By Lauren Schaefer

4.9

(15)

Image may contain Plant Food and Fries

This rich, creamy vegan(!) sauce is your new all-purpose condiment. Packed with herbs, it's a no-brainer for a seasonal veggies-and-dip situation, but can easily be dressed up to suit any occasion. Swap the herbs and vinegar for lime juice and zest and you've got a perfect taco-topper. Add some chipotles in adobo to make a spicy, smoky bottom-of-the-plate schmear for roasted veggies. Or spike it with some grated garlic and thin it with lemon juice for a killer dairy-free ranch dressing.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

2

cups raw cashews

1

cup mixed tender herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, and/or basil

2

Tbsp. unseasoned rice or distilled white vinegar

1

Tbsp. kosher salt

Crudités, such as radicchio, carrots, radishes, and batons of bread (for serving)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a tea kettle or small saucepan. Place 2 cups cashews in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit 10 minutes.

    Step 2

    Strain cashews through a fine-mesh sieve into another medium bowl, reserving soaking liquid.

    Step 3

    Transfer nuts to blender, then add 1 cup herbs, 2 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 Tbsp. salt, and half of soaking liquid.

    Step 4

    Blend on medium speed, scraping down sides with a spatula and adding more soaking liquid as needed, until cashew cream is very smooth and the consistency of yogurt, 1–2 minutes.

    Step 5

    Using spatula, transfer cashew cream to a medium bowl. Serve with crudités alongside.

Explore Bon AppétitSauceCondimentCruditéCashewNutEasyQuickStarterSnackDairy-FreeVeganVegetarianGluten-FreeBasically