This is one of my favorite go-to and all-purpose sauces. Cashews are a great source of healthy fats as well as protein. This sauce is super creamy and delicious, and can go on just about anything! I usually drizzle this sauce over zoodles (spiralized vegetable noodles) to make a mouth-watering vegan spaghetti with white sauce substitute. This dish is a great vegetable and protein-filled dinner. I also love using it to make a vegan mac and cheese subsitute. It goes great over baked butternut squash and on top of eggs for eggs Benedict. The options are limitless. Once you get a sense of the flavor, it may just become your new vegan “Alfredo” sauce. You might even begin to add your own flare to the sauce to customize it to your dish.
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic raw cashews or cashew halves (soaked in water for 6-12hrs)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- Dash of salt (optional)
Optional Ingredients
- For Spicy: 1 teaspoon (or more) black pepper, cayenne pepper, or red chili flakes.
- For Cheesy: 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a good source of B vitamins and trace minerals.
- For Sweet: 1 tablespoon raw organic honey or maple syrup.
Instructions
Step 1
In a bowl, soak cashews for 6-12 hours. Make sure there is enough water to cover all the cashews. The reason behind soaking cashews is that it helps break down phytates, which inhibit the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. However, if you don’t have time or forgot to do this step, you can get away with not soaking them. It won't affect the texture very much and will still make for a savory sauce.
Step 2
After soaking the cashews, drain water. Place cashews, lemon juice, garlic, and 1/4 cup vegetable broth, and any additional ingredients in a high power blender.
Step 3
Blend until creamy. Add remaining vegetable broth until desired texture and creaminess. If the sauce is too thick, add more broth or water to the mixture.
Step 4
Serve over desired meal, refrigerate for up to a few days, or freeze for later use. Bon appétit!
