Dairy and I have always had a love hate/relationship. I’ve struggled with stomach upsets around the stuff since I was a brand new babe. Through the years, I’ve tried again + again to convince myself that it couldn’t be the greek yogurt giving me cramps or the ice cream making me bloat, but alas – dairy and I are just never meant to be. However, my Quick Cashew Cream Sauce is basically my knight-in-saucing armour. Having it in my life has helped to heal the dairy shaped hole in my heart.
Why Choose a Quick Cashew Cream Sauce?
Whether or not you suffer from a diagnosed lactose intolerance, minimising the amount of dairy that you consume can’t really be a bad thing. You might be amazed by the difference in your skin or digestive health. In fact, according to the US Library of Medicine, roughly 65% of the world’s population suffer from some level of inability to digest cow’s milk after infancy. Most likely because we aren’t baby cows.
However, I really do believe in moderation and personalised food freedom. If dairy doesn’t bother your stomach, I absolutely think that you should have the choice to incorporate it into your life however you choose. So, if that’s you, eat a piece of cheesecake for me. If it’s not, keep reading for a cream sauce that both dairy + non-dairy folk can enjoy!
When I set out to create a dreamy, creamy dairy-free “cheese” sauce, I was going through my first round of Whole30. I was craving something comforting and rich, but knew that following the program rules meant any sort of tofu, soy based cheese was out of bounds. Ladies and gentleman, I have never been so thankful for cashews.
Cashews make the best milk, the best butter, the best snack + the best dang cream sauce ever. They are silky and nutty, but mild in flavour and luscious in texture. It’s just as satisfying as its dairy-based counterpart due to cashew’s high levels of healthy fats, but with fewer of the saturated variety to worry about.
How Do Cashews Make Alfredo?
In this recipe, we combine these little gems with the tang of lemon + the hit of garlic to create a sauce that you’ll want to pour on everything. Now, in full transparency, if you’re expecting a bold, cheesy flavour, you might be mildly disappointed. This sauce is PERFECT as an Alfredo-style cream sauce, but it’s not quite the same as the tried and true. I actually like it better, but I wanted to warn you.
It’s so simple to put this sauce together. You literally throw everything into a high speed blender. It takes about 2 minutes to come together. Seriously. It’s so easy it’s stupid. There’s no chopping or melting or stirring on the stove. It’s toss together, blend + enjoy. Super straight forward, but freaking delicious. It also keeps in the fridge for up to a week if you aren’t going to use all of it right away. (You’ll be glad to have some extra around.)
My favourite way to eat this sauce is generously slathered on top of some veggie noodles – sweet potato are my preference. However, I’m sure that zucchini noodles would be great, as would the tried and true flour-based pastas that you know and love. I’ve also stirred this into a cauliflower rice stir-fry with some chicken to turn into a dairy-free, grain-free risotto-style meal (YES!).
This sauce also serves as a great addition to dishes you wouldn’t normally associate with a cream sauce like curry’s or soups (like this butternut squash baby). I love to stir in a big ole spoonful at the end of the cooking process for extra thickness + richness without any cream or coconut milk. It’s also unreal mixed into a big ole pan of sautéed spinach or stirred into some chili.
I’m hoping that I’ve convinced you to give this Quick Cashew Cream Sauce a try – you really need it in your life, I promise. And when you do taste it, I’d love to hear whether or not you love it as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below or tag me in your photos on Instagram! And as always, remember you can pin any of these recipes to save for later 🙂
Quick Cashew Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews
- 1-1.5 cups chicken stock or almond milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional – I don’t use this, but feel free to add it for a more cheesy flavour.)
Instructions
- Cover your cashews in boiling water. Leave to sit for 30 minutes.
- Drain your cashews and add them to a high speed blender or food processor.
- Add your salt, stock or milk + garlic to your cashews. Add the juice from your entire lemon to the mix. (Add your nutritional yeast here if you’re using it!)
- Blend for 1-3 minutes until your cream sauce is smooth. This will depend on the speed of your appliance. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
- Toss your sauce with your veggies or grains of choice. Heat together on the stove until the sauce is heated through and thick.
