Vegan Cashew Cream with Yogurt, Miso & Herbs

Vegan cashew cream is a popular swap-in for dairy-based sour cream or cream cheese. With a base of raw cashews, this recipe’s consistency is a cross between the two, making it just as good for spreading, dolloping, or dipping.

I’ve always found that the flavor in standard recipes for cashew cream a bit flat, with only lemon juice usually used to give it some tang. This version gets its full-bodied flavor with the addition of vegan cashew yogurt, a light miso, and the addition of fresh herbs to your taste.

This makes about 1 cup, or 8 servings. Double the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd or sharing at a special occasion — it goes down easy!

Ingredients for vegan cashew cream

• Raw cashews (1 cup)
• Vegan cashew yogurt (or other plant-based yogurt like oat or soy), 6-ounce container
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more, to taste (from 1 fresh lemon; or bottled)
• Light miso (like mellow white or chickpea miso)
• Fresh herbs (choose 1 or 2 from among scallions, dill, parsley, or cilantro)

Ways to use vegan cashew cream

• Any way you’d use sour cream, especially to top hot or cold soups, as well as stews. Try dolloping it onto Hot or Cold Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup.
• As an embellishment for Tex-Mex specialties like Vegan Burrito Bowls.
• As spread on fresh bread, especially sourdough.
• As a dip for crackers, chips, and vegetable crudités

• A Guide to Cashews and Cashew Butter
• Delicious and Easy Vegan Dips & Spreads
• Smoky Vegan Cashew Sauce
• Vegan Mock Chopped Liver (cashew-based and delicious!

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Yield: 8

Vegan Cashew Cream with Yogurt, Miso & Herbs

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With a base of raw cashews, this vegan cashew cream's consistency is a cross between sour cream and cream-cheese making it just as good for spreading, dolloping, or dipping. Serve with fresh bread, crackers, or vegetable crudités.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 6-ounce container vegan cashew yogurt (or other plant-based yogurt like oat or soy)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more, to taste (fresh or bottled)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons light miso (like mellow white or chickpea miso)

Fresh herbs (choose 1 or 2; use more as garnish if you’d like)

• 1 to 2 scallions (green parts), thinly sliced
• Fresh dill (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• Fresh parsley or cilantro (leaves from several sprigs)

Instructions

1. Place the cashews in a small, heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let stand for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour.
2. Drain and transfer to a food processor along with the cashew yogurt, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the miso. 
3. Process until smoothly pureed, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed. Taste to see if you’d like to add more lemon juice and/or miso, then process briefly once again.
4. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Garnish with additional fresh herb(s) if you’d like. Serve right away as suggested in the headnote, or cover and refrigerate for a while; the consistency will become a little firmer with refrigeration. 
5. Keep leftover cashew cream in a tightly lidded small container in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3 to 4 days.

See more delectable vegan appetizers and snacks.

Photos: Barbara Neveu / Bigstock