Cashew cheese is a delicious and decadent substitute for those who avoid dairy. Omnivores love this one too!
Use this cashew cheese recipe to make macaroni and cheese, cheese grits, on baked potatoes, on chips, nachos, tacos, etc. I love it myself on a plain baked potato. So freaking good!
How to make cashew cheese
To make this recipe first, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this cashew cheese recipe, you will need the following:
- raw cashews
- nutritional yeast
- lemon juice
- turmeric
- chili powder
- garlic (fresh or powder)
- mustard (regular or dijon)
- salt
- water
Soaking the cashews
Soaking the cashews helps the blender to break them down a bit better. You can skip this step if you have a super mega high speed blender like a Vitamix.
To soak, make sure you cover them completely with tap water. Drain fully before using.
Blending
Next, add all ingredients to a blender.
Then blend on high until smooth and creamy.
You can taste you cashew cheese to see if you’d like to add any additional seasonings.
Cashew cheese serving suggestions
We love this on quesadillas, burrito bowls, chips, baked potatoes.
One of our favorite ways to enjoy it is to make cashew macaroni and cheese.
How to make cashew mac and cheese
You can make the cashew cheese or pull it from the refrigerator.
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Use any type of pasta shape. Our favorites for mac and cheese are macaroni (duh!), penne, fusilli and shells.
Just prior to draining the pasta when it is done cooking, collect a bit of the starchy, hot pasta water. I use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup for a pound of pasta.
Pour in the cashew cheese.
Mix the cashew cheese, pasta water and cooked/ drained pasta together until creamy.
Serve immediately.
Leftovers are good in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, add about a tablespoon of water to the bowl to stir in. This helps revive the cheese sauce.
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Cashew Cheese Sauce
Cashew cheese is a delicious and decadent substitute for those who avoid dairy. Omnivore, kid and husband approved!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked in water for 2 hours, unless you have a high speed blender
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard dijon, spicy brown or yellow
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt (adjust to your preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 small clove, 1/2 regular clove fresh garlic)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric optional, for color
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup water + more for desired texture
Instructions
Cashew Cheese Sauce
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Soak the cashews in warm water for an hour (Optional, but highly recommended if you do not have a high speed blender. If you have a Vitamix or BlendTech, you can skip this step.)
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Blend the ingredients together in a high speed blender, until smooth and creamy.
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If you desire thinner consistency, slowly add a tablespoon or so of water, until desired consistency is reached.
To make vegan macaroni and cheese
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Cook your favorite shape of pasta according to package instructions.
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Just prior to draining the cooked pasta, reserve some of the starchy cooking water. I usually reserve a bit more than what is needed – around a cup.
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Add the cheese sauce, cooked pasta and about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to the pot and stir to combine.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. Nutritional information is for the cashew cheese sauce only, and is for 1/8 of the total recipe.
Jeannine Johnson says
I just made this amazing recipe and it is the best cashew based cheese I have tried. I love how easy it was to make while having all of the ingredients on hand.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Happy to hear that Jeannine!