If you have any dietary restrictions, you know finding good substitutes for things you enjoy can be hard. I’m always on the lookout for recipes to add to my repertoire for me or any others who need some alternatives.
I’ve been trying to limit how much dairy I eat lately, so I’ve been exploring making creams and sauces with cashews. This may sound weird, but hear me out! Once you soften them, you can use them to make something very similar to dairy-based foods. My new favorite is this cashew ranch dressing, which I could eat with a spoon.
Dairy Free Cashew Ranch Dressing
You’ll want to start with whole cashews. I used unsalted but you can use salted; you’ll just want to make sure you taste the final product before adding additional salt.
I was able to get a whole jar for about $12 at Aldi!
Add 1 cup cashews and 2-3 cups of water to a saucepan. You’re going to drain off this water, so measurements don’t have to be exact.
Once it’s boiling, let it boil for about 12 minutes.
At this point, most of the water will have evaporated and the cashews will be soft.
Drain off the excess water.
Then add the softened cashews to a food processor or blender.
You’ll need to add about 3/4-1 cup of water to the cashews in order to get the right consistency, as well as some dijon mustard. If you like your dressing even runnier, you can add more water. Blend and blend until it’s nice and smooth!
Then it’s time to add your seasonings. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dill seasoning.
Add those and blend them in, adding more water if needed if the dressing is too thick.
Then you’re done! Just put it in a covered container and store it in the refrigerator. It’s great on salads, on nachos, or just as a dip for veggies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry cashews
- water (for boiling)
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- pepper
- dill
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 3/4-1 cup water (for dressing)
Directions
- Add the cashews to a saucepan and cover with 2-3 cups water. Bring to a boil and boil for 12 minutes.
- Strain the water out and add the cashews to a blender or food processor. Add 1 tbsp. dijon mustard.
- Start by adding 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth; add more water to get the consistency you desire.
- Add spices – salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dill – to taste.
- Blend together and add more water by the tablespoon if needed.
- Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to eat!