Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip

Sometimes you hit on something so good, you just can’t get enough.

Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip came about through my obsession with cashew sauce. I recently posted about cashew sauce as a delicious topping for my Sweet Potatoes and Beets With Lemon Garlic Cashew Sauce bowl. In that version of the sauce, I kept it lemony simple and curry-free. For this version, I wanted it to be bursting with flavor and for the texture to be a little thicker, as my plan was to serve it as a dip for the most beautiful Simple Roasted Rainbow Carrots and also with Home-Made Oven Baked Potato Chips (I’ll share the recipe for the carrots and the chips in another post to make it easier to find later).

Because of their creaminess, cashews play a big role in many vegan recipes for savory dishes, desserts and sauces that require texture and richness. And because the flavor of cashews when soaked and blended with water is somewhat understated, the resulting cashew cream can be seasoned to simulate cheesy and other typically dairy-based sauces (think alfredo sauce or mac and cheese sauce). And no, I’m not vegan, but I do try to eat healthy and one doesn’t need to be dairy-free to enjoy such deliciousness – do you agree? I’ve served cashew cream to really picky eaters (okay…my kids) who couldn’t even tell they weren’t in fact eating dairy, and they loved it. Truth.

Begin by soaking the cashews for one to two hours. Place your raw cashews in a a bowl and cover them with room temperature, leaving about an inch of water above the cashews.

While your cashews soak, go ahead and prepare the curry and onion mixture that gives this Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip its name. Sauté the diced onions until they become caramelized, and then add the cumin and curry powder. Allow the onions to cool while you wait for the cashews to soften in the water. Go read a book, take a walk, do the laundry (ugh), walk the dog, watch your favorite Netflix show…I think you can figure out a little something to do while you wait (I know I can find a million and one things 😉 ). Don’t worry if you leave and come back 4, 8 or 10 hours later – soaking the cashews longer only makes them softer and creamier.

Once your cashews have finished soaking, you’l drain them and place them in a high powered blender like a Bendtec or Vitamix with the requisite amount of water, salt, lemon juice and the seasoned onion sauté mixture. Blend really well until creamy. At this point you should sample the cashew cream to see if it needs more salt. If you prefer a more liquid texture (say for a salad) add a bit more water and blend again until you’ve reached the desired consistency.

Now find something to serve with that Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip. I recently used it as a dip for Simple Roasted Rainbow Carrots and Home-Made Oven Baked Potato Chips that I took to a friend’s birthday party and it was a definite crowd pleaser. Look for those recipes coming to the blog really soon. What other uses can you find for Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip? Don’t be shy. Share your ideas with other readers in the comments section below.

Print Recipe

Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip

This vegan Creamy Dreamy Curry Cashew Dip pairs perfectly with with vegetables and chips for a beautiful party platter or appetizer.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time8 mins

Author: Jackelin

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup water
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

• Begin by placing the cashews in a bowl and covering by one inch with room temperature water. Allow to sit for a minimum of one hour.
• Meanwhile, sauté the onions in the oil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until the onions become caramelized (about 7 minutes). Add the powdered cumin and curry powders and saute the mixture for another minute until the spices become fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Once the cashews have finished soaking, drain the water from the bowl and place the cashews in a high powered blender, along with the water, lemon juice, sautéd onion mixture and salt. Blend on high for about 30 seconds until smooth. At this point adjust the salt to your preference, and add a little water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Notes

• note that the hands-on prep and cooking for this recipe is less than 10 minutes. The total time listed includes one hour for soaking the cashews.