Whip up this velvety Cilantro Lime Cashew Cream in minutes. This cashew crema is your non-dairy, gluten-free BFF for tacos and pasta.

It costs approximately $6.43 to make this cashew cream. The recipe makes eight servings and costs around $0.80 per serving. 

What You’ll Love About Cashew Crema

• Flexible Recipe: My recipe has two methods for making the cream sauce. Use whichever one works better with your schedule.
• Quick and Easy: The recipe has ten minutes of prep times after the cashews are softened. 
• Goes With Everything: This sauce is perfect for topping tacos, over pasta, dipping veggies into, or enjoying solo by the spoonful.

Ingredients To Make Cilantro-Lime Cashew Cream

How To Make Vegan Cilantro Lime Crema

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

For Hot Recipes:

1. Soak raw cashews and boiling water for 10 minutes in a high-speed blender.
2. Add spices, salt, and cilantro. 
3. Blend until thick and creamy green. 

For Cold Recipes:

1. Soak cashews in cold water (overnight or 5+ hours).
2. Blend with spices, salt, cilantro, lime zest & juice until creamy green. 

Recipe Variations:

• Add a jalapeño for an extra kick.
• You can substitute parsley for cilantro. 
• Substitute lemon for the lime.  

Serving and Storage Tips

Serve: This sauce is best fresh. Enjoy Cashew Cream as a garnish for tacos, over pasta, marinated chicken, or drizzle over soups.

Store: Store the cashew cream in a jar with a lid and place it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to three days. 

Reheat: This sauce does NOT microwave well. It will turn lumpy and burn. To reheat, simply pour into a small saucepan and add a splash of boiling hot water—whisking and stirring until smooth and creamy once again.

Freeze: This recipe does not freeze and thaw well, it separates and looses its thickness.

Cashew Crema Recipe FAQs

Is cashew cream healthier than dairy cream?

You will find that cashew cream is a great option because it is healthier than dairy cream. It typically has fewer calories, total fat, sodium, and saturated fat than dairy cream. For the full nutritional information, see the bottom of the recipe card.

What does cashew cream sauce taste like?

This sauce is creamy, rich, and decadent. It is packed with vibrant cilantro and lime for a refreshing flavor blast. 

How long will cashew cream keep in the fridge?

I recommend using the cashew cream within three days.

More Whole 30 Recipes

• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Easy Baked Chicken and Zucchini Recipe
• Easy Mexican Salsa

Read the recipe from start to finish. You will better understand the flow of the recipe and identify any unfamiliar words or methods.

Shop for the ingredients beforehand. When you shop ahead, you are less likely to swap out ingredients for what you don’t have, thus creating a complete recipe fail!

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment below and an honest rating. ♡

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5 from 2 votes

Cashew Crema

Creamy, rich, and decadent, Cilantro-Lime Cashew Cream! Use this velvety non-dairy cream sauce over tacos, tossed into gluten-free pastas, or to marinate meats.

Course sauces

Cuisine American

Keyword cashew cream, cilantro, dairy-free, whole30

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 91kcal

Author Jillian

Cost $6.43

Equipment

• Blender
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

• 1 cup of cashews
• 1 cup boiling hot water
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro packed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt or salt to taste
• Juice and zest of 1 lime

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For Hot Recipes:

• First, add one cup of unsalted, raw cashews to a high-speed blender like a Vitamix.
• Next, add one cup of boiling hot water.
• Set aside for 10 minutes. This step will help soften the cashews.
• When ready, add the spices, kosher salt, and cilantro to the blender.
• Blend on high until a thick and creamy green sauce forms.

For Cold Recipes:

• Soak the cashew in cold water overnight or for a minimum of five hours.
• When ready, add the cashews, spices, kosher salt, cilantro, zest, and juice of the lime to the blender.
• Blend on high until a thick and creamy green sauce forms. Enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Posh Plate - Healthy Feel-Good Recipes