Move over, Ranch, there’s a new creamy dressing in town that’s stealing our hearts! This cheesy jalapeño cashew dressing is our new go-to for salads, wraps, and dipping veggies. It’s savory and creamy and has a subtly spicy kick!
Bonus? It comes together in just 5 minutes with 9 simple ingredients. Grab your blender. Let’s do this!
Ingredients to Make Cashew Dressing
- Cashews – this versatile nut creates a rich, creamy base that’s naturally oil-free and neutral in flavor, allowing the other flavors to shine!
- Water – key for turning cashews into the texture of dressing.
- Lime juice – a generous amount of lime (or lemon) juice gives this the brightness you’re looking for in a dressing.
- Nutritional yeast + miso paste + Dijon mustard + sea salt – this combination of umami and salty flavors gives this dressing an “oomph” that may have you wanting to drink it straight from the blender. You’ve been warned! 😉
- Maple syrup – we include a tiny bit of maple syrup to balance out the flavors, especially the acidity of the lime.
- Garlic + jalapeño – these two ingredients add zing and spice! The modest amount keeps the dressing nicely balanced and not overly spicy or bitter.
How to Make Vegan Cashew Jalapeño Dressing
With your ingredients ready, dressing is moments away! Simply add everything to a high-speed blender and blend for a minute or two until super creamy and smooth. We don’t find soaking the cashews to be necessary, but you certainly could, adjusting the amount of water as needed!
If your dressing isn’t getting fully creamy, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips:
- Are you using a good quality, high-speed blender? Some blenders aren’t powerful enough to blend cashews into a fully creamy texture. We’ve had success with a Vitamix, Blendtec, and NutriBullet. If you’re going to be making nut-based dressings, dairy-free milks, vegan cheesecakes, and similar recipes, it’s definitely worth investing in a high-quality machine! Check out our full blender review here for recommendations.
- Is the volume of dressing enough to cover the blades? If the ingredients aren’t fully covering the blades of the blender, the machine may have trouble getting a smooth texture. Try doubling the amount of ingredients, or using a smaller blender such as a NutriBullet.
We think you’ll LOVE this dressing! It’s:
Creamy
“Cheesy”
Savory
Balanced
Subtly spicy
Versatile
& SO quick + easy!
Whether enjoyed on salads, wraps, or as a dip for vegetables or chips, it adds so much flavor and richness. This dressing is especially amazing on our Vegan Sweet Potato Chickpea Taco Salad, or with our Crispy Breaded Cauliflower Wings or Chickpea Shawarma Sandwich!
More Homemade Vegan Salad Dressings
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 12 (2-Tbsp servings)
- 1 cup raw cashews*
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup lime juice (or sub lemon juice)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp white miso paste (if soy-free, use chickpea miso)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, roughly chopped
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Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend on high until super smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
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Use immediately at room temperature or transfer to a jar and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to chill. It will thicken in the refrigerator, so you can add more water later on to thin if needed.
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Enjoy with salads, cauliflower wings, wraps, or for dipping veggies. Store leftover dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
*We didn’t find soaking the cashews necessary, but you can soak them, if preferred! If using soaked cashews, you may not need as much water for blending.
*If nut-free, you could try a mix of raw sunflower seeds and hemp hearts, but we haven’t tested it this way. Let us know in the comments if you do some experimenting!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Serving: 1 (2-Tbsp) serving Calories: 70 Carbohydrates: 5 g Protein: 2.8 g Fat: 4.9 g Saturated Fat: 0.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 171 mg Potassium: 112 mg Fiber: 0.8 g Sugar: 1.2 g Vitamin A: 3 IU Vitamin C: 3.1 mg Calcium: 8 mg Iron: 0.8 mg
