A Guide to a Cashew Vegan Sauce Recipe

Place the raw cashews in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let them simmer for 15 minutes. This step is critical for achieving a silky-smooth texture.

Carefully drain the hot water from the cashews using a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse them briefly with cool water. This stops the cooking process and removes any starchy residue.

Transfer the drained cashews to the container of a high-speed blender. Add the 1/2 cup of hot water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Secure the lid and blend on high for 60-90 seconds. You must blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, with zero grit. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula halfway through to ensure everything is incorporated.

Check the sauce's thickness. If you want a thinner sauce for pasta or a dressing, add more hot water, one tablespoon at a time, with the blender running until you reach your desired consistency.

Taste the sauce. Adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt for flavor or a touch more lemon juice for brightness. The sauce is now ready to be used immediately or stored for later.