Finding viable alternatives to dairy sour cream and creme fraiche led me straight to my kitchen. The commercial vegan products on the market are largely processed and can't compare to the simple, creamy and delicious cream you can make in a few minutes at home. You do need to soak the cashews for this savory vegan raw cashew cream, but it's well worth planning a day in advance. (If you must, you can hurry this along by pouring boiling water over the cashews and soaking them for 30 minutes.) Serve the cream as you would any sour cream: with soups, tacos, in a dip, or as a base for a raw dessert. You can also try the Savory Tofu Cream for a higher protein, lower fat version.

See Also

Basic Raw Vegan Cheese

Vanilla Tofu Whip

Walnut Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup water

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes

• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Preparation

Soak the cashews for several hours or overnight. (This will make an extra creamy sauce, so is a step worth taking).

Drain and rinse the cashews.

Place the cashews, lemon juice, vinegar and salt in a blender and add the water. Blend until very creamy, adding more water a tablespoon at a time as needed to reach desired consistency.

Variations: Add chopped scallions, chives, tarragon, mint cilantro, cayenne, or other flavoring to create a flavorful garnish.

The cream will hold for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Copyright 2015 by Jen Hoy