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This Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream is a delicious dairy-free alternative that can double as a white sauce or dip! Plus, it's made with just five simple ingredients and is free of added sugar and artificial flavours.

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This creamy dairy-free white sauce came to be when I created my Cheeseless Buffalo Chickpea Pizza. However, since it's become a staple for so much more than pizza sauce, I figured it deserves its very own blog post!

With simple ingredients and a delicious depth of flavour, it can be served as both a dairy-free dip or a rich cream sauce. It even makes a flavourful alternative to mayo for sandwiches and tuna salad.

Free of soy, gluten and added sugar, it's also suitable for a variety of other dietary allergies, sensitivities and restrictions.

Is Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce Healthy?

This Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce is a dairy-free alternative that's made with real food ingredients, no soy and no added sugar. It's naturally flavoured with fresh roasted garlic, lemon juice and natural mineral salt.

How to Make Dairy-Free Garlic Cream Sauce

It's surprisingly simple to make homemade garlic cream sauce without dairy! You only need five ingredients, a blender and a bit of time. You can even prepare all-purpose cashew cream a day or two in advance to whip up this sauce in under five minutes.

What You Will Need

Equipment

• Blender to create a creamy consistency.
• Measuring utensils for accuracy and the best results.
• Oven or stovetop to roast or toast the garlic.

Ingredients

• Raw cashews or cashew cream create a deliciously creamy consistency without dairy or soy.
• Fresh garlic is first roasted or toasted to create a depth and richness of flavour.
• Fresh lemon juice offers a touch of tanginess that helps to mask the very subtle cashew flavour and create a taste closer to traditional cream.
• Natural mineral salt, such as Himalayan, Celtic or sea salt, brings the flavours together.
• Extra virgin olive oil helps to prevent sticking while roasting or browning the garlic.

Step 1: Prepare Cashews

Cashews are much easier to blend and digest when they are first soaked. To do this, place the raw cashews in a sealable container and cover them with filtered water. You can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or kelp powder to further improve their digestibility.

Cover with a lid and place in the fridge to soak overnight or for 8 - 12 hours. Alternatively, you can do a quick soak by using warm water and allowing them to soak for 10 - 30 minutes.

Once the cashews are soaked, strain out the soaking water and rinse the cashews well. Set the soaked cashews aside while you prepare the garlic.

You can also prepare the cashew cream base ahead of time. I like to make it a day or two ahead of time, which allows me to whip up this white sauce or dip in a matter of minutes.

Step 2: Roast Garlic

Once your cashews are soaked and rinsed or plain cashew cream is prepared, you will need to roast or toast the garlic. You can either brown it quickly on the stovetop or roast it in the oven.

To brown it over a stovetop, add the oil to a small saucepan and place it over low heat. Peel, press, and roughly chop the garlic. Add it to the pot with the oil and cook until it becomes fragrant and begins to brown.

To oven-roast the garlic, preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, peel and press the garlic cloves. Then place the garlic cloves in an oven-safe dish with the oil. Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until fragrant and the garlic begins to brown.

Step 3: Blend

Next, place the soaked and rinsed cashews with fresh filtered water into a blender. Or place your prepared plain cashew cream into a blender. Then add the roasted garlic, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth.

Substitutions & Variations

Garlic powder can be used as a substitute for roasted garlic. It doesn't offer as much of a pop of flavour. However, it still does the trick and has saved me in a pinch many times.

Make it oil-free by roasting or browning the garlic in a tablespoon or two of water or broth instead.

Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of the lemon juice.

Omit the lemon juice if needed. This sauce still tastes delicious without it.

How to Use Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

This roasted garlic cashew cream can be used as a rich cream sauce or a dairy-free dip!

It makes a delicious white pizza sauce or a comforting, creamy sauce for pasta, lasagna, casseroles and more!

This sauce also makes a delicious dairy-free dip for dunking veggies, pizza, wings, nuggets, chicken fingers or cauliflower bites.

But it doesn't end there. This roasted garlic cashew cream also makes a scrumptious plant-based alternative to mayo that can be spread on sandwiches or used in tuna salad, pasta salad, potato salad, devilled eggs, and so much more!

Storing & Saving

This cashew cream sauce can last 3 - 5 days in the fridge if properly sealed.

If you have used pre-made cashew cream, it's important to take into account how many days in advance it was made. For example, if the cashew cream was made 2 - 3 days in advance, I would try to consume this sauce within 2 - 3 days.

I like to store mine in an airtight glass container or jar for the best flavour and to avoid toxins that can leach from plastic.

More Healthy Snack Recipes

If you make this Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce, let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating below. Also, keep in touch on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Flipboard!