Cashew

Creamy Garlic Dressing

by:
February 24, 2017
0
0 Ratings
Creamy Garlic Dressing
Photo by Laura Wright | The First Mess
  • Makes 1 cup (250 mL)
Author Notes

I keep raw cashew butter on hand almost exclusively for this dressing and any slight variations on it. It tastes like a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing because of the cashew butter's mellow sweetness and naturally high fat content. I love the rousing chorus of "This doesn't have dairy?!" when I serve it to people for the first time. —Laura Wright | The First Mess

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated with a Microplane grater
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup
    2 tablespoons virgin olive oil


  • salt
  • ground black pepper
Directions
  1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the cashew butter and water. Stir with a spoon or small spatula until the cashew butter is broken up and slightly incorporated. Press the chunks of cashew butter up against the sides of the jar to get it as integrated as possible.
  2. Add the garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Tightly secure the lid, and shake the jar vigorously until the dressing has a smooth and creamy consistency. Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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Laura Wright | The First Mess
I cook for a living, and for every other reason you could imagine. Loves: eating with friends, any vegetable, whiskey, and casual gardening.

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7 Reviews

elizabeth S.
elizabeth S. February 27, 2019
I absolutely love this blog!
That is why I keep coming back.
Many thanks
Namaste
 
Cheryl
Cheryl April 18, 2017
I loved this dressing and would appreciate suggestions on where else to use it. Would love to get comments about this. I am also curious: If I didn't put in as much water, would it be a more mayonnaise consistency and (in some recipes), use it like mayo.

From the accompanying article, I did the following and it was delicious and nutritious:
Stuffed sweet potatoes: Roast some whole sweet potatoes until soft. Towards the end of the sweet potato cooking time, roast the chickpeas with olive oil and whatever seasoning you like until crispy (Note: I didn't like the crispy chickpeas so much, so next time would use them rinsed from the can or use some from Joy the Baker's Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas found on this site). Heat up the cooked grains and stuff them into the cut open sweet potatoes (I used no grain and it wasn't needed). Put the crispy chickpeas on top and a tangle of chopped greens. Douse the sweet potato with the dressing.

Thank you for the great recipe!
 
Cheryl
Cheryl April 23, 2017
I only used 1 clove of garlic and that was more than plenty for me.
 
E
E March 22, 2017
How do you think this would work with raw almond or peanut butter, or with tahini? Or is the inherent sweetness and buttery-ness of cashew butter what makes this recipe standout? Don't have any cashew butter but would be willing to buy some if its irreplaceable for this particular recipe. It sounds so good!!
 
petalpusher
petalpusher March 27, 2017
You can skip the pricey cashew butter purchase. Just buy raw cashews and put them in the blender with the other ingredients. Here's a wonderful slaw dressing for red cabbage/broccoli slaw from Ricki Heller. 2/3 cup raw cashews, 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 3/4 teaspoon mild paprika, 2 small chopped garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, parsley, fine sea salt, 3-5 drops of stevia and up to a 1/2 cup of water. Put all in the blender except the water and blend. Check creaminess level and add water or not.
Lower the levels of vinegar and lemon for a less vibrant dressing, but the cashews really create a sumptuous dressing for vegetables. Almonds wouldn't taste as decadent. Peanut butter is a great base for spicy hot sate dressing and tahini with miso and fresh grated ginger makes another vibrantly awesome vegetable accessory. I have a clunky old food processor to make my own nut butters and a local nut roaster will sell raw nuts at bulk prices. It's too easy. Have fun E.
 
chris
chris March 27, 2017
Perfect timing; I needed a recipe just like this, to go with a pork roast and noodles. I think I'll add a shaved fennel bulb to the salad, too. I love the creaminess of the raw nut salad dressings. Thanks!
 
petalpusher
petalpusher March 28, 2017
Glad to help.