Toasted Cashew Sauce

Raw cashews lose their flat, soapy edge once toasted, turning sweet and nutty in the way that makes this sauce work. The whole jar of cashews goes into a low oven first, then into a blender until ground fine before the rest of the ingredients liquefy with them. That double processing is what gives the sauce its silky body without any cream or oil.

Garlic, white onion, and fresh ginger build the savory backbone. Soy sauce or tamari provides salt and umami depth, while arrowroot acts as the thickener that pulls the sauce together as it heats. Cayenne brings the optional heat.

This is a dairy-free workhorse that pairs with steamed vegetables, brown rice bowls, baked potatoes, or roasted cauliflower. It keeps 6 to 8 days in the fridge and reheats with a splash of water to thin.

Kitchen Tips

• Watch the cashews closely while toasting. The low oven keeps them from burning, but they go from golden to bitter quickly past 15 minutes.
• Grind cashews in ¼ cup batches as written. Overloading the blender produces uneven texture.
• Heat the sauce gently. High heat can break the emulsion and turn it grainy.
• For a smoother sauce, soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes before toasting and grinding.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy alfredo-style twist over pasta.
• Swap ginger for 1 tablespoon of curry powder for an Indian-inspired pour-over for rice and lentils.
• Stir in lemon juice and fresh dill at the end for a Mediterranean-style dressing thinned with extra water.