Smoky Red Pepper Cashew Cream Sauce

I have seen many cashew cream sauces on vegan sites and was always curious to know what a cashew cream sauce actually tastes like. So when I found myself with a collection of beautiful peppers from my mom and dad’s garden and a can of roasted cashews in my cupboard, I decided it was time to give it a try.

I first fire roasted my peppers and garlic on the grill, then pureed it all in my handi chopper. The garlic when fire roasted turns into a creamy paste and loses its “bite”, so a whole head of garlic is not at all overwhelming, but rather a supporting undertone to the peppers and cashews. It turned into this most wonderful thick, creamy sauce. I had been using it for a dip with crackers or chips because yeah, it is just that good, all on its own, but there are so many ways you could use this pretty dairy-free cream sauce:

• Serve it as a dip with vegies, chips or crackers
• Use it on pasta, eggs, chicken, fish or vegies
• Spread it on toast or sandwiches 
• Mix some into soup for a flavor boost

Smoky Red Pepper Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 head of garlic
• About 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• About 3 large red bell peppers or other sweet peppers (about 1 cup total, after roasting and removing the seeds/stems)
• 1 small hot pepper or 1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

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Instructions

1. Cut the top off the garlic head and drizzle a bit of olive oil into it. Wrap the garlic in foil.
2. Start up your grill and when it’s hot, set the head of garlic and the peppers over the heat to roast. Roast the peppers until charred and black, turning to roast all sides of the pepper. Roast the garlic until it’s completely soft and squishy. I didn’t time it on the grill, but in an oven it takes garlic about an hour to get good and soft.
3. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers. You can pull the peel off the peppers or leave the peel on for extra charred flavor.
4. Using a handi chopper or blender, puree the pepper with the cashews and garlic till smooth. Add salt to taste.

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Notes

If you don’t want to use the grill to roast the veggies, you can roast them in the oven instead.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at Weekend Potluck, Scrumptious Sunday, Mix it Up Monday, Mostly Homemade Monday, Munching Monday, Inspiration Monday, Wine’d Down Wednesday and Thursday Favorite Things.