If you would like to reduce or eliminate dairy from your diet and aren't sure about nut milks, cashew milk is the best place to start. It has a rich creaminess and a natural sweetness which is usually missing in other nut milks. I love adding some dates and a touch of salt to my cashew milk. It makes it truly delicious and addictive. In fact, in coffees and teas you won't even be able to tell that it is non-dairy.
Cashew milk is the closest to coconut milk or soy milk in terms of thickness and texture, which makes it ideal for thinning curries or making vegan soups creamier. It is also a great base for vegan puddings, mousse or jellies. Plus it is incredible for your health. Cashew nuts are very high in protein, calcium, magnesium and good fats making them an amazing nutrition source for supple young skin, great bone health and bounds of energy. I like to make this cashew milk once in two weeks (I like to rotate my nut milks in order to get a wide range of nutrition in our diets). Try using this cashew milk in these overnight apple baked oats, instead of regular dairy in these muffins or instead of coconut milk in this ice cream.
The best part about making this cashew milk is that you can use the leftover cashew meal to make this cashew cream (although it might be a sweeter than you would like because of the addition of dates). Or you could do what I do and place the cashew meal in a small bowl, add some chopped cranberries, pinch of salt and pinch of yeast flakes. Mix and refrigerate for a day and you have a glorious Wensleydale style sweet cashew spread to slather over crackers when you are dreaming of a cheese platter.
I hope you make this milk and love it. I would love to hear about your feedback in the comments/rating below and don't forget to share your cashew milk photos with me on Instagram by tagging #cookrepublic. Enjoy my lovelies! x
Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) raw cashew nuts
- 4 large pitted dates, (or 8 small)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Place cashew nuts and dates in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Rest for 20 minutes. Drain.
- Add the soaked cashew nuts and dates to the jug of a blender. Add salt and 1 litre cold water.
- Process for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Strain the cashew milk through a nut milk bag or very fine sieve into a large bowl.
- Pour into a 1.5 litre glass jar. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I use my mio mat machine to make this cashew milk and I literally have no pulp. It's excellent, rich and creamy and I don't have to strain it. I love cashew milk.
Hi Sneh,
What do you normally do with your nut milk pulp? I mean, not just the cashew pulp? You mention you add yeast flakes to turn it into a cheese spread - do you mean nutritional yeast? I cannot figure out a great way to use my pulp, and usually (to my own horror) end up throwing it away after a few days in the fridge!
Thanks for your great ideas, as always!
Viktoria
Hi Viktoria, with the cashew pulp, I definitely like to add nutritional yeast and turn it into a cheese spread. It is also great to make vegan dips, especially for Mexican burrito bowls - the cashew pulp, some jalapenos, pinch of paprika, salt, nutritional yeast, water blended until smooth. With all my other nut pulps, I add it to pancake batter, stir it through muffin batter or add to curries and hummus. x
This is quite interesting, I've never had to try making dates cashew milk before. Such a brilliant idea Sneh thumbs up for this.
Hi! Just out of curiosity: have you tried any other types of fruit beside dates? I am mostly curious if you have tried jujubes (also known as Chinese Dates). Thanks so much! I am definitely trying this over the weekend! Yum!
Hi Emily! No I haven't but sounds really interesting. I'll investigate. Thanks x