In North America sour cream is an everyday staple, but in Europe they use crème fraîche. I’m actually surprised crème fraîche hasn’t caught on more in the U.S. and Canada since it’s richer and far more versatile than sour cream. It can be enjoyed as a creamy garnish or as an ingredient in a range of savory and sweet recipes. And it’s actually a little easier to mimic without dairy, in my opinion. Just try this dairy-free cashew crème fraîche recipe and you’ll see. It’s not identical but it is a delicious and equally useful alternative.
Dairy-Free Cashew Crème Fraîche from the Candle 79 Chefs
For nearly three decades, chef Joy Pierson crafted exclusively vegan cuisine at her upscale and casual New York restaurants, Candle 79 and Candle Cafe. Chefs Angel Ramos and Jorge Pineda, who worked with her, have rekindled the vegan flame with a spin-off known simply as Candle. Most of us won’t make it to their Manhattan restaurant, but we can enjoy dishes from these three chefs in the Candle 79 Cookbook. We originally shared this vegan cashew crème fraîche recipe when the cookbook was released back in 2011. We’ve since updated it, added FAQs, and have many suggestions for using this soon-to-be essential condiment.
What Is Crème Fraîche?
Crème fraîche, often written as creme fraiche, is French for “fresh cream.” But it’s really a thick cultured cream that’s made similarly to sour cream. However, crème fraiche is higher in fat than sour cream, and it has a thicker consistency. It’s also less sour and has been described as a little nutty in flavor. Consequently, cashews are great for making a dairy-free version.
Can I Substitute Almonds for the Cashews?
You can, but almonds do lend a more pronounced taste and aren’t quite as creamy. If you do use almonds, I recommend peeling the skins off after the almonds have soaked. They should slip off fairly easily, but you do have to do them one at a time! Macadamia nuts, pine nuts, or a blend of these nuts could be good creamy substitutes for the cashews in this vegan creme fraiche.
What Type of Oil Should I Use?
In the they use extra-virgin olive oil. I don’t always want the pronounced taste of EVOO, so I often use extra-light olive oil, grapeseed oil, or another neutral-tasting oil when making a cashew cream alternative. The choice is yours. If you use coconut oil, melt it and use warm water in preparation. Know that the coconut oil will cause this dairy-free cashew crème fraîche to set up more firmly when cold, but will readily thin as it warms.
Do I Need a High-Speed Blender for this Recipe?
A high power blender is helpful for getting the smoothest texture and creamiest consistency. But I’ve made many a cashew creams with an ordinary blender. Soaking the nuts softens them quite a bit and makes it easy for most machines to tackle. You just might need to blend longer and stop to scrape down the sides occasionally.
Do You Have a Nut-Free Option?
If you have my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook, there is a Coconut Crème Fraîche recipe in Chapter 17 (Dreamy Dairy Substitute Recipes). I make that recipe very differently from this one, so I can’t recommend a simple swap. If I do post it online eventually, I’ll link up!
How to Use Dairy-Free Cashew Crème Fraîche
The taste of creme fraiche makes it a good low sugar cream option for both sweets and savories. Really, the possibilities are endless. But here’s a quick list of ideas to get you started.
- Enjoy it with a fresh fruit salad
- Stir it into soups for more thickness and creaminess
- Use in sauces in place of cream
- Dollop it on baked potatoes
- Whisk in herbs, spices, and thin with water to make a creamy salad dressing
- Serve a spoonful atop scones
- Add it to scrambled eggs
- Whip in just a little sugar and vanilla for a pie topping
- Substitute it for sour cream in recipes (banana bread, cake, casseroles, etc)
- Add some to dairy-free dips for a creamier texture
- Use it in place of sour cream on nachos, enchiladas, and tacos
- Swirl it into pasta for a rich finish
- Add herbs and a little more lemon and serve it with fish
- Add some to potato and macaroni salads for a delicious twist
Special Diet Notes: Cashew Crème Fraîche
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, added sugar-free, vegan, plant-based, paleo, and vegetarian. It might also suit some keto diets
Dairy-Free Cashew Crème Fraîche
Ingredients
Method
- Put the cashews in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and let the cashews soak overnight in the refrigerator.
- Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer the soaked cashews to a blender. Add the lemon juice, oil, water, and salt and process until smooth.
- This dairy-free cashew creme fraiche will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Notes
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