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    Home » Recipes » oil-free dressings and sauces

    Cashew Lime Crema

    Published: Nov 3, 2019 . Modified: Mar 3, 2025 by Allie

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    cashew lime crema in a jar

    I made this easy cashew lime crema to go on top of lentil walnut tacos and vegan taco bowls.  It’s quick to make and only takes three simple ingredients (including water).  It’s so delicious, and I love the lime flavor.  When I mixed it in my taco bowls it reminds me of sour cream, because of the tang from the lime juice.  By itself, it’s quite delicious too!  Use it like sour cream and cool down any spicy dish.

    If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec then you shouldn’t need to soak your cashews.  Depending on your blender the cashews may need to be soaked overnight or you can add cashews to a bowl, cover them with boiling water, and soak them for an hour.  The longer you soak your cashews the less your blender has to work, overnight should be the most you’d need.  The smooth consistency will depend on the blender and how long the cashews soaked. 

    Uses for Cashew Lime Crema

    • Walnut Lentil Tacos
    • Nachos
    • Taco Bowl
    • Burrito Bowl
    • Instant Pot Red Lentil Chili
    • Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili
    • Red Lentil Dal

    More Oil-Free Cashew Dressings

    • cilantro cashew dressing
    • cashew dijon dressing

    I hope you enjoy the recipe for cashew lime crema!

    cashew lime crema in a jar with limes
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    Recipe

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    Cashew lime crema in a jar with limes.

    Cashew Lime Crema


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.8 from 4 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: ¾ cup 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Dairy-free cashew lime crema, perfect for tacos or cooling off any spicy dish.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed)
    • ⅓ cup of water
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • pinch of salt (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

    Notes

    There is no need to soak the cashews if you have a high-speed blender. 

    Otherwise soak the raw cashews overnight or add cashews to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for an hour.

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Category: sauce
    • Method: blender
    • Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Justin

      June 19, 2021 at 7:32 am

      I used it on tacos and it came out perfect! A little hint of lime and creamy, thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Allie

        June 19, 2021 at 7:35 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Jo

      June 18, 2021 at 11:45 pm

      This ended up being more nutty and pasty than I was hoping, so to tamper the nut flavor and make it more creamy, I added another 1/3 cup water and tablespoon lime juice.

      Reply
      • Allie

        June 19, 2021 at 7:54 am

        Sorry, it came out pasty, I've never needed that much liquid for 1/2 cup cashews. It is supposed to be thick and creamy, but not pasty.

        Reply
        • Peggy Lee

          August 20, 2024 at 2:12 pm

          I wonder if she used cooked cashews instead of raw. They'll give you a pasty sauce!

        • Allie

          August 20, 2024 at 7:19 pm

          Maybe that's what happened!

    3. Rhonda

      August 31, 2020 at 10:41 pm

      Yay! This calms the heat of salsa and it's yummy. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Allie

        September 01, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        I'm glad you like it! It's really good mixed with salsa too, like a creamy salsa dip or dressing.

        Reply
    4. Jan

      May 20, 2020 at 8:14 pm

      Can you use cashew butter? I don’t have access to raw cashews.

      Reply
      • Allie

        May 20, 2020 at 10:14 pm

        I haven't tested it with cashew butter, but I think it would work. If the cashew butter contains oil you might want to reduce the amount of water at first, since the oil will make it creamy. Then add the rest of the water if it needs it.

        Reply
    5. Sam

      November 09, 2019 at 11:07 am

      I made it last night and it turned out great!

      Reply
      • Allie

        November 09, 2019 at 11:08 am

        I'm so glad you like the recipe!

        Reply

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    Cashew lime crema in a jar with limes.