This creamy Thai cashew dressing is a savory peanut sauce substitute. Since peanuts are a common allergen, I use freshly roasted cashews that have a rich nutty flavor that is super similar to peanuts.
The dressing is also vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sesame free and refined sugar free. Perfect for salads, spring rolls, noodle dishes and marinades!
Try it with my Thai sweet potato glass noodle salad!! Yaaaas.
Inspired by my obsession with peanut satay dipping sauces and an asian cashew dressing recipe I made while studying at the Food Future Institute. nom nom nom.
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What to put this dressing on
- Thai sweet potato glass noodle salad - this Thai cashew dressing is the key ingredient to this savory & refreshing salad with sweet potato glass noodles, crisp veggies and fresh herbs
- Use it as a marinade
- Dip for your favorite vegetables or spring rolls
- Stir fry sauce
- Spread it on a sandwiches or lettuce wraps
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Cashew substitutes: Cashews can be substituted with roasted peanuts or substitute both the cashews and water for 2 cups of cashew butter or peanut butter. Cashew butter will not be as flavorful since the cashews are not freshly roasted.
- Tamari substitute: Tamari can be substituted with the same amount of soy sauce. Some people like to substitute soy sauce & tamari with coconut aminos but it doesn't have the same saltiness and depth of flavor so I don't recommend it.
- Spicy lover or spice sensitive? The amount of sriracha in the recipe can be increased if you want the dressing to be spicy or omitted completely if you are sensitive to spice. The amount of sriracha in the recipe isn't intended to make the dressing spicy, it adds a depth a flavor to compliment the sweet and tangy flavors.
Expert Tips
- It's important to buy raw unsalted cashews and roast them yourself or else the amazing nutty flavor will not be as deep and "peanuty".
- If you spray a little cooking oil into a measuring cup sticky ingredients like honey won't stick!
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the blender so that you don't leave any dressing behind.
FAQs
3-5 days when stored properly in air-tight container. The dressing will thicken over time so you may need to add a bit of water before serving.
You can make a peanut sauce substitute with cashews by swapping peanut butter with freshly roasted cashews blended with water!
Leftover cashews? Try these recipes
- Non Dairy Caesar Salad Dressing (using miso & cashew)
- Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls (Air Fryer or Pan Fry)
- Healthy Chicken Enchiladas (dairy free + gluten free)
I hope you love this creamy Thai cashew dressing! If you make it I’d love if you could leave a rating & connect with me on Instagram @passthesprouts!
Recipe
Thai Cashew Dressing (peanut sauce substitute)
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups raw unsalted cashews
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup tamari reduced sodium
- 6 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sriracha add more if you want it spicy
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Roast Cashews: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the cashews out in an even layer in any oven safe baking dish or sheet pan. Bake the cashews until they are golden brown ~10-15 minutes. Be sure to move the cashews around every 5 minutes so they cook evenly.
- Blend: Add the freshly roasted cashews to a blender with all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Freshly roast raw unsalted cashews - It's important to buy raw unsalted cashews and roast them yourself or else the amazing nutty flavor will not be as deep and "peanuty".
- Cashews substitutes - same amount of roasted peanuts or substitute both the cashews and water for 2 cups of cashew butter or peanut butter. Cashew butter will not be as flavorful since the cashews are not freshly roasted.
- Tamari substitute - same amount of soy sauce
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the blender so that you don't leave any dressing behind.
Sara Annis says
Love this sauce! It’s delicious and tastes just like peanut sauce. I had this with pad thai and it complimented it so well. Clean ingredients too! I can’t wait to make this all summer!
Nora says
What a great idea! And ideal for allergy sufferers! I also love that you added honey, it really adds to the flavor!
Gloria says
We love Thai food. This dressing sounds wonderful. Great for salads, spring rolls and more. You can eat it off the spoon too lol.
Keri Bevan says
My daughter is allergic to peanuts, so this is an ideal recipe for us. Looks super simple and tasty. I had no idea you could sub cashews for peanuts.
Debra says
Loved this dressing...it was easy to make and so flavorful. We used it as a dip for our spring rolls.
Kim Curtis says
How long does this last in the frig?
Rachael says
Hi Kim! So sorry I missed your question. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days!