This cashew mayo is a creamy, oil-free alternative to store-bought vegan mayo. Perfect for using as a sandwich spread or in your favorite potato or pasta salad. Plus it's low in fat and easy to make with just a handful of ingredients!
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If you're looking for a creamy vegan mayonnaise that's lower in fat and calories than the store-bought varieties, you've got to try this cashew mayo.
Just like my tofu mayo, this cashew version contains no oil, and is perfect for those avoiding added oils or cutting back on them.
It works great as a sandwich spread but is also absolutely amazing in pasta and potato salads. I tried it in my vegan dill potato salad and it was da bomb for reals. 😉
This cashew mayo recipe is also perfect for using in our basic vegan potato salad.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- No need to use silken tofu
- Easily stored in mason jars or other airtight container
- Ready in only 35 minutes
- No additives or preservatives, only whole foods and spices
- Tastes better than regular mayonnaise
- Wonderful creamy texture that's perfect for when you want mayo while following a whole food plant-based diet
Ingredients you'll need for cashew mayonnaise
- Raw Cashews
- Filtered Water
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Dijon Mustard
- Fine Sea Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make cashew mayo - step by step
Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for 30 minutes or in cold water at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
Add the water and the remaining ingredients to a high-powered blender.
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and add them to the high-speed blender.
Blend on high for about a total of 5-7 minutes until very smooth and creamy.
Tips
- You will need to stop and scrape the sides of the blender with a silicone spatula a few times during the process to get all of the homemade cashew mayo.
- If needed, add more water and blend again.
- Taste test and add more lemon juice and/or salt if desired and blend again.
- If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor, it may just take longer or you may need to work in batches.
- Some people like a hint of sweetness to their mayo, if this is you, you can add just a dash of maple syrup.
- If you have the time next time you make this recipe, you can soak your cashews for up to a few hours for even more creaminess.
- The white vinegar and lemon juice are what brings such a bright tangy flavor to this recipe. If you want to tone down the tang but still have some, lower the vinegar and just use lemon juice, or vice versa. We find that vinegar brings a bit more than to this recipe than the lemon juice alone. So adjust as you see fit. It's a great recipe to work from and use as a base recipe to tweak to suit your tastebuds.
Equipment
If you are using the boiling water method to soak your cashews, I love using an electric kettle for boiling the water because it boils super fast.
To blend the mayo, you'll need a high-powered blender such as a Ninja.
Storage
Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator (a mason jar or other glass jars work work best) for up to a week.
Frequently asked questions
Classic mayonnaise is higher in cholesterol, as cashew mayo tends to have none. Vegan mayo is usually lower in saturated fat and carbohydrates. This vegan mayo recipe is oil free, where many other vegan mayou recipes contain some kind of mayo, so if you're looking for a healthier mayo to make over the original recipe, than this cashew mayo is for you! It really is the best vegan mayo recipe out there.
Technically this does not have any perishables in the mayo recipe, however when mixed together, this spread should be kept cold in the refrigerator, so we do recommend storing this great recipe in the refrigerator when not using it in your homemade recipes.
Cashew Mayo
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup filtered water
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste if desired
- 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½-1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste if desired
Instructions
- Soak cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes or in cold water at room temperature (covered) for 6-8 hours.
- Add filtered water and the remaining ingredients to a high-powered blender.
- Drain and rinse cashews and add to the blender.
- Blend on high for about a total of 5-7 minutes until very smooth and creamy. You will need to stop and scrape the sides of the blender with a silicone spatula a few times during the process. Taste test and add more lemon juice and/or salt if desired and blend again. Use right away or refrigerate until ready to use.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
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Donna
I've made a few other vegan mayonnaise recipes in the past; but didn't like the taste of any of them. So today I made your recipe, and the end result was a nice surprise. It tastes VERY good... my husband liked it as well!
My search is over thanks to Y.O.U.
Sherri Hall
Thank you so much, Donna! This makes me so happy! I am thrilled how much you love the cashew mayo! Hope you have an awesome day! 🙂