My healthy Gluten-Free Vegan Garlic Cashew Spread is an easy recipe to make with only 5 clean, real food ingredients and can be prepared in under 5 minutes. It's a perfect plant-based staple recipe to use in wraps, to dip fresh veggies, or spread on gluten-free crackers.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Table of contents
Why You'll Love This Garlic Cashew Spread Recipe!
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- It's A Versatile Plant-Based Staple Recipe: use it on sandwiches, wraps, as a veggie dip, pasta sauce base or baked potato topping! here
- Can Be Prepared in Less Than 5 Minutes: it's quick, easy, and beginner-friendly using just a blender!
- Made With Only 5 Clean, Real Food Ingredients: uses cashews to create a thick creamy texture without oils or dairy!
Karielyn
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The Method Behind All My Recipes
If you love clean, real food vegan recipes like this one, you'll love the method behind them.
The Real Vegan Method™ helps you:
- Move beyond processed vegan substitutes
- Cook with clean, real food ingredients
- Make plant-based eating simple + consistent
All my recipes - including this one- come from the Real Vegan Method™.
My healthy, clean eating cashew-based garlic dip is organic, plant-based, raw, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, oil-free, low-carb, paleo-friendly, and Medical Medium® Compliant.
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the clean, real food ingredients I used to make this recipe. Try to buy organic if possible.
- Cashews
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Ground Black Pepper
- Himalayan Pink Salt
That's it! My plant-based Garlic Spread is super easy to make!
Why This Recipe is Healthy
Here are "5 Fast Facts" of the primary ingredients in this recipe so:
- You know what is in the food you are eating
- You know that the ingredients are nutrient-dense and are nourishing your body
- You will feel good about what you eat
Garlic
- regulates blood sugar levels
- lowers high blood pressure
- contains anti-bacterial and analgesic properties
- anti-viral
- helps to lower cholesterol levels
Lemons
- extremely alkaline to the body
- blood purifier
- excellent for detoxification
- balances blood sugar levels
- contains powerful anti-bacterial properties
Himalayan Pink Salt
- contains 84 minerals
- unrefined, unprocessed, raw
- promotes stable pH balance in cells
- controls water levels in the body
- aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption
How To Make This Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Here is how to make this gluten-free garlic cashew spread and I'll show you how with step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1: Prepare The Cashews
Firstly, there are two options for the cashews:
- Unsoaked Cashews - if you are short on time, you can add the raw cashews directly to the Vitamix. The mixture will be somewhat "grainy" but will taste the same.
- Soaked Cashews - if time allows, soak the cashews in a bowl of filtered/purified water for 30-60 minutes. When done, drain and rinse the cashews before adding to the Vitamix. Soaking the cashews will make them soft and the mixture extra smooth.
Step 2: Blend The Ingredients
Secondly, add all the ingredients for the recipe, including the cashews to a Vitamix.
Blend on high speed until everything is well combined and the mixture has a thick consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Step 3: How To Store Gluten-Free Vegan Garlic Cashew Spread
Lastly, store the spread in an air-tight, BPA-free container in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can but the texture will be less smooth and might be grainy but will taste the same.
If you don't have time to do a soak, you can boil them for a few minutes to soften them up before adding to your blender.
Yes! Using roasted garlic will make it extra special by giving it a slight sweetness and milder flavor.
Yes! Just add a little warm water or veggie broth until you get the consistency you like.
You can use a nut-free alternative such as sunflower seeds, although the flavor profile and texture would be different.
Yes! I especially love to add fresh chives and even jalapenos, but you can add any fresh herb that you like.
My plant-based Garlic Cashew Spread is an easy recipe to make and a great staple recipe to have on hand.
Here are some of the ways you can use it:
1. Spread on gluten-free toast or crackers
2. Use as a dip for fresh veggies
3. Add to a wrap or sandwiches
4. Toss with warm pasta
5. Dollop on baked potatoes
6. Use as a base for creamy dressings
Karielyn's Expert Tips
Tips:
Here are my best tips to help you make the best Vegan Cashew Garlic Spread perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference in the flavor and texture.
- Soak the cashews overnight for an ultra-smooth texture
- Use roasted garlic for sweeter, deeper flavor
- Add a splash of ice water when blending for extra creaminess and to make it thinner
- Blend longer than you think because cashews need a little extra time
- Chill before serving to naturally thicken
- Use a Vitamix or high-speed blender for the best texture
Ingredient Substitutions
Cashews. The secret to making this spread is in the cashews. You want the mixture to be thick enough to spread but not have a "grainy" texture. Soaking the cashews in filtered/purified water before adding them to the blender will make them soft. In addition, this will make the mixture extra smooth without a "grainy" texture.
Not to worry if you don't have time to soak the cashews in advance. The taste will be the same and only the texture would be different.
Garlic. I recommend using fresh garlic to give the best flavor. In addition, here are some other garlic suggestions:
- Add 1-2 extra cloves of freshly crushed garlic if you L.O.V.E. garlic.
- If time permits, you could also use roasted garlic to give it a more intense flavor.
Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor and most nutrients. However, you can substitute with store-bought organic lemon juice.
Ground Black Pepper. This can be omitted or even adjusted to the amount you like.
Himalayan Pink Salt. This is my salt of preference but it can always be substituted with sea salt.
try this reader favorite !
Stuffed Mini Peppers with Garlic Cashew Spread
My Stuffed Mini Peppers with Garlic Cashew Spread is another healthy + delicious recipe made with clean, real food ingredients!
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Gluten-Free Vegan Garlic Cashew Spread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic raw cashews
- 4 cloves organic garlic (freshly crushed)
- ½ cup organic lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1 pinch organic ground pepper
Instructions
Optional Step: Prepare the cashews:
- Soak the cashews in filtered/purified water for 30-60 minutes, then rinse and drain. This step is optional, but it will make the cashews soft and the mixture extra smooth.
Prepare the spread:
- Add all ingredients to a Vitamix and blend until everything is well combined, but still thick, taking care not to over blend, and using the tamper if needed. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to help it blend easier.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
- Add 1-2 extra cloves of freshly crushed garlic if you L.O.V.E. garlic.
- If time permits, you could also use roasted garlic to give it a more intense flavor.
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
More Healthy Plant-Based Cashew Recipes
- Tomatillo and Jalapeno Dip
- Raw Spinach and Avocado Dip
- Gluten-Free Vegan Sweet Potato and Cilantro Dip
- or my Real Vegan Method™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Linda says
’1/2 organic lemon juice’
1/2 what? Cup? Teaspoon?
I can’t find the comments that might already answer this question.
Karielyn says
Hi there Linda! Sorry about that...it should be "1/2 cup" organic lemon juice. I just corrected the recipe and thanks so much for letting me know about the error 🙂
Mikaelee says
Could I make this in a food processor?
Karielyn says
Hi Mikaelee! You should be able to. I would soak the cashews for about 30-60 minutes (then drain them) before adding them to the food processor so they will be soft and blend easier.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Alisha says
I made this tonight and I'm in creamy garlic heaven! Thank you for such a simple and delicious recipe.
Karielyn says
Hi there Alisha! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! It is definitely super easy to make and very versatile too.
Thank you for trying out the recipe and for taking the time to let me know you like it...I really appreciate it 🙂
Ashton says
Hi Karielyn! I just started a Raw Vegan diet. and I'm wondering about your recipe for the "Garlic Cashew Spread"... how long does this keep in the refrigerator? Or should it be eaten the same day? Thank you!
-Ashton
Karielyn says
Hi there Ashton! Yay for starting a raw vegan diet!! You can keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of days covered and it will be fine.
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy it...it's really good 🙂