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Hearty Main-Course Salads
Recipe
1 hr 30 min

Creamless Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tahini Dressing

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Creamless Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tahini Dressing
Author: Andrea Geary

Recipe By Andrea Geary

Published on August 21, 2024

A surprising ingredient quietly imparts the smooth richness of dairy or mayonnaise while letting the other ingredients shine.

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

Serves 16 (Makes about 2 cups)

Why This Recipe Works

To make a creamy roasted red pepper and tahini dressing with lively flavors, we based our recipe on soaked and pureed raw cashews (inspired by vegan nut cream) instead of dairy or mayonnaise. Grinding the nuts first allowed us to decrease the typical overnight soaking time to just 15 minutes. To further streamline the process, we hydrated the ground cashews with the other dressing ingredients rather than soaking them in tap water and draining them. Using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic prevented the dressing from tasting too sharp as it sat, thereby extending its shelf life. This dressing is a twofer: Use it as a dip or thin it slightly with cold water for drizzling over salad.

Ingredients

½ cup raw cashews
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped coarse
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Water

Instructions

  1. Process cashews in blender on low speed to consistency of fine gravel mixed with sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Add red peppers, vinegar, tahini, oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne and process on low speed until peppers are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    You'll need a conventional blender for this recipe; an immersion blender or food processor will produce dressing that is grainy and thin. If you use a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, blending times may be shorter. Use raw unsalted cashews, not roasted, to ensure the proper flavor balance.
  2. Process on low speed until all ingredients are well blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down blender jar. Process on high speed until dressing is smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer dressing to bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 45 minutes. Thin with water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, if desired. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 10 days.
    Recipe Tip
    This dressing works well spooned over a hearty salad or grilled chicken, but it can also be used as a dip for vegetables.

My Rating

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Creamless Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tahini Dressing

Recipe By Andrea Geary

Published on August 21, 2024

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

Serves 16 (Makes about 2 cups)

Creamless Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

½ cup raw cashews1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped coarse3 tablespoons sherry vinegar3 tablespoons tahini2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil1 ½ teaspoons salt½ teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon garlic powderPinch cayenne pepperWater

Instructions

  1. Process cashews in blender on low speed to consistency of fine gravel mixed with sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Add red peppers, vinegar, tahini, oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne and process on low speed until peppers are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    You'll need a conventional blender for this recipe; an immersion blender or food processor will produce dressing that is grainy and thin. If you use a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, blending times may be shorter. Use raw unsalted cashews, not roasted, to ensure the proper flavor balance.
  2. Process on low speed until all ingredients are well blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down blender jar. Process on high speed until dressing is smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer dressing to bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 45 minutes. Thin with water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, if desired. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 10 days.
    Recipe Tip
    This dressing works well spooned over a hearty salad or grilled chicken, but it can also be used as a dip for vegetables.
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