Name: Creamless Creamy Herb Dressing
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup raw cashews; 3/4 cup water , plus extra as needed; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley; 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

To make a creamy herb 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 (which included water in most cases) rather than soaking them in tap water and draining them. Using onion and garlic powders instead of the fresh alliums prevented the dressing from tasting too sharp as it sat, thereby extending its shelf life. Because the dressing was initially warm from the friction of blending, we chilled it before adding minced herbs to prevent them from wilting. This dressing is a twofer: Use it as a dip or thin it slightly with cold water for drizzling over salad.

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Before You Begin

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. This dressing works well drizzled over a hearty salad, but it can also be used as a dip for vegetables.

Instructions

Process cashews in blender on low speed to consistency of fine gravel mixed with sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Add water, vinegar, salt, onion powder, sugar, and garlic powder and process on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes.

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. Stir in chives, parsley, and pepper. Thin with extra water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, if desired. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.