December 9, 2023

Cilantro Mint Vegan Crema : dairy free

Name: Cilantro mint vegan crema : dairy free
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw cashew, soaked in water; 8 oz silken tofu; 1/4 cup water (add more if needed); 1 tsp chana masala seasoning; 1/4 cup fresh mint; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1/2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 clove of fresh garlic; 1 lemon, juiced; 1 lime, juiced; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp cumin powder; 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast

We all love Mexican cuisine, we all love Indian cuisine….but have every combined the two?…..This combination is mind-blowingly delicious to say the least. This cilantro mint vegan crema is the perfect condiment to bring a unique fusion of flavors to your plate! Curry tacos anyone?!

Cilantro mint vegan crema starts with a thick, creamy dairy free crema, made with the cashews, tofu, citrus, and a blend of spices…the Indian inspired flavor comes in strong with mint, cilantro, and Chana Masala spice mix.

This cilantro mint vegan crema is tangy, fresh, with a hint of spice. It’s the perfect vegan condiment to complement many Mexican or Indian inspired dishes. Spread it on your naan bread, dip your yuca fries or samosas in it….or my personal favorite…top off a vegan curry chicken taco with this cilantro mint vegan crema.

Jump to Recipe

ingredients for cilantro mint vegan crema in a blender

CHANA MASALA SPICE MIX

To give this mint cilantro vegan crema an Indian inspired flavor, you will be adding cilantro, mint, and Chana Masala spice. For this recipe I went with MDH’s boxed Chana Masala. This is a delicious, complex blend of spices, including coriander seeds, red chillies, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek leaves, mustard, dried ginger, and more.

Of course you can make this blend from scratch…but given its abundance of varied spices, I find it much easier to simply have a box in my spice cabinet. I found this spice blend to be the perfect addition to flavor this mint cilantro vegan crema!

This spice blend does have some heat to it! So if you are sensitive to spice, start with less…if you love spice, add more!

WHAT IS CREMA?

Traditional crema is a smooth, creamy, tangy condiment that is very similar to sour cream. It is perfect for adding complexity and flavor to a dish or for cooling down a meal that is a bit too spicy. As delicious as crema is, if you are avoiding dairy, it will not be an option for you.

Luckily this vegan, dairy free version of crema is equally as delicious as the traditional crema, but it skips all of the dairy!

HOW TO MAKE CILANTRO MINT VEGAN CREMA

Making this cilantro mint vegan crema is super simple, does not require any pots and pans. All you need is a blender!

Buttermilk, heavy cream, or sour cream is often the base of traditional crema. To make this vegan crema, you will be using a combination of raw cashews and silken tofu to create that thick and creamy texture.

You will begin by soaking your raw cashews in hot water. Cashews are a relatively soft nut as is. But when soak them in hot water you can really soften them, making them the perfect ingredient to create a thick, creamy, dairy free cream. You want to soak your cashews for a minimum of 15 minutes, but the longer the better!

Once your cashews have been properly soaked, you will simply place all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. That’s it! Delicious, creamy cilantro mint vegan crema with very little time and effort!

WHY CASHEWS AND TOFU

Many vegan crema recipes call for cashes OR tofu. But combining the two is my favorite way to make creamy vegan crema. Combining cashews with tofu makes your dairy free crema super thick and creamy. Adding tofu to the mix also adds a nice dose of plant based protein and nutrients! Because of this, I feel the combination of cashews AND tofu is idle.

WHAT SPICES DO I USE TO FLAVOR VEGAN CREMA

For this cilantro mint vegan crema recipe you will be removing the dairy and replacing it with plant based ingredients. Cashew and tofu can create the creamy texture of the missing dairy, but what about the flavor?

Creating a cream-like flavor with plant based ingredients is totally possible! You just have to use the right balance of ingredients.

ADD CITRUS TO YOUR VEGAN CREMA

Adding citrus to your cilantro mint vegan crema is very important when you are trying to create that tangy flavor that is in traditional crema. For this recipe you will add a combination of lemon and lime juice to do so. Feel free to add even more citrus juice to your crema than the recipe calls for if desired!

HOW TO CREATE A MORE COMPLEX FLAVOR FOR YOUR VEGAN CREMA

You can create a simple and delicious vegan crema using just salt, lime, and garlic…but why not add a couple of extra spices to really make this vegan crema something to talk about?!

For this vegan crema recipe you will be adding fresh garlic, onion powder, cumin, salt, and nutritional yeast. The combination of the spices develop a delicious, well rounded flavor.

Nutritional yeast is a vegan, nutrient dense, yeast that adds a cheese like flavor to a dish. Because of this, it is the perfect addition when creating a plant based recipe that traditionally calls for dairy.

HOW TO SERVE CILANTRO MINT VEGAN CREMA

Cilantro mint vegan crema is the perfect condiment for many Mexican or Indian inspired dishes. You can simply serve it all on it’s own as a dipping sauce for chips, naan bread, samosas, yuca fries, or fresh vegetables. You can take your tacos or wraps to the next level by topping it off with this creamy, dreamy, vegan crema. My favorite way to serve cilantro mint vegan crema is drizzled over vegan chicken curry tacos!