This creamy, Trader Joe Copycat spicy cashew dressing is just like the original, and some may argue, even better! Make it in 15 minutes with a few easy-to-find ingredients!
This spicy cashew dressing is not just a dressing, but a multipurpose sauce that can be used for marinating and drizzling on your protein of choice or any other food for that matter! Think roasted veggies! Yum! I’d even suggest using it as a dipping sauce! It’s versatile and dairy-free!
Why You’ll Love This Trader Joe’s Copycat Cashew Dressing Recipe
Easy to find ingredients. If truth be told, I don't buy my salad dressings. I truly believe you can make them at home, cheaper, and healthier, with just a few basic ingredients. I did, however, make an exception the last time I was at Trader Joe's. I had been seeing their Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing trending on social media and decided to give it a try. It did not disappoint. Now, I've been making peanut butter and almond butter-based dressings for a while, but I like the creaminess and neutral flavor profile that cashew butter lends to this recipe.
Cheaper than store-bought. However, if you know me, you know that I like to save money where I can, and the thought of spending $4 for an 11-ounce bottle seems too much of a splurge. Especially when it goes so fast! So, I had to try making it at home. And so, this Trader Joe-inspired cashew butter-based dressing was born. And if my family’s reviews are anything to go by, I have pretty much nailed it!
What you will need to make this spicy cashew dressing
Cashews: Soaked and drained cashews are best. Leave them to soak overnight and then rinse and drain them before making the butter. This ensures a smoother, creamier sauce. If you decide to buy pre-made cashew butter, make sure to read the ingredient list, as many include sugar and or inflammatory oils like sunflower or safflower in them. Not to mention, cashew butter is hard to come by and costs a pretty penny!
Ginger: Use whole ginger or ginger paste. Paste will help the dressing come together faster.
Lime juice: You can swap out with lemon juice if you wish, although the ingredient list on Trader Joe’s dressing calls for lime juice.
Maple syrup/sweetener: Maple syrup keeps this dressing neutral, but honey would also work.
Sriracha/red chili paste: If you can’t find Sriracha, I imagine any red chili sauce would do.
Coconut aminos/Soy sauce: Use coconut aminos if you are on a gluten-free diet, as soy sauce tends to contain wheat.
Cilantro: I know many don’t love cilantro, but I would recommend it, as it adds a freshness to this sauce without overpowering it.
Water: You can play with the amount of water you want to use and adjust your seasonings accordingly. The Trader Joe’s version was slightly more watery than mine, but that just comes down to personal preference.
Assembling it
Make the cashew butter: I think the most time-consuming part of the recipe is making the cashew butter. I like to rinse and soak the cashews either overnight or soak them in boiling water to help remove the phytic acid that is present on the nut, as well as any pesticides and chemicals. This helps with digestion and results in a creamier, smoother sauce.
In a food processor, add the cashews and blitz for about a minute or two, scraping down the sides in between till you have a smooth, paste-like consistency.
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Tip:
you don’t need to process the cashews till it forms into butter, as once the rest of the ingredients are added, it will come together just fine.
Add the other ingredients: Next, add all the other ingredients and blend till everything is well incorporated. You can adjust the amount of water according to your preference. I don't like my dressing to be too runny, and this amount of water was just right for me.
If the poll on my Instagram stories was anything to go by, a lot of you wanted this copy cat Trader Joe’s Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing so I am hoping you will try this out soon! If you do, be sure to let me know how you like it in a comment and rate it below and tag me on a picture on Instagram! I’d love to see it!
Spicy Cashew Dressing (Trader Joe’s Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons coconut aminos / soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 cup cilantro packed
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the pre-soaked, rinsed, and drained cashews and blitz for about a minute or two, scraping down the sides in between till you have a smooth, paste-like consistency.
- Next, add all the rest of the ingredients except the water and blend till everything is well incorporated.
- Add the water a little at a time until the dressing is to your desired consistency.
- Enjoy as dressing, dipping sauce or marinade.
Video
Notes
- For best results, process the cashews into a paste-like consistency before adding the rest of the ingredients. This ensures a smooth, creamy texture.
- Although any airtight jar will do, I have several of these cute Korken bottles from Ikea that work well for salad dressings.
- This dressing keeps well up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Fabiola Baldini says
This recipe turned out simply amazing!!!! I can’t wait to make a lot more of your recipes!!! Thank you!!!
Zeeshan says
Thank you so much for the review Fabiola! I’m so glad you loved it! Can’t wait for you to try more of my recipes too!