Whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack in between – cashews (cashews, cashew nuts) are already an indispensable part of many people's diet. They are among the most popular types of nut due to their mild, sweet flavour and softer consistency. Vegans in particular enjoy their versatility and sometimes like to use the nut as a plant-based cheese substitute. Or you can turn them into a delicious cashew drink for your morning organic muesli. Today we present 9 ways in which you can use cashew nuts creatively and in a variety of ways.
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Why cashews should not be missing from your diet
All types of nuts are rich in important nutrients and should therefore definitely be included in your diet. For several reasons, cashews are even considered a true superfood. They contain valuable vitamins, minerals and trace elements as well as the very special amino acid L-tryptophan, which is converted by the brain into the happiness hormone serotonin.
The long-chain carbohydrates and fibre contained in cashews help to keep your blood sugar level constant, leaving you feeling fuller for longer and reducing the urge to raid the snack cupboard. Cashews are also an excellent source of plant-based protein, with 18 g of protein per 100 g, making them ideal for people who play sports and want to avoid animal products.
What makes cashews different from other nuts?
Compared to other types of nuts, cashews contain the least fat and therefore fewer calories than other nuts. They are also softer than other types and are therefore well suited for pureeing – as you will see from some of our preparation ideas in a moment.
9 great ways to use cashews
It's clear that cashews are very healthy and should definitely be part of your diet. But always nibbling them on their own as a snack between meals can get boring in the long run. That's why we've put together 9 ways you can creatively incorporate cashews into your diet:
1. Cashews as a topping for your porridge or cereal
The easiest way to benefit from the healthy cashew nut at breakfast time is to add a handful of them to your porridge or muesli. Some of our mueslis already contain cashew nuts, such as our two sports mueslis.
2. Cashew drink – easy to make yourself
Drinking cashew nuts? What sounded completely absurd just a few years ago is no longer anything out of the ordinary, because plant-based drinks are now made from oats, soy, almonds, rice, hazelnuts and much more. Incidentally, cashew milk is the most recommended plant-based drink for newcomers to the plant-based beverage scene, as it most closely resembles cow's milk in terms of taste and consistency.
If you are looking for a zero-waste alternative to the cashew drink from the supermarket, you can simply make it yourself. For our recipe, you only need cashews, a natural sweetener of your choice, a pinch of salt and water:
3. Cashew Smoothie Bowl
As already mentioned, cashew nuts are particularly easy to puree because they are softer than other nuts. If you're already a big fan of fruit bowls, you can simply mix in a few cashews. Not only do you add valuable vitamins and minerals from the nut, but the fibre and long-chain carbohydrates contained in cashew nuts also ensure that the smoothie bowl keeps you fuller for longer. Here's a recipe for a true morning vitamin bomb:
4. Vegan pesto – with cashew nuts
The popular Italian pesto is traditionally made with the hard cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan), which in turn is produced with the help of rennet obtained from calf stomachs. For this reason, pesto is not even vegetarian unless plant-based rennet is used. If you want to avoid animal products but can't do without pesto, you can easily make the popular pasta sauce yourself. The flavour of the cheese is imitated by cashew nuts and yeast flakes – a deception that probably won't be noticed by anyone.
5. Curry from now on only with cashew nuts
The cashew nut is relatively well known and popular in curries. Here, they impress with a velvety note and provide a crunchy bite. When the kernels are added to the sauce as cashew butter, they give it a great creamy consistency.
6. Cashews as an ideal base for vegan cheese
Did you know that cashews play a huge role in the production of vegan cheese? This is because their kernels are the softest of all nuts and are therefore particularly suitable for pureeing or processing into creamy cheese alternatives. The very neutral, sweet taste also makes cashews a good base for cheese substitutes, because it is relatively easy to conjure up a ‘cheesy’ flavour with spices and other ingredients.
7. Homemade cashew butter – here's how
Cashew butter is quick to make and very versatile. Whether as a topping for your porridge, as a thickener for curries, soups or sauces, or as a secret ingredient for desserts – the butter not only adds a great taste, but also ensures that the food is beautifully creamy. Our simple recipe consists of just two ingredients:
8. Vegan béchamel sauce with cashew nuts
If you decide to go vegetarian, you don't have to give up your favourite dishes. Many recipes can easily be ‘veganised’ and often taste even better than the original. Need an example? Lasagne! The Bolognese can be prepared with lots of vegetables and, for those who like it, with soya granules. And the béchamel sauce is made with cashew nuts, as you may have already guessed. The combination of cashews and yeast flakes, which you may already be familiar with from pesto, also makes for a deliciously creamy and slightly cheesy béchamel sauce. Here is a great recipe for a vegan béchamel sauce.
9. Delicious desserts with cashews
As already mentioned, the cashew nut is characterised by its slightly sweet taste. This makes it ideal for desserts of all kinds. Chocolate mousse, vegan cheesecake, pudding, nicecream and many other sweet dishes can be wonderfully prepared with the help of cashew nuts. However, make sure to soak the kernels in water for a while beforehand so that they can be more easily processed into creamy desserts.
