Find a whole chapter on cashew cheese recipes in the cookbook Tasting Hawai’i Vegan Style- order here.

Excerpt from the Star Advertiser’s CRAVE section.

Story and photo by Lillian Cumic

After we’ve gifted roses and chocolates, February is also Vegan Cuisine Month, an initiative by the American Vegan Society to promote plant-based eating. It invites people to experiment with new recipes, support vegan-friendly restaurants, and explore the variety of vegan cuisine all month long.

Few ingredients deserve a love letter quite like the cashew. This humble “nut” is actually a seed that grows attached to the bottom of a cashew apple, even though it is culinarily classified and used as a nut.

Cashews have quietly become the backbone of the plant-based cheese world. Creamy, mild, and endlessly versatile, they are the reason so many vegan cheeses taste indulgent rather than “alternative.”

I grew up vegetarian and absolutely loved dairy foods, especially cheese. When I went fully vegan 19 years ago, the very first thing I set out to learn was how to make vegan cheese that didn’t feel like a compromise. I was genuinely surprised to discover that many of the best recipes relied on one simple ingredient: cashews.

Once soaked and blended, they become a silky, creamy base that delivers the richness of traditional cheese—free from cholesterol, lactose, oil, sugar, and heaviness.

Cashews work so well because of their natural fat content, neutral flavor, and ability to emulsify beautifully when blended. They take on savory, tangy, cheesy notes with just a few supporting players—nutritional yeast for that classic cheese flavor and miso for umami—making them ideal for sauces, spreads, and even cultured cheeses. They star in an entire chapter of my second book, Tasting Hawai‘i Vegan Style, titled “This Cheese Is Nuts”—literally!

Cashew cheese sauce is a gateway to loving vegetables. Often, people who shy away from greens just haven’t met the right sauce, and this one might change everything.

Stir it into macaroni for a lighter, irresistible mac ’n’ cheese, or drizzle it over roasted veggies, grain bowls, or noodles and watch even the skeptics be converted. This February, rethink your cheese, one cashew at a time.

I had the pleasure of making this cashew cheese sauce on Hawaii News Now’s Sunrise with Grace Lee on February 18. You can find the replay here.

I’ll also have a free cooking demo on Sunday, February 22, from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm hosted by the Vegan Society of Hawaii, titled “Cashew Cheese 101.” It will be held at the Honolulu Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church. To register for free, call (808) 445-9920.

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

¼ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or boiled for 20 minutes to soften
2 cups water
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp tapioca flour
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp miso paste
½ tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until completely smooth and creamy. Transfer to a pot and heat, stirring, until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes: Double the amount of cashews for a thicker sauce, and add 1-2 tablespoons of dairy-free yogurt and/or sauerkraut juice for a nice tang and cultured taste.

From the cookbook Tasting Hawai’i Vegan Style.

Order your signed copy of Tasting Hawai’i Vegan Style HERE.

While it makes an incredible mac ’n cheese, this sauce is incredibly versatile.

You can:

Stir it into soups and stews for added creaminess
Drizzle it over crisp romaine lettuce for a twist on Caesar salad
Spoon it over roasted vegetables
Use it as a cheese fondue — guaranteed to get even picky eaters to enjoy their veggies
Spread it onto wraps, baked potatoes, or grain bowls
Add 1 tablespoon of sauerkraut and/or 1 tablespoon vegan yogurt to give your sauce a nice tang and cultured taste
Add fresh or dried spices and herbs to customize your cashew cheese sauce for any dish

Because it’s free from dairy, gluten, oil, and added sugar, it works for so many dietary needs and preferences. It’s the kind of recipe you can bring to a table knowing more people can enjoy it.

That’s what Nourishing Paradise is all about — creating food that feels inclusive, nourishing, and abundant.

Cashews in. Dairy out. And no one misses a thing.

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Get signed copies of my cookbooks HERE..

This Cheese is Nuts! The Star Advertiser’s CRAVE column by Lillian Cumic Feb 18, 2025

Cashews In, Dairy Out: Chef Lillian Cumic on HNN SUNRISE with Grace Lee Feb 18, 2025