Name: Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw cashews ((see note)); 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt ((sub plain) ); 3 tablespoons water (, more as needed); 2 tablespoons lime juice (, more to taste (sub lemon)); 1 teaspoon agave ((or preferred sweetener)); 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (+ 1 teaspoon of sauce ); 1/2 teaspoon salt (, more to taste); 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients for recipe on a stone table top with a striped napkin in the background.

For the rich and creamy base, you'll need raw cashews, non-dairy yogurt, and water to thin it out.

To get the spicy, smoky, and tangy flavors, you'll need chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, agave, granulated garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt.

How to make it

Two photos displaying how to combine ingredients in a blender.

STEP 1 - First, you'll want to soften the cashews. To do this, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add the cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes. Now, drain and rinse the cashews and discard soaking water.

STEP 2 - Place the cashews in a high-powered blender along with the water, chipotle pepper with sauce, yogurt, lime juice, agave, smoked paprika, garlic, and sea salt. Blend on high until very smooth. Scape down the sides as needed. Now taste for seasoning and add more if desired. If it's too thick for your taste, add a few splashes of water.

Success Tips

To make it less spicy, you can omit the teaspoon of adobo sauce and use the smallest pepper in the can. You can always add more if needed, so it's best to start with less.

The consistency of the sauce is all up to you. If you want it thinner, add more water or unsweetened milk. Taste after thinning out and add more seasoning if needed.

The sauce will thicken up in the fridge. Give it a good stir and determine if you want to thin it out a little. It makes a great dip at this point!

Want an extra zing? Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the recipe.

Make sure to scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again. Otherwise, you'll be catching cashew particles when you pour the sauce out. I love these mini spatulas for getting into small spaces like this.

If you won't be using the remaining chipotle peppers, you can freeze them until ready to use.

Made it too spicy? You can add a little more citrus, yogurt and a touch of agave to balance out the heat.

Different brands of non-dairy yogurt will yield various results as far as texture and taste. I prefer to use So Delicious Coconut Yogurt in most of my recipes because it has a mild flavor and it isn't too thick.

Substitute Ideas:

If you don't have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, you can replace them with ½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder and ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder. Add more or less to taste.

Don't have non-dairy yogurt? You can use non-dairy sour cream instead. My favorite brands are Good Karma, Wayfare, or Follow Your Heart.

If you want to make this nut-free, you can replace the cashews with ½ cup of silken tofu. Blend all the ingredients together before adding any water to determine if you'll need it.

Chipotle sauce in a jar on a black plate. Lime and spoon on the side.

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