My creamy vegan chipotle sauce is the perfect sauce is made vegan using raw cashews as the base. With a smoky flavor, t’s a delicious sauce with so many different uses like serving alongside French fries or sweet potato fries, spread over veggie burgers or used as a salad dressing.
Made using flavor-filled and wholesome ingredients like cashews, lime juice and paprika, this easy chipotle sauce is simple to make and tastes amazing! A good sauce can really lift a whole dish. Sauces add so much flavor to so many different dishes. If you are a sauce lover like me then you will also want to try my Dairy Free Tzatziki or my Cashew Sour Cream (a vegan sour cream that is amazing on nachos, tacos or used to top soups).
What’s To Love About Vegan Chipotle Sauce
- vegan & plant based – made using cashews, this creamy sauce is completely dairy free, vegan and plant-based.
- simple ingredients – all of the ingredients are easily found at your local grocery store (most are pantry staples).
- perfect dipping sauce – use for dipping fries, tortilla chips or veggies into.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
To make this homemade chipotle sauce you will need just 6 basic ingredients. I’ve listed all of the ingredients below along with any possible substitutions and ingredient notes. You can find the full list of ingredients quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- raw cashews – cashews are the main ingredient and provide the base for this sauce. The cashews are what make this homemade sauce so creamy. The cashews need to be soaked in water for a minimum of 3 hours prior to using. If you’re a bit short on time, you can soak them in boiling water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Cashews are the magic ingredient and can’t be swapped for anything else.
- fresh lime juice – lime juice is so delicious in this recipe, it gives a zesty kick! However if you can’t find any then you can swap for lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- chipotle chili powder – another main ingredient, chipotle can’t be swapped for any other ingredient in this recipe, otherwise it’s not a creamy chipotle sauce recipe! However, if you want to change things up a bit you can swap for regular chili powder, just add chili powder to your personal taste. The chipotle can usually be found either in the spice aisle or the Mexican food aisle.
- sea salt flakes – if using finely ground sea salt then you will need to use less than what is called for in the recipe.
- smoked paprika – you can use sweet paprika in place of smoked, it just won’t have as much of a smoky flavor.
- water
How to Make Vegan Chipotle Sauce
Making this rich sauce only takes a few simple steps.
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Firstly, soak the cashews by adding them to a small bowl and top them with water. Allow to soak for 3 hours. To make this process go even more quickly, use boiling water instead of cold water and they will be ready after about 30 minutes.
Next, add the strained, soaked cashews to a high-speed blender along with the chipotle, lime juice, paprika, salt and water. You can also use an immersion blender, bullet blender or small food processor if preferred. Place the lid on and blend on high until the sauce is thick and creamy. If you prefer a spicier sauce then you can add more chipotle chili powder to your taste.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious spicy sauce is the perfect match with the following recipes:
- use as a dipping sauce for my Gluten Free Sweet Potato Fries.
- serve over my Vegan Chili Recipe.
- use to top your favorite tacos (I love this dairy-free sauce on fish tacos).
- black bean burrito bowls.
- serve on top of loaded nachos or loaded fries.
Storage
Store the leftover sauce in an airtight container or jar, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Creamy Vegan Chipotle Sauce
Equipment
- High Powered Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashews, soaked for 3 hours
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 45 millilitres lime juice, approximately juice of 1 lime
- 1/3 cup water
- Pinch sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a bowl and top with water. Cover and soak in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, add to a bowl and top with boiled water. Soak for half an hour.
- Strain the cashews and add to a high powered blender.
- Add the chipotle, paprika, salt, lime juice and water.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- serve over tacos, nachos or burrito bowls.
- use as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips, French fries and sweet potato fries.
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