Step 1

Drain the cashews and rinse with fresh water.

Step 2

Add the cashews to a high-powered blender or food processor along the remaining ingredients. Start with 1 jalapeño pepper and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Blend on high speed until smooth, thick and creamy, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as you go. This will take about 2 minutes in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, or about 4 minutes in a food processor.

Step 3

Taste and adjust for seasonings, adding more chopped jalapeño for a spicier cashew cream, more salt for saltiness, more nutritional yeast for cheesy/umami flavors, or more lime juice for acidity.