You might not exactly be able to put your finger on what it is about this cashew salsa that you love so much, but once you taste it, I think you’ll absolutely fall in love with it. It’s got a subtle creamy mouthfeel that you just don’t expect to find in salsa, expecially one that is so obviously tomato based.
Now I can’t say that I’m exactly famous, but everyone that knows me knows my cashew salsa. And everyone loves it. Except my sister who is allergic to cashews. I make almond salsa for her. But in my house, we prefer the cashews.
Of course the cashews are the magical ingredient, the thing that most sets this salsa apart from your everyday blender salsa. Cashews are fantastic when blended into the background for making things taste creamy without cream. Vegans commonly use cashews for cream sauces. I once chanced upon a recipe for cashew salsa years ago and it intrigued me But as I looked at the ingredients, I thought “that’s interesting, but I’m not sure I’d call it salsa”. I set out to make my own version. And I’ve been making it ever since.
What Peppers to Use in Cashew Salsa?
The other thing that sets MY salsa aside is the use of multiple types of hot peppers and I encourage you to experiment with different peppers to come up with your own signature blend. Personally, I prefer to use a mix of jalapenos, carrot peppers and salsa peppers. Each of these peppers adds a different flavor and heat signature. The jalapenos and salsa peppers hit you right away. But the carrot peppers are the ones that sneak up after your initial taste, punching you with a little extra kick you weren’t expecting. This is the depth of flavor that even people who aren’t that keen on hot foods have to admit they kinda love.
That said, if I don’t have my favorites on hand, I use whatever hot peppers I DO have. So use what you’ve got available to you!
This is my go-to salsa recipe. My absolute favorite. I’ve made it for YEARS. It’s traveled with me to work functions, events, festivals. Of course, this is the salsa I reach for when I want chips & salsa, but I also use in my queso, my guacamole and even in soups and casseroles. It’s marvelous as the basis of Shakshuka. I’ve even sold this salsa, both fresh and pressure canned versions, to people that were absolutely smitten by the creamy spicy flavor as soon as they tasted it.
It’s a fun salsa and it’s super easy to make, with very minimal chopping. You simply toss all the ingredients into a blender and blend. For those who are sensitive to heat, start with a small amount of hot pepper, then taste and add more or different peppers until you have it just how YOU like it. Then you can call it YOUR signature salsa.
If you’re not a cilantro lover, you can substitute parsley or simply leave it out. My son dislikes cilantro so when I make this at home, I pour a bit into a jar for him before I add the cilantro.
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Ann’s Famous Cashew Salsa
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: About 12 servings
- Category: Salsa
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A creamy twist to salsa (without cream) that tastes divine and takes just minutes to prepare
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a sweet onion, peeled & cut into chunks
- 1 lb. ripe juicy, fresh garden tomatoes – or 1 pint home-canned tomatoes or 1 15-oz. can
- 1 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 2 – 4 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh or frozen hot peppers (or to taste – I like to use jalapeno, salsa peppers and carrot peppers together for a mixed heat)
- Fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, to taste – sub parsley or leave it out if cilantro is not for you
- 1/4 cup roasted, salted cashews
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add hot peppers or cilantro to your liking. Enjoy!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2025, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. This recipe was made by a REAL person with REAL ingredients. The photos are real photos taken by me personally. There is nothing AI here. This is real food made by real people for real people. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
Nutrition facts are an estimate based on ingredients for 12 servings per recipe. Your results may vary.
