This Creamy Herb Dip is ultra thick and smooth with a rich cashew base and a few basic seasonings. It’s completely dairy-free and easy to pull together for game day snacks or to serve on a vegan charcuterie board!
*This post was originally published in October 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers and minor adjustments to the recipe. Scroll to the bottom to see an original photo.
This is one of the first cashew dips I started making a few years ago, and it’s a recipe I keep coming back to. It has a sweetness from the cashews that pairs well with the savoury dried herbs, fresh onion and subtle garlic flavour.
It’s a pretty basic dip recipe, so I always have the ingredients on hand to make it. We love to serve it with veggies, crackers or these homemade air fryer pita chips!
These air fryer tortilla chips or air fryer potato slices would also be delicious options for dipping!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy. You just need a few basic ingredients and a blender.
- Versatile. It can be used as a dip, spread or even sauce.
- Dairy-free and vegan. It doesn’t contain any cream cheese, sour cream or mayo. The cashews and nut milk create the creamy texture.
- Convenient. It calls for dried herbs that are pantry staples as opposed to fresh herbs which are not always readily available.
- Substitutions. The recipe makes a great base for a vegan dip, so feel free to use different herbs and spices to change up the flavour combinations.
- Make ahead. It tastes best after it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours, so it’s perfect for making in advance.
Details on the ingredients
Cashews – Cashews are essential to create the dairy-free creamy texture in this recipe. I used raw and unsalted whole cashews and soaked them in hot water for 30 minutes.
Nut milk – Any type of unsweetened nut milk will work. I usually use almond or cashew milk. Whatever you choose, just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavoured.
Onion – I used half a medium-sized yellow onion in this recipe. Yellow onions have a strong flavour, but the amount used in this recipe doesn’t overpower the herb flavour. If you prefer a milder onion flavour, you can always reduce the amount of onion or use white onion instead.
Lemon juice – I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the bottled juice.
Dried herbs – The recipe calls for a mix of dried oregano, basil and chives. I like to use dried herbs in this recipe as they’re convenient and they extend the life of the dip compared to using fresh herbs.
Garlic – I went easy on the garlic in this dip, only using half a teaspoon of garlic powder. If you like your dips a little more garlicky, just add more garlic powder or use a few cloves of fresh garlic.
Salt – Just half a teaspoon is added to the dip. Feel free to add more or less to suit your taste.
How to make this onion herb dip
Add the cashews to a glass dish and cover with hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Drain the cashews and add them to your blender jar along with the nut milk, lemon juice, onion, salt and garlic powder.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Add in the dried herbs and pulse a few times until mixed through but not fully blended in.
Chill and serve.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, soaking the cashews softens them and helps them blend together to create a creamy texture.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If stored properly, this dip should last for 5-7 days.
Yes. I like to use dried herbs for convenience and to maximize how long the dip will last, but you can substitute fresh herbs. Just note that you will need to use three times the amount since fresh herbs are not as potent as dried herbs. I also suggest adding the fresh herbs to the blender with the other ingredients to ensure they blend in. This will also turn the dip a vibrant green colour. If you use fresh herbs, the dip will last about 4-5 days.
We love it with veggies, crackers, pretzels and chips. You can also use it as a spread for crackers or bread, or blend in additional liquid to use it as a sauce for pasta.Ā
Additional recipe tips and substitutions
- If the dip is too herby for you, feel free to cut back on the amount of herbs you add to the recipe.
- The onion flavour is not overly strong. You can taste it but it doesn’t overshadow the herb flavour. Feel free to use more or less onion to suit your taste.
- If you don’t have nut milk, feel free to use water instead. The dip won’t be as creamy, but it will still work as the liquid ingredient. For a non-vegan version, you can also use dairy milk.
- This is a thick and creamy dip. For a thinner dip, just add more nut milk, water or lemon juice to thin it out. To use it as a spread, I suggest keeping it thick.
- In order to get the flecks of herbs throughout the dip, be sure to add the dried herbs after the other ingredients have been blended together.
- To make cashew dips, I recommend using a high-powered food processor or blender. If your blender or food processor isnāt powerful, youāll need to blend the mixture for a little longer and it might not get as creamy. To help the blending process, you can soak your cashews overnight instead of just for 30 minutes.
- I like to blend this dip together in the smoothie cup that came with my blender. In my experience, it creates a creamier texture compared to a full sized blender or food processor.
- While you can enjoy this dip right away, I like to let it rest in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavours blend together.
- This recipe makes about two cups. If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat it all within a week, feel free to half the recipe.
More cashew dips
- Chipotle Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Mushroom Spinach Dip
- Cashew Queso
- Creamy JalapeƱo Dip
- Cashew Mayo
- Dairy-Free Caramelized Onion Dip
If you make this creamy dairy-free herb dip, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
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Creamy Herb Dip (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Dips and Spreads
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Creamy Herb Dip is ultra thick and smooth with a rich cashew base and a few basic seasonings. It’s completely dairy-free and easy to pull together for game day snacks or to serve on a vegan charcuterie board!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk
- 1/2 large lemon, juiced
- 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a glass dish and cover with hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain the cashews and add them to a blender jar along with the nut milk, lemon juice, onion, garlic powder and salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the oregano, basil and chives and pulse a few times until mixed through but not fully blended in.
- Refrigerate for a few hours before serving with veggies, crackers, pretzels or bread.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5-7 days.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of herbs, onion, garlic or salt to suit your taste.
- In order to get the flecks of herbs throughout the dip, be sure to add the dried herbs after the other ingredients have been processed together.
- If you want to use fresh herbs, triple the amount and add them to the blender at the same time as the other ingredients.
- This dip is best after it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours, which allows the flavours to blend together.
- I recommend using a high-powered food processor or blender. If your blender or food processor isnāt powerful, youāll need to blend the mixture for a bit longer and it might not get as creamy. You might also want to soak your cashews overnight instead of just for 30 minutes.
- I like to blend this dip together in the smoothie cup that came with my blender. In my experience, it creates a creamier texture compared to a full sized blender or food processor.
- The total recipe time includes time for the cashews to soak and for the dip to chill. The actual hands on time is only 10 minutes.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
I haven’t tried cashew dip but yours looks so enticing! I’d just eat it with chips though haha. I’ll have to try it one day!
Chips work too! Thanks Michelle!
Superb! Fabulously delicious side dish.
Thank you! We mostly eat it as a dip, but a side dish works too!
I love this idea! I have a friend at work who can’t eat dairy and a multitude of other things. I will be trying this one for our next potluck. Thanks for the recipe š
Thanks Terri! I hope your co-workers like it as much as we do!
I absolutely love this more health-conscious approach to onion dip. I am always looking for healthier alternatives to classic snacks and apps, thank you for the inspiration Leanne!
No problem Yvonne! Thanks. We love snacking in our house, so I try to come up with healthier alternatives as much as possible!
Holy heck! This looks and sounds so amazing. I am pinning this for later. Definitely making it soon š Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Thanks so much Jo! Hope you get a chance to make it. I would love to know what you think if you do!
Mmm! My daughter can now have cashews so I would love to try this! Yum!
Corinna|Friendly Pantry
That’s awesome Corinna! I hope you get a change to make it, and I hope your daughter likes it. Thanks!
I meant to visit this recipe as soon as I saw it on IG but somehow it slipped my mind and now I’m kicking myself for not checking it out sooner. Because YUM! OMG this looks so good, Leanne! I always do several different dips at the holidays so everyone has something they can enjoy, and this would be perfect for my friends who can’t do dairy. Love it!
Thanks Kelsie! I love having a variety of dips to serve over the holidays too! And I’m definitely drawn to the dairy free option!
Very interesting! I’ve never thought at cashew, onions and herbs together. Definitely to try!
Thank you! I hope you like it. Be sure to let me know what you think!
I want to dig right in!! Nothing like a good dip! Especially this time of year! Pinned!
Thanks so much Annie! I always like to have a dip ready to go in the fridge. Thank you for pinning!
That dips looks amazing for a holiday spread!
Thank you Patrick!
I can’t wait to try this Leanne. I bet it’s delicious. Perfect for the holidays ahead!
Thanks Mary Ann! I’ll definitely be whipping this one up over the holidays for sure!
I need to go easier on the dairy these days too and since I love snack food I need to give this a try! I’ve never tried cashew cream-based foods or sauces so I’m intrigued!
Thanks Marcie! The cashews create such a creamy base. It’s definitely worth a try if you’re cutting back on dairy!
That dip looks sooo yummy! Perfect for any weekend or holiday for sure! YUM!
Thanks Kim! Yes, it has Friday nights written all over it! š
Oh that snack holiday tray…I remember it well! And onion dip definitely was a fave! It always amazes me how cashews can blend up so creamy and can be a delicious base for dips and the like. I wouldn’t feel one bit guilty for polishing off this entire dip – so much better than any store bought stuff! Happy Monday, Leanne š
Thanks Dawn! Funny that the holiday snack tray stands out as a childhood holiday memory! No wonder we turned out to be foodies! Gotta love the creaminess of cashews. I can’t believe it took me so long to discover their versatility! Hope your week is off to a great start!
Iām not vegan, but this dip looks superb! And the rosemary crackers are so pretty! Do you mind sharing the name of them?
Thanks Mimi! My hubby and I aren’t vegan either, but we try to go dairy-free quite a bit, which means some of my recipes end up being vegan.The crackers are my latest snacking obsession. They’re Oh My Yummies!