Vegan Southwest Dressing

Elevate your meals with this creamy, flavor-packed Vegan Southwest Dressing—a dairy-free masterpiece that's perfect for salads, tacos, grain bowls, or as a dip for veggies. Made with wholesome raw cashews, zesty lime juice, a hint of maple syrup, and a bold blend of Southwest-inspired spices like smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin, this dressing is a delicious fusion of tangy, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors. With just 10 minutes of prep time and a blender as your main tool, this recipe is both quick and easy to make. Customize the heat level with optional hot sauce and adjust the consistency to your liking. Refrigerator-friendly for up to five days, this vegan dressing is as versatile as it is crave-worthy, perfect for adding a Tex-Mex twist to your favorite dishes.

Nutriscore Rating: 67/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:0 mins

Total Time:10 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 0.75 cups Raw cashews
• 0.5 cups Water
• 2 tablespoons Lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon Chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Unsweetened non-dairy milk (e.g., almond, soy, or oat milk)
• 0.5 teaspoons Hot sauce (optional, for added heat)

Directions

Step 1

If not using a high-powered blender, soak the raw cashews in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and rinse before proceeding. This will ensure a smoother texture.

Step 2

Add the soaked cashews, water, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and non-dairy milk to a blender.

Step 3

Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Step 4

Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more lime juice for tang, a pinch of salt for flavor, or hot sauce for heat.

Step 5

If the dressing is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 6

Transfer the dressing to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 7

Serve as a dressing for salads, a sauce for grain bowls and tacos, or a dip for veggies. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(333.3g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	550.1

Total Fat 38.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 6.7g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1301.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 45.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 5.3g	0%
Total Sugars 11.0g
Protein 17.5g	0%

Vitamin D 12.5IU	0%
Calcium 127.6mg	0%
Iron 8.4mg	0%
Potassium 814.2mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 57.7%

Protein: 11.8%

Carbs: 30.5%