I've tried so many different vegan, no added oil concoctions as stand-ins for mayonnaise, once I tossed out the last of a jar of Vegenaise. The grocery store product isn't bad, it's just not great, and has a lot of added oil. That doesn't work well within the guidelines of a WFPBNO (Whole food, plant-based, no added oil) way of eating. And, it 'separates' after a while.
The internet abounds with different versions of vegan mayo ... many are quite good, but I wanted to develop one that will be reasonably easy, feature whole, unrefined foods, that will store well, and be really flexible in other dishes and uses. I think I've nailed it.
This mayo - after an hour or two of chilling - is deliciously rich, creamy and thick. With a subtle sweet tang that you would expect of mayonnaise. You'll never miss the added oil - and unnecessary calories!
But, first, you've gotta soak the cashew pieces. I buy cashew pieces in the bulk bins at my local Winco grocery store. Today, the price was $2.98/lb. and I bought two containers (during COVID restrictions we can't help ourselves to the bins, so it come pre-portioned) paying $5.86. Don't waste your money on big, fancy whole cashews, and certainly not on roasted cashews. They've got to be the raw ones.
I simply put my one cup of cashew pieces in some warm water before breakfast, and they were ready to use later in the morning.
Drain them thoroughly and you're good to go!
One cup of soaked and drained cashew pieces go into your high-speed blender with about ½ cup of the reserved Aquafaba from a can of well-shaken garbanzo beans.
The average 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans will give you about 3/4 cup of Aquafaba. Again, remember to shake the can of garbanzos like you 'mean it' before opening and pouring off the Aquafaba.
Start with about ½ cup of the Aquafaba and add as you need it. I use the entire ¾ cup, myself. Add the onion powder, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard (as both a flavor element and emulsifier), lemon juice, sweetener, salt and pepper and blend at high speed.
I actually walk away and let the thing blend its little heart out for about 2-3 minutes. Stop, taste, adjust seasonings. You want a nice balance between the tangy vinegar and the sweetness of the sugar. Need more onion or finely ground pepper? Go for it!
Right out of the blender, the mayo will be a little runny, but over the next hour or two in the refrigerator, it will thicken up very nicely indeed.
As I noted earlier, you'll love how this spreads on a No-Tuna Salad sandwich, but even better, it's a perfect base for vegan, no-oil salad dressings, or a sauce to drizzle over pasta (sorta thinking Fettuccini with mushrooms?) or steamed broccoli.
I see a lot of folks on social media asking for a no-oil salad dressing. Here it is. Add a dash of tomato paste and a bit of pickle relish for a 'Thousand Island' dressing. Add a bit of green chili salsa or guacamole, a bit of Cumin and lime juice for a more Latin-inspired approach. Or, what about Dijon mustard and honey?
This mayo should last at least one week in the fridge. Um, mine has been in the fridge now for 10 days. I put a tape label on things with the date. I used it as a sour cream substitute to top nice warm Butternut, Corn and Green Chili Tamales - over a homemade green sauce. The mayo is still perfect. Hasn't separated. Just sayin'
BTW: Check out my recipe for a killer old-school No-Tuna Salad using green Jackfruit and Garbanzo beans.
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Thanks!