This Vegan Lemon Sauce is the perfect addition to so many plant-based meals, including veggies, pasta, salads, burritos or tacos and used in place of sour cream!
VEGAN LEMON SAUCE
I have a thing for vegan lemon sauces like this one and this reader favorite. One of my most popular recipes I’ve ever posted is this Vegan Lemon Sauce. I created it years ago when I originally posted it on the blog. It is even in my cookbook because it’s such a reader favorite. However, it has been linked within many posts, but never had its own designated post. I want you all to be able to find it easily going forward.
This lemon sauce, while I never created it to be like a vegan sour cream, I use it in so many recipes where I would normally use sour cream. Like in tacos, burritos, drizzled over Mexican bowls, Chili and Curry. Honestly, the tangy and creamy magic goes good on just about everything you add it to!
It’s also incredibly simple, easy and quick to make. You only need 5 ingredients, plus water and 5 minutes to make it.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Raw cashews
- Onion powder: May seem like an odd ingredient, but trust me, it sets it apart from other lemon sauces. It gives amazing flavor.
- Lemon juice
- Salt, pepper, water
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LEMON SAUCE
Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend until completely smooth. If you don’t own a powerful blender, you should soak the cashews for several hours or boil them first. Drain them and then proceed.
Scrape the sides as needed and blend again until completely smooth.
WAYS TO SERVE THIS LEMON SAUCE
- Zucchini Fritters: I originally created this dairy-free lemon sauce years ago when I posted these vegan zucchini fritters. They are the perfect condiment for the fritters and a dipping sauce for so many things.
- Burgers: Use in place of mayo on a vegan burger!
- Black Bean Burgers
- BBQ Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers
- Cajun Burgers
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Falafel
- Hearty Vegan Chili, Pumpkin Chipotle Chili or 30 Minute Mexican Chili
MORE VEGAN SAUCE RECIPES
- Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Red Pepper Sauce
- Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce
- Roasted Salsa Ranchera Cream
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Lemon Ginger Sauce
- Thai Peanut Sauce
Vegan Lemon Sauce (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180g) water
- 1 cup (150g) raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoons (60g) fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend until completely smooth. If you don't own a powerful blender, you should soak the cashews for several hours or boil them first. Drain them and then proceed.
- After blending, scrape down the sides and blend again. You want it 100% smooth like a heavy cream. It should be super creamy and beautifully tart.
- You can use immediately or chill in the fridge a few hours first. It will thicken up a lot more in the fridge similar to a sour cream texture. The sauce will last about 4 days in the fridge.
- See post above for many uses for this amazing vegan lemon cream sauce.
Nutrition
The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.
Hi Brandi. This looks delicious! I always cut my lemons crosswise through the middle. Do you think you get more juice lengthwise, as pictured? I’m just curious. Thanks.
Hi Sue! I’m really not sure, I’ve cut them both ways and I always squeeze the heck out of them either way, so I doubt it really makes a huge difference!
HI THERE WHAT CAN I USED INSTEAD OF NUTS OR SEEDS IM ALLERGIC ALSO ALLERGIC TO SUNFLOWER SEEDS:(
You can try 1/2 cup packed of cooked and mashed yukon gold potato. Just keep in mind this will change the texture to not be as rich/creamy and more of a yogurt style texture. Let me know if you try it! Another option is to try white beans in place of the cashews but I do not find that beans taste great as a 1:1 sub for nuts, the texture ends up mealy and well, tasting like beans too much for my liking. However, people who are used to bean-based sauces typically don’t mind it. It also will not thicken up as well as with nuts.
So so good!!!
HI Brandi,
This sounds great! I love lemon anything. I have cashew flour that I would use instead of grinding cashews– how much would I use- the 180 g equivalent to the nuts??
Hi Dianne, yes, you would use the same gram weight amount listed! Just make sure to really blend it up completely so it’s smooth!
Sorry Brandi! I used a can of white cannellini beans instead of the cashews, and it was AWESOME. We couldn’t stop eating it as a dip for our air-fried french fries. SOOOOO gooooooood!
What I altered:
1 can cannellini beans in place of the cashews
1.5 the stated measures of onion powder and lemon juice per the 1 can of drained beans
I DIDN’T add water! This made it the most tasty and thick dipping sauce
I didn’t add any salt
I added lemon pepper instead of plain pepper
I used a Cuisinart food processor instead of a blender
So awesome to hear the beans worked out! Yes, they make things much more runny, so water would definitely not be needed as much. Definitely sounds like more of a dip than a sauce, but so glad it turned out yummy!
Thank you for finally giving this recipe it’s own well deserved place on your website. I love this sauce and eat it on almost anything!
I’m so glad to hear that Dawn, I do too, haha!
Love this lemon sauce!
Thank you, so wonderful you love it!
Works so well with the easy baked falafel. Deliscious!
have you tried substituting almonds for cashew?
I would not do almonds, using all almonds produces a very mealy texture in sauces. I’ve tried it before.
I saw this recipe on TikTok and had to make it. Poured it over roasted veggies and a baked potato. YUM!!!
Woohoo, so glad!
SO good! I made this last night to go on the zucchini fritters and the meal turned out simply delicious! Going to use leftovers tonight for the breakfast burritos. Yum!
Yay! That’s awesome to hear. What a great idea to put in burritos!
Simple and amazing!
Another winner! Delicious drizzled over my roasted veggie and rice bowl!
Incredibly delicious. I added about 3/4 to 1 tsp of coco vinegar tho coz it was too lemony for my taste. Next time I’ll probably try subbing the lemon with the vinegar entirely. Do you think.that would work?
I tried this recipe for the first time last night and absolutely love it. I don’t know why I did not attempt making this before. It is super easy to make and over the top delicious. My husband and I drizzled it over our steamed broccoli and potatoes for a quick meal.
Hi Brandi. Does this sauce freeze?
I’m sorry I missed this. I’ve not tried freezing it but I think it’d be ok.
I had leftover soaked cashews from a batch of alfredo sauce so I made this. Subbed citric acid for the lemon juice and eyeballed the rest, came out delish!!!
I used this as a dressing for coleslaw. Toss some raisins and walnuts on top and you have perfection! Thank you!
This recipe looked delicious, I had all the ingredients, so I whipped up a batch on my lunch break. I was eating steamed cauliflower for lunch and it made a great impromptu dip for my cauliflower. Thanks Vegan 8!
So happy to hear this Carissa!!
Have you tried it with Cashew powder yet?
I’m not sure what you mean? You just throw cashews in the blender, which grind up, so no need for powder.
Delicious! I just made this for tonight’s supper and it was fabulous. I’m so glad I didn’t add the cayenne pepper, because the poblano I used for topping was unusually hot. I didn’t want to make a whole batch of lemon cream sauce, so I used some of my existing cashew cream (that I use for coffee) and added (unknown amounts of) fresh lemon juice, onion powder and pepper to suit my taste. I’m so glad I took the time to make the lemony sauce. All the flavors of the chili, and the chopped poblano, red onions, cilantro and lemon sauce made for a zinger of a meal that I’m already eager to make again! Thank you!
Loved the ease and texture of this recipe as well as the amazing taste.
Thanks for all you do to support oil free eating!
Really happy to hear that Jan!