The most delicious Vegan Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce to use on vegan Mexican recipes like burritos, enchiladas, tacos, over vegan buddha bowls, veggies and it’s even delicious on pasta! Oil-free and only 6 main ingredients!
VEGAN POBLANO PEPPER CREAM SAUCE
One of my very favorite all-time ingredients is poblano peppers. I use them quite often. I love them raw for their fresh taste and amazing crunch that they add as garnishes to buddha bowls or on top of Vegan Chili. I also love them roasted, as it softens them beautifully and enhances their natural smoky flavor in the most delicious way.
Poblano peppers can greatly vary in their spiciness. Some are so mild, they aren’t much different than a bell pepper. Then some are extremely spicy. But their unique flavor is good all around, but it may vary in intensity in this recipe based on the kind you have. Either way, the sauce is delicious and if yours isn’t that spicy, you could always add some cayenne to the sauce. Or even some jalapenos.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
(full recipe and measurements are listed on the recipe card below)
- Raw cashews: I chose to soak mine in hot water even though I have a vitamix, so it is better for digestion and blends easier. You can skip this if you like. However, if you don’t have a powerful blender like a Vitamix, definitely soak overnight in hot water so your sauce turns out smooth and not gritty.
- Large poblano peppers: These can vary greatly in how spicy they are. Mine were quite spicy, so I only needed 3, but some poblanos are very weak in their heat level, so you made need all 4.
- Garlic cloves: Roasted garlic adds wonderful depth of flavor to this sauce.
- Ground cumin: Smoky cumin adds a wonderful rich flavor to this sauce.
- Fresh lime juice: Lime juice is a wonderful compliment to spicy poblanos and in Mexican food in general. It also helps to balance out the heat and make it come alive in the sauce drizzled on any food.
- Pure maple syrup: This helps balance the acidity and the spice, so don’t omit.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN POBLANO PEPPER CREAM SAUCE
Step 1: Soak the cashews overnight in a bowl of water if you don’t have a high powered blender, then drain and rinse.
Step 2: Add the poblano peppers and garlic cloves (still in their skins) to a large pan lined with parchment paper. Roast 15-20 minutes until looking charred. It is ok if they aren’t fully charred all over.
Step 3: While the poblanos are roasting, add the cashews, 1 cup water, lime juice, syrup, cumin and salt to a high-powered blender or food processor. Set aside and do not blend yet.
Step 4: Remove charred poblanos and garlic from the oven and let cool a bit before handling. LOOK how gorgeous they are! Can you say FLAVOR?
Step 5: Pull off the stems and scrape out all of the seeds.
Step 6: Add the peppers and garlic to the blender of the cashews and other ingredients. Blend on high until 100% smooth and no longer gritty from the nuts. Taste and add the 4th poblano pepper if more heat is desired and salt if needed.
Honestly, this Vegan Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce is so delicious, I kept eating it straight from the bowl.
WAYS TO SERVE THIS SAUCE
Honestly, there isn’t much that wouldn’t taste delicious with this roasted Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce! Haha. But here are some ideas:
- Over pasta is always delicious. Topped with any veggies or anything you liked, or even plain with just the sauce! I like to mix the poblano sauce with pasta and top with my Smoky Chipotle Chickpeas. The meal is wholesome, plant-based, filling and 100% oil-free.
- Drizzled over these Vegan Breakfast Burritos would be FABULOUS.
- Layer on this sauce over Vegan Enchiladas.
- Drizzled over any type of Mexican or Southwest style bowls. Like these Vegan Mexican Burrito Bowls.
MORE VEGAN READER FAVORITE DIPS AND SAUCES
- Vegan Refried Bean Dip
- Vegan Buffalo Hummus
- Best Vegan Queso
- Avocado Hummus
- Vegan Mexican Cheese Dip
- Smoky Jalapeno Black Bean Dip
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Vegan Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) raw, unsalted cashews
- 1 cup water
- 3-4 large poblano peppers (depending on how spicy your poblanos are, you may need just 3 or all 4)
- 4 large garlic cloves (with the skins still on, DON'T peel them!)
- 1/4 cup (60g) fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons (14g) pure maple syrup (this helps balance the acidity and the spice)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- I use this scale.
- I use this Vitamix model.
NOTE
- This recipe is wonderful and makes a lot! 3 cups of sauce! This is so there is plenty to go around for a family and have leftovers. What you don't use within the week, you can freeze.
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in a bowl of warm water overnight if you don’t have a high powered blender like a Vitamix, then drain and rinse.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a pan with parchment paper. Add the poblano peppers to the pan, as well as the garlic cloves (with the skins still on!). Roast for 15-20 minutes until they are looking charred like in the photos. TIP: If your poblanos are taking longer than 15 minutes, go ahead and remove the garlic, as they can burn if they go the full 20 minutes. It is ok if the poblanos aren't fully charred all over.
- While the poblanos are roasting, add the cashews to the blender or food processor if you don't have a powerful blender. A food processor works better than a weak blender to blend up cashews.
- Add the 1 cup water, lime juice, syrup, cumin and salt. Do not blend yet.
- Once the poblanos are done roasting, remove from the oven and allow them to cool enough to handle. Slice each pepper open and pull off the stems and scrape out the seeds of each one and discard the seeds.
- Add the poblano peppers, starting with just 3 poblanos, skins and all (lots of flavor there!) to the blender or food processor that has the cashews and other ingredients. Peel the skin of the garlic cloves and add those as well.
- Blend on high for a few minutes until 100% smooth and no more bits of nuts remain.
- Taste and if you'd like it spicier, add the 4th poblano pepper. Mine were really spicy and large, so I only added 3. This will vary depending on yours. I only used 1/2 teaspoon salt, but taste and add more if desired. Use on burritos, Mexican bowls or enchiladas or anything you like. It will liven up any dish!
Notes
- Over pasta is delicious. Topped with any veggies or anything you liked, or even plain with just the sauce! I like to mix the poblano sauce with pasta and top with my Smoky Chipotle Chickpeas. The meal is wholesome, plant-based, filling and 100% oil-free.
- Drizzled over these Vegan Breakfast Burritos would be FABULOUS.
- Layer on this sauce over Vegan Enchiladas.
- Drizzled over any type of Mexican or Southwest style bowls. Like these Vegan Mexican Burrito Bowls.
Could I add cilantro to this? If so how much would you suggest?
Yes you could! Depends on how strong you want it. Just add a tiny amount and taste as you go!
This is sooo good! Threw it over my arepas with black beans for dinner. Can’t wait to put it on everything!
I LOVE this recipe! I use it for everything—bowls, salads, dips.
That is so wonderful, thank you Anne!
May this with silken tofu to substitute for cashews (allergy). Left out the cashews and water and used the silken tofu instead. Came out probably a bit different from the original recipe but still delicious.