Creamy Vegan Dressing or Sauce from Mandarins and Cilantro
Our Satsuma Mandarin orange tree is loaded with fruit.
Time to find creative ways to use them all. We posted a tasty Mandarin Oatmeal Bar recipe earlier. Now time for a salad dressing/sauce.
Along with those Mandarin oranges we have a good crop of cilantro and lettuce we’ve been using as the basis for salads. A Mandarin orange salad dressing sounded like a good addition. We added cashews for a smooth creamy texture along with ginger to liven it up. Some chia seeds help thicken the sauce and add some good nutrients as well.
Quite a simple recipe with few ingredients and quick to make. Just toss the ingredients into the blender and it’s done!
This dressing is just wonderful with fresh lettuce and other greens in a salad. The Mandarins contribute a tangy sweetness while the cilantro brings in a savory herb flavor. The ginger adds zip to wake up the taste buds while the cashews give a smooth rich creamy texture.
Makes an elegant sauce to dress up veggies. Will be great with crudité. Plain steamed vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans or beets, will be well dressed with this sauce. Try as a topping for a baked potato as a rich sour cream alternative!
Ingredients
- 12 Satsuma mandarin oranges, peeled, cut in half and any seeds removed
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed and drained
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water about 30 minutes or more
- 1 small piece fresh ginger (about 1 Tablespoon, ours weighed in at about 12 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- Dash salt (optional)
Variations:
- Other greens could be good as well, maybe parsley, dill or spinach
- Could try other nuts, but we find the cashews produce the smoothest sauces
- Some tahini will give a rich variation
- More ginger if you like spicy, or even a bit of red pepper
- Other fruit might work, but these Mandarins are a nice mix of sweet and tangy
Process
Soak the cashews in warm water for about 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time. This helps soften them and yields a creamy smooth texture. Not required, but we like the texture better with soaked cashews.
Peel Mandarins the cut in half to remove any seeds. Most are seedless, but check them as ours have seeds in about 10% of fruit.
Wash and drain the cilantro. We leave the stems on as long as they are clean and in good shape. Harvesting fresh from the garden is always the best!
Toss all ingredients in a good blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Makes about 3 cups of finished dressing/sauce.
Will keep in refrigerator for a few days. Ours usually disappears quickly!
Enjoy!
Zanganeh Garden 