Vegan Chipotle Mayo
My Vegan Chipotle Mayo is a simple dip, spread, and condiment for all occasions. It is nutrient-dense thanks to the main ingredient, cashews, and smokey and spicy from the chipotles.
Vegan Chipotle Mayo
I love a good sauce, and always keep an arsenal on hand in my refrigerator and pantry. They add moisture, flavor and, in the case of my Vegan Chipotle Mayo, a spicy kick! When I want to spice up a sandwich, roasted potatoes, and just about anything I’ll whip up my Vegan Chipotle Mayo.
Mayonnaise is typically made with oil, eggs, water, vinegar, and preservatives. Ingredients are written on a product label in order from highest to lowest amount. The first ingredient is almost always soybean or canola oil. Even vegan pre-made mayonnaise, most notably “Vegenaise” has oil as the first ingredient.
The first ingredient in my Vegan Chipotle Mayo is cashews! A creamy nut that is high in healthy fats, and also protein, vitamin and minerals. My Vegan Chipotle Mayo is a whole foods approach to a condiment, it only has 1 teaspoon of added oil!
Nutritional Benefits1–3
The main ingredient, cashews brings nutrient density to my Vegan Chipotle Mayo. Cashews do have oil naturally present like all nuts, but it is also a good source of protein and micronutrients.
A 1 oz serving of cashews, which is about a quarter cup or 18 cashews has 5 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat and a hefty list of vitamins, minerals and health-promoting plant compounds. The fat in cashews are a blend of all 3 types—polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated.
The saturated fat content of cashews has disqualified them from the FDA’s beneficial health claim on nut consumption and heart health. Research shows that since one-third of the saturated fat in cashews is stearic acid, which is relatively neutral to blood lipids that cashews should have a similarly beneficial effect on our lipid panel compared to other nuts.
Cashews are also a good source of magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, iron, selenium, thiamine, vitamin K and B6. When you enjoy my Vegan Chipotle Mayo you will also benefit from the polyphenols and carotenoids, two types of inflammation reducing antioxidants.
Dip Into This!
If my Vegan Chipotle Mayo seems far-fetched and out of nowhere, it takes a nod from the super popular Sriracha mayo— simply sriracha and mayonnaise combined. My Vegan Chipotle Mayo has similar uses, but offers a more complex and nuanced flavor profile.
The combination of creamy cashews and chipotle peppers in adobo make for a smokey, spicy and smooth sauce. Chipotle peppers are jalapenos that have been dried and smoked. They are often sold dried, which are then added to soups, dried beans, etc. My preferred way to use them is soaked in adobo sauce—a spicy and sweet sauce full of tomato, vinegar, garlic and other spices.
You could make your own adobo sauce and soak chipotle peppers in them, or jump a few steps and purchase them premade in a can. The brand I find at my grocery store is GOYA, and they are SPICY! I suggest adding 2 chipotle peppers, but this may be too spicy or not enough for you.
It’s easy to add more spice to my Vegan Chipotle Mayo—and any dish, really—but difficult to dilute without making a double batch of the recipe. It’s always best to try a new ingredient before using it in a dish, so go ahead and taste the adobo sauce and a bit of the pepper to see how spicy it is for you.
The sauce also has honey for a kick of sweetness and paprika to add extra smokiness—make sure to use “smoked paprika”. Some other spices to consider are cumin and garlic.
Let’s Get Mixing!
At first glance this recipe may seem like too much work. An overnight soak of cashews AND, finding an obscure ingredient (chipotles in adobo), but it is SO worth it. The active work in making my Vegan Chipotle Mayo is minimal, and it creates a nutrient-dense sauce that is really unlike anything on the grocery shelves.
My favorite thing’s to eat it with my Vegan Chipotle Mayo are anything crispy and fried. Think roasted potatoes, brussels sprouts, pan-fried eggplant, and so on. However you enjoy using mayo, can be spiced up with my Vegan Chipotle Mayo.
Since my Vegan Chipotle Mayo is made with fresh cashews and free of preservatives the shelf-life is about one week. A slight downside, but you will just have to make yourself another batch! Enjoy!
Similar Pages
Looking for my sauces and spreads? Try my Dairy Free Ranch Dressing, Avocado Sauce and my Honey Sriracha Sauce.
References
- FoodData Central. Accessed April 24, 2021. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170162/nutrients
- Mah E, Schulz JA, Kaden VN, et al. Cashew consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol: a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017;105(5):1070-1078. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.150037
- Bolling BW, Chen C-YO, McKay DL, Blumberg JB. Tree nut phytochemicals: composition, antioxidant capacity, bioactivity, impact factors. A systematic review of almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Nutr Res Rev. 2011;24(2):244-275. doi:10.1017/S095442241100014X
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews soaked overnight with cold water in the refrigerator or for one hour in boiled water
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Drain cashews.
- In a high speed blender, add cashews, almond, lemon juice, salt, honey, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oil, and paprika. Blend on high until smooth, adding more almond milk as needed.
- Serve as a dipping sauce, topping for vegetables, or spread for sandwiches and wraps.
Video
Notes
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