I did a thing: a cashew blue cheese dip, and it’s delightful.
Place fresh vegetables beside a bowl of blue cheese dip and I’ll happily munch my way through them. The same goes for potato chips, crackers, pretzels — even pickles. I have a real weakness for blue cheese.
Last night I made grilled gorgonzola potatoes and I’m still dreaming about them. If you like blue cheese as much as I do, you’ll also want to try a blue cheese pizza or any dish that pairs smoky, salty flavors with that sharp, creamy tang.
Cashew-based dips have become a staple for me. Cashews blend into an impressively rich, silky base with a gentle nutty flavor that complements bold cheeses. While cashew dips are commonly used as dairy substitutes, I couldn’t resist adding some real blue cheese to this version. The result is a creamy, nut-forward dip with authentic blue cheese character — and still less dairy than a traditional full-cream dip.
The combo of cashew cream and blue cheese is shockingly good. If you want to try a different variation, avocado and blue cheese also make an excellent pairing in dressings and dips for a fresher, greener option.
This dip is very simple to make. The only real prep step is soaking the cashews — overnight is ideal, but a few hours will do in a pinch. After soaking, drain the nuts and blend them in a food processor until smooth, then add blue cheese, herbs and seasonings and process to your preferred consistency. It’s a perfect appetizer for parties or a quick snack board with veggies, chips and crackers.
I kept tasting as I went to balance the salt, acid and the intensity of blue cheese. Depending on the type of blue cheese you use — gorgonzola, roquefort, or a milder variety — you may want to adjust lemon juice and salt to suit your taste.
Quick note about photography—when I shared images on social media I couldn’t decide between blue and white backgrounds. Both looked great: the blue made colors pop, while white felt fresh and spring-like. I ended up including both because I couldn’t choose. Either way, the dip steals the show.
Serve the dip with a chilled glass of rosé or sauvignon blanc and an assortment of crunchy vegetables for a light spring or summer appetizer spread.
Cashew Blue Cheese Dip
Blue Cheese Cashew Dip
8 people
2 hrs
2 hrs
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole raw cashews, soaked overnight or for at least 2 hours
- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (gorgonzola works great), plus extra for topping
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus extra for topping if desired
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- An assortment of your favorite spring vegetables, for dipping
Instructions
- Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a food processor. Pulse and blend until they begin to break down and turn smooth.
- Add the blue cheese crumbles, nutritional yeast (if using) and minced garlic. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Squeeze in lemon juice and add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Blend to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning. If you prefer a thinner dip, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or milk.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra blue cheese and chopped chives or dill. Serve with vegetables, chips or crackers.
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When vegetables and chips look this good beside a perfect dip, I could eat them every day.