Although I love my cashew based mayonnaise, I understand that raw cashews may not be widely available, and are a bit expensive - even from the bulk bins at my local Winco - and there's the soaking thing to deal with. Soaking the raw cashews overnight is essential so they'll emulsify properly, especially if you don't have the benefit of a high-speed Vitamix-type blender.
Mori-nu Silken tofu, in the aseptic, shelf-stable packages is widely available. If Winco has it, then you should be able to find it almost everywhere. Since it's shelf stable, you can keep a couple in your pantry all the time. Why Winco stocks it in the refrigerated section continues to baffle me. I guess that it's more about where they think the customers expect to find it.
And, yet, Winco stocks it in the refrigerated section. Oh well.
There are many brands of vegan cream cheese that you can use. My local Whole Foods carries Tofutti which I like. It usually comes with a 'shelf life', unopened, of about two months, so it's easy to keep a spare on hand in the refrigerator deli tray. I also like that the Tofutti brand 'Better than Cream Cheese' has less saturated fat than some of the other popular brands. It's also less expensive than some brands like Miyoko's.
You'll love this spread on hearty bread or crackers, but it's also great to add richness and body to vegan, no-added-oil salad dressings! Always buy a couple when you're buying.
As you can see, I prepare my ingredients - Mis en Place - before I start to make anything. This way, you're not missing anything, or running around the kitchen - mid recipe - looking for that crucial ingredient. It makes cooking far more pleasant.
Don't forget the pickle juice! Yes, you can use fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, but really, the juice from a jar of your favorite 'bread and butter' pickles is the best! I never, ever throw away the pickle juice from a jar empty of pickles. I keep it in a mason jar for recipes or just for tossing some thinly sliced red onion in.
Drag your high-speed blend out of the cabinet and start adding the main ingredients: tofu, Tofutti cream cheese, and just enough plant milk to loosen things up. You can always add more. Then, add the flavorings: Onion powder, pickle juice, sugar (don't forget this!), and Dijon mustard. You're trying to 'balance' the acid (vinegar) and sweet (sugar) until it's pleasing to you.
In minutes you'll have a creamy, perfectly sweet-tangy, oil-free mayonnaise that's easy on your budget and available time. We don't want to make a project out of whipping up something as basic as mayonnaise.
This mayonnaise will thicken up as it chills. I suggest that if thicker is important, chill it for a couple hours before using. But, I usually don't worry much about that and slather it on a sandwich anyway. And, since the ingredients actually produce a bit more mayonnaise than I'll use over a couple of weeks, I just go ahead and flavor about half of it with some herbs for a 'Ranch-style' salad dressing. Put that in a separate squeeze bottle and prepare to enjoy it on salads and steamed vegetables like broccoli.
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