• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to recipes navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • My Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
  • Contact

The Flavor Bender

Master the Science of Delicious

  • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Desserts
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Candy & Bite Sizes
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies, Brownies & Bars
      • Frozen Desserts
      • Fruit Desserts
      • Puddings & Custards
      • Dessert drinks
      • No Bake
      • Pastries & Breads
      • Sweet Syrups & Spreads
      • Tarts & Pies
      • Cheesecakes
      • Healthy sweets
    • Breakfasts
      • Tarts, Quiches, & Pies
      • Waffles, Pancakes & Crepes
      • Quick Breads, Scones & Muffins
      • Breakfast Sandwiches
      • Pastries & Breads
      • Eggs
      • Breakfast & Brunch Drinks
      • Make Ahead Breakfasts
      • Healthy Breakfasts
      • Coffee and Tea drinks
      • Breakfast Smoothies & Juices
      • Breakfast Sides
      • Casseroles
    • Courses
      • Main Meals
        • Bread, Sandwiches & Burgers
        • Curries
        • Salads
        • Roasts & BBQ
        • Soups & Stews
        • Casseroles
      • Lunch
      • Beverages
      • Appetizers & Tapas
      • Sides
      • Dips & Condiments
      • Tea Time & Snacks
      • Desserts
      • Meal Prep
      • Cocktails
    • Cuisines
      • American
      • European
      • Australasian
      • Sri Lankan
      • East Asian
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South Asian
    • Sri Lankan
      • Main Meals
      • Drinks
    • Skill Level
      • Easy
        • Easy Desserts
        • Easy Cooking
        • Easy Breads
        • Easy Breakfasts
        • Easy Dinners
      • Intermediate
        • Intermediate Desserts
        • Intermediate Cooking
        • Intermediate Breads
        • Intermediate Breakfasts
        • Intermediate Dinners
      • Advanced
        • Advanced Desserts
        • Advanced Cooking
  • New? Start Here
  • Measurement Conversions
  • How-To Posts
Home Recipes Courses
Posted:11/15/2016
Updated:4/30/2020

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry (Vegan)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
1.8Kshares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Disclaimer: The Flavor Bender is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. There are links on this site that can be defined as “affiliate links”. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you) that will help support this website.

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan Cashew Curry that’s full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

(PIN IT FOR LATER)

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

While Sri Lankan chicken curry is legendary (recipe coming soon!), curries from the island nation go way beyond just that. The vegetarian cuisine of Sri Lanka is also one that’s full of flavor and creativity. Growing up, my family would eat entirely vegetarian meals on one day every week, but even on other days our traditional rice and curry spreads would often feature vegetarian dishes. Plus, there was a phase when I was pescatarian and that made me appreciate vegetarian dishes a whole lot more.

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

One of the dishes that I would absolutely flip for as a kid was Cashew Curry (cashew nut curry). As it turned out, it’s one of Mr K’s all-time favorites too! We didn’t make it often, in fact it was a special occasion curry that made an appearance only on, well…. special occasions. My grandmother and mother both had a signature cashew curry dish that was just so creamy and flavorful. I have also made the crunchier version where the cashews still have some “bite” to them. I personally prefer the creamier version. This creamy cashew curry is pure comfort food that’s full of delicious flavor and spices (like Sri Lankan curry powder, turmeric and chili powder), plus it’s gluten free and vegan too!

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

It’s really easy to make, but you must have a little patience, grasshopper. The step where you soak the cashew nuts in salt water is really important – so don’t skip it. It plumps up the cashew nuts as they absorb the brine solution and leaves them well seasoned, inside and out! Otherwise it’ll be just bland cashew nuts floating in a flavorful curry sauce. For the sauce, use good quality coconut milk. Please read the label when buying coconut milk, because more often than not, you’re just buying water with coconut extract. You want the kind that has actual coconut milk in it (maybe with some guar gum as well that emulsifies the mix). This makes it so much creamier and more flavorful, and that’s crucial for a creamy cashew curry like this since the curry sauce is a critical component.

Traditionally, a Sri Lankan cashew curry is cooked with only cashew nuts, but some people also love to add peas! I don’t have a preference there, but Mr K does, so we add peas whenever we make this curry.

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

This Sri Lankan cashew curry is creamy, soft, nutty and spiced. We usually pair it with Sri Lankan spicy green apple curry (which is sweet, spicy and tangy) with some fried papadums for crunch. It’s vegan, and you’ll never miss meat with a spread that includes this dish. If you do like a meat curry however, check out this spicy black pork curry that’s smoky, tangy, peppery and of course spicy!

So go ahead and add this to your curry repertoire and wow your friends and family. Even kids LOVE this dish! How do I know? Because I used to be a fussy eater, but would NEVER pass up a chance to eat this! There’s a reason why a lot of people choose to roast their cashew nuts with curry powder, the flavors work really well. I hope you guys enjoy this cashew curry just as much as we do! 🙂

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry - A uniquely flavorful way to enjoy cashew nuts; creamy, nutty, spiced Sri Lankan cashew curry that's full of great flavor. Gluten free and vegan too!

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

5 from 7 votes

Sri Lankan Creamy Cashew Curry (Vegan)

Print Rate

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz raw cashews
  • ½ medium onion chopped
  • 2 heaped tsp Sri Lankan curry powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • Curry leaves if you can get your hands on them OR 1 - 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 ½ cups of good quality coconut milk
  • 1 cup of frozen peas you can add extra if you like - I prefer a low peas to cashew nut ratio
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  • Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with room temperature water. Add a tsp of salt and mix to dissolve. Cover and leave the cashews to soak overnight (up to 24 hours).
  • When ready to cook the cashews - drain them and leave aside.
  • Heat about a tbsp or two of oil (you can use coconut oil or a neutral tasting oil) on medium heat.
  • Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent.
  • Add the bay leaves/curry leaves and saute for a few minutes until it becomes fragrant.
  • Add the cashews, curry powder, cayenne pepper, sugar and a generous pinch of salt and the coconut milk. Mix to combine.
  • Cover and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Check from time to time to make sure there's enough liquid in the saucepan - add water if needed. Add salt to taste.
  • The cashews should be firm, but not too crunchy - almost al dente. Add some water if the gravy is too thick (I added about ½ cup of water). Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are heated and cooked through and the gravy is simmering - about 10 more minutes.
  • Serve immediately with rice. This can be made a couple of days ahead and it actually tastes better on the second day.
Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.

If you liked this creamy Sri Lankan cashew curry recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find me on FACEBOOK, TWITTER,INSTAGRAM,  PINTEREST, YOU TUBE and GOOGLE-PLUS too.

The Flavor Bender - Euphoria

1.8Kshares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin

More Recipes You'll Love...

  • Sri Lankan Mango Curry - An easy curry recipe that is sweet, sour and spicy. Vegan and Gluten free and is absolutely amazing! A Sri Lankan favorite!
    Sri Lankan Mango Curry
  • Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry - A delicious vegan curry that even the pickiest eaters will love! Perfect accompaniment for rice and curry. Easy to make, and flavorful. #VegetarianSideDishes #VeganSideDishes #SriLanka #Beetroot
    Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry
  • Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder - This roasted curry powder is deeply aromatic and has very robust and complex flavors. The ingredient ratios are easy to remember (4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1), so go ahead and make a big batch and use it any way you like to make flavorful curry dishes!
    The BEST Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

I love hearing from you! Submit your question or recipe review here.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Made this? Rate this recipe:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Gerrie says

    November 22, 2020 at 17:43

    5 stars
    Wow delish yum

    Reply
  2. Este says

    September 12, 2020 at 00:31

    Loved the simple and easy to make cashew curry

    Reply
  3. Susie pavey says

    June 10, 2020 at 20:54

    5 stars
    Delicious and so easy to make

    Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    April 30, 2020 at 13:27

    5 stars
    This was quite good. Needed to be jazzed up a bit, though. I added a bit more curry than called for in the recipe as well as a small can of chickpeas instead of peas. Nice balanced flavors, but on the mild side. I will make it again — would it be weird to add spinach?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      April 30, 2020 at 13:41

      Hi Jennifer!
      I’m glad you liked the recipe!
      Could you let me know if you used the homemade curry powder linked in the recipe or a store-bought curry powder? Store-bought curry powder is usually weaker in taste than the recipe that I have provided, and may require more curry powder to be added.
      Also, a cashew curry is a classic Sri Lankan dish that is meant to accompany spicier curries. So the spice levels should be low. The creamy cashews and curry sauce act to balance out spices in other curries. We usually don’t overcrowd this curry (my family prefers it without any additions), because we only want to taste the cashews and mildly spiced coconut milk, but you can add anything else if you like, even spinach! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Zarina says

    February 11, 2020 at 07:59

    Loved this recipe, thank you!

    Reply
  6. Madhu Sharma says

    January 15, 2020 at 12:14

    I made it for the first time and my family loved it! Easy to follow instructions…..it will definitely be part of my weekly menu

    Reply
  7. Steve says

    October 11, 2019 at 06:47

    5 stars
    My wife is from Sri Lanka and my mother in law use to cook this dish but as now reached a point in he life were she can no longer cook found this recipe and it’s very close to hers very good

    Reply
  8. Rachel says

    September 12, 2019 at 10:31

    5 stars
    Fabulous recipe. I’m French and always make it for guests… they asked comment thru need to try more global cuisine after this. And so easy! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      September 12, 2019 at 12:55

      Thank you Rachel! SO glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Kate Howitt says

    November 28, 2018 at 12:38

    Hi
    How many curry leaves do you use for the cashew curry?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 28, 2018 at 16:22

      Hi Kate!
      I usually use about 8 – 10 leaves, but if you’re not accustomed to the flavor of curry leaves, I would recommend using about 5 standard sized curry leaves (not the smaller leaves). I hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Sammy Jo says

    August 31, 2018 at 09:11

    How many does this recipe serve? Trying it tonight!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      August 31, 2018 at 09:23

      Hi Sammy!
      This curry will serve 4 – 6 people 🙂
      So glad that you’re trying this recipe. Let me know how it comes out!

      Reply
  11. Suba says

    March 31, 2017 at 19:06

    Very tempting curry Dini. Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  12. Vidharshi says

    January 1, 2017 at 22:48

    I tried this recipe for the second time and it was so easy to make and turned out to be delicious!!! This recipe is amazing! Thanks Dini.

    Reply
  13. Michelle says

    November 20, 2016 at 21:39

    Dini- great dish!
    I’m a huge fan of curry and this sounds fantastic!
    Thanks
    Michelle

    Reply
  14. Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says

    November 18, 2016 at 15:58

    5 stars
    Well, I am unfathomably hungry now. I rarely make curry which is weird because I love it so much. I just can’t decide to start with this cashew one or your apple one. And then the papadum! So scrumptious.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hey there!

Hi! I’m Dini, a third culture kid by upbringing and a food-geek by nature. I was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in New Zealand and lived in Australia, and then the US, before moving to Canada in 2019! My food is a reflection of those amazing experiences!

Read More
Secret Layer Cakes Cookbook
The flavor bender
cookbook
Buy now on Amazon!

Recipe Basics

Learn how to make Perfect Choux Pastry (Or Pate a Choux!) - The only recipe guide you will ever need to make choux pastry, with perfect results every time. Plus a troubleshooting guide for your choux pastry recipe.  Fool proof choux pastry to make profiteroles, eclairs, cream puffs and more.  #ChouxPastry #Profiteroles #Eclairs #Pastry #CreamPuffs

How to make Perfect Choux Pastry

Classic Chocolate Eclairs - A foolproof recipe for making perfect eclairs that are crisp and puffy and filled with chocolate or vanilla pastry cream. 

Perfect Classic Chocolate Eclairs (Foolproof Recipe)

How to make Marshmallows - Learn the art of making fluffy, soft homemade marshmallows with or without corn syrup! With tips and information to make the perfect Marshmallows in many flavors. 

How to make Marshmallows (tips and tricks for homemade marshmallows)

How to make the best Homemade White Bread that is soft and delicious. An easy to follow recipe for perfect homemade bread with step by step instructions.

The Best Homemade Bread (White Bread Recipe)

Classic Pound Cake - A complete guide on how to make perfect, delicious and moist Pound Cake even if you're a baking novice! Tips + Tricks and Troubleshooting guide. 

Classic Pound Cake (Tips for a Perfect, Moist Pound Cake)

This Classic Chocolate Cake is the only and best chocolate cake recipe you will ever need! It has layers of soft, airy chocolate cake layers, with a creamy, buttery, melt in your mouth Chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect cake for Birthday cake, or any occasion. 

The Best Classic Chocolate Cake

Chocolate
Cakes
Bread
Sri Lankan
Breakfast
Drinks
Candy
Pastries
All Recipes
Featured On
taste of the World
Free recipe ebook

Get my curated collection of the Top 10 Flavor Bender recipes!

  • 10 delicious chocolate recipes
  • Creative ways to use chocolate
  • Desserts and savory recipes
Download now!

Reader Faves

How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs - This easy recipe makes delicious, tender and succulent short ribs with classic flavors!

How to make the Best Instant Pot Short Ribs

Buttery Lemon Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce - Perfectly cooked, juicy slow roasted Salmon with a buttery tangy sauce! Delicious and versatile for any meal and occasion. 

Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce

Unbelievably easy Rough Puff pastry - Quick and easy to make and tasted infinitely better than store bought (30 -45 minutes only)! No long waiting times, to make this amazing pastry and NOONE will know you took a shortcut!

Perfect Quick and Easy Rough Puff Pastry

Spicy Sweet Chilli Sauce Easy to make, absolutely delicious, with an extra kick of spice this is the BEST Sweet chilli sauce you will EVER have!

The Best Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce!

The flavor bender

I love baking, and I love cooking. I experiment with flavors, textures and ingredients, and I love passing on all my tips and tricks to you!

Read More
  • About
    • Meet Dini
    • My Book
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
  • Browse
    • Recipes
    • Measurement Guide
    • Baking How-To’s
    • Shop My Faves
© The Flavor Bender
  • Privacy
  • Disclosure
  • Terms
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

Join the flavor bender tribe!

Join my FREE recipe challenge to receive new recipes and dinner ideas straight to your inbox!