Roasting Garlic and Shallots
Roasting is a classic cooking technique used to bring the natural sweetness of foods. Used on plants from the allium family, like garlic and onions, it mellows their strong flavors. Caramelization occurs, which creates a golden color and rich flavor. A smooth, silkiness settles in. Umami develops, which creates comfort-food flavors. There’s a reason we love the smell of garlic and onions – it reminds us of home-cooked meals and family recipes.
Shallots have even more natural sweetness than onions. If you’re ever making a recipe and the onion flavor is too strong, try swapping out for shallots. Similarly, their mellow flavor works well in raw preparation. That’s why you’ll often see recipes for salad dressings or relish using shallots instead of onion.
When looking for a plant-based substitute for many of the fattening, creamy dairy condiments we love, roasted garlic and shallots make a healthy option. Soaked cashews add a rich, buttery flavor. Use this vegan “buttah” slathered over toast. Or use it to swap out the sour cream on your baked potatoes. It also works great smeared onto roasted corn on the cob.
Finally, a healthy, plant-based substitute for butter. Enjoy!
Medium | Servings: 16 | Ready in: 30 minutes | Yield: 2 cups
Roasted garlic, shallots, and creamy cashews create a healthy plant-based substitute for butter. This vegan recipe is full of rich, satisfying flavor. Spread it onto toast or use it as a dairy-free substitute for sour cream. If you love this recipe, you’ll also love Roasted Garlic White Bean Spread, Smoky, Oil-Free Poblano Hummus, and Oil-Free Vegan Caesar Dressing.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) of garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
How It’s Done:
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
To roast the garlic and shallots: Place the garlic and shallots in a small, shallow pan. Add enough water so that the garlic is barely covered. Cover the entire pan and roast for 20-25 minutes. When the garlic and shallots are a golden color they are done. Remove from oven.
To make Roasted Garlic Shallot Plant-Based “Buttah”: Drain the cashews from soaking liquid and rinse well. Drain garlic and shallots from cooking liquid, but reserve the liquid. Place the cashews, garlic, and shallots in a high-speed blender or food processor, along with ½ cup of the garlic-shallot cooking liquid. Puree until smooth and creamy. Add more of the garlic-shallot roasting liquid, as needed, to get a smooth, creamy consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.
Enjoy warm or refrigerate/freeze for later use.
Yield: about 2 cups
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love Roasted Garlic White Bean Spread, Smoky, Oil-Free Poblano Hummus, and Oil-Free Vegan Caesar Dressing.
Chef Katie’s Tips:
Storage: Portion into smaller containers or wrap in a “log” and keep in the refrigerator or freezer. This will last 10 days in the fridge – up to 3 months in the freezer.
Flavor Variations: Use this a base for various flavored butter by adding cayenne, smoked paprika, or chipotle powder.
Other Varieties of Garlic: For unique flavor twists, use this recipe as a template for other varieties of garlic. Try black garlic or elephant garlic.
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined olive oil. For this recipe, water and the liquid from roasting the garlic add flavor while also keeping this fat-free.
Vegan Compound Butter: In traditional cooking, compound butter is made by combining dairy butter with fresh herbs or other flavoring ingredients (like lemon zest or miso paste). You can create a vegan compound butter using this recipe as a base. Combine with chopped fresh herbs like chives, thyme, and basil. Or add aromatics like lemon zest, lime zest, or red miso paste. Store in the freezer and then slice off a small piece to use over grilled portobello mushrooms, baked russet potatoes, or roasted cauliflower “steaks”.
Watch to Learn More:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: about 2 tablespoons
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 16.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 29 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 2 g | 3 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 38 mg | 2 % |
| Potassium 24 mg | 1 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 3 g | 1 % |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 1 % |
| Sugars 0 g | |
| Protein 1 g | 2 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 2 % |
| Calcium | 1 % |
| Iron | 1 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
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