Move Over, Chef Boyardee: Raw Cashew and Beet Ravioli Recipe
This raw cashew and beet ravioli recipe is a deconstructed version of ravioli using not only vegan but also raw ingredients. The cashew “cheese” filling has a creamy texture and a savory bite that complements the beet’s crunch and earthy taste. And even though the ingredients are plant-based and raw, the cashew filling is dense enough and the beets’ rich flavor is enough to satisfy your hunger. Enjoy!
While this recipe is dubbed “ravioli”, the experience isn’t quite the same, but this raw cashew and beet ravioli recipe is a delight in its own way. Be it for its presentation, interesting array of flavors and ingredients, or health benefits, this recipe inspires the taste buds. Beets replace traditional flour-based dough, and for the better! White flour can be cast off as an “empty” calorie, but beets are chock-full of nutrition. The deep red root vegetable cleanses the blood, promotes regularity and does wonders for the skin. Beets are also available year-round.
This raw ravioli uses cashews for the “cheese” component. The cashew is a unique nut that blends to a very creamy finish and has such a light taste that can be adapted to almost any recipe — sweet or savory — involving a creamy component. For this reason, cashews are a staple in the raw food world. In this recipe, I blend the cashews with only a handful of ingredients and, soon enough, they have transformed into a cheese-like consistency and taste.
Raw Cashew & Beet Ravioli
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
Directions
The night before making this recipe, place cashews in a bowl and pour in just enough water so that all the cashews are submerged. Let it sit overnight, or for at least 8 hours. This process helps to both soften the cashews and leach them of their enzyme inhibitors, which can make nuts hard to digest.
The next day, drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients, except for the beets. Blend until smooth. Meanwhile, wash, rinse, and skin the beet. Slice it into pieces that are thin enough to bend easily, but not transparent.
Stack the beet slices in between layers of the cashew “cheese”.
Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh chives and crushed red pepper flakes.
Photo Credit: GlowKitchen
