Healthy Homemade Cashew Cheese Anchovy Tarts, with a whimsical anchovy tail, are a favored appetizer on a charcuterie board!
Homemade Cashew Cheese
Cashew cheese isn’t just for vegans! Homemade cashew cheese, like homemade yogurt, is a delicious approach to making healthy dips, spreads, appetizers even kids sandwiches!
Cheese made from cashews is simply cashews, pureed into a velvety, flavor packed spread.
Quick DIY Cashew Cheese
A homemade cashew cheese couldn’t be easier to make at home. All you need is a blender or food processor.
Soaking the cashews in water softens them to puree into a creamy cheese.
You can do this step while you go get dressed for the day, or fold a load of laundry.
An hour later, these cashews are ready for the blender and an entire 2 cups of homemade cashew cheese.
Homemade Cashew Cheese Anchovy Tarts For Appetizers
Appetizers are often my favorite aspect of a meal.
Truth be known, I would almost prefer a table of interesting appetizers than a full meal.
One of my favorite appetizer spreads for an ‘at home’ party is Izakaya; a table filled with small plate Japanese dishes.
I like to pick and choose from a variety of options, or eat lots of one things and less of something else.
Anchovy Cashew Cheese Tarts
Tarts of anchovy cashew cheese were first made in my kitchen for Halloween years ago.
Obviously now, that I am a grown up, I was in the mood for an adult dinner party. Furthermore, I wanted ‘creepy’ yet gourmet menu for a bunch of foodie friends of mine.
I made this appetizer, with that whimsical anchovy tail sticking straight up in the air, nestled in a dollop of healthy ‘dairy-free’ cashew cheese.
It was absolutely a hit! Now I make them, just because I love the creamy yet salty combo of cashew cheese with anchovies.
How To Make Cashew Cheese Anchovy Tarts
These tarts are both easy to make, like crazy easy, and healthy!
- First, we simply bake the frozen tart shells for about 5-minutes in the oven, just enough to crisp them.
- Secondly the anchovies are laid out on a tray so they are easily accessible when assembling.
- Cashew cheese, whether homemade or store bought, gets scooped (a teaspoon size scoop), into the tart shells after they bake and cool.
- Finally an anchovy tail is placed in the cheese, tail sticking up, followed by a micro green or other garnish.
Halloween Cashew Cheese Tart Appetizers
Anchovy tarts, with cashew cheese, are a favored appetizer I serve each year at Halloween, along with my ‘spooktacular’ Halloween menu!
If a cauldron of chili or Black Bean Soup is your preferred Halloween meal, these anchovy tarts make for a whimsical appetizer.
For a really elaborate dinner menu, you might want to try my Halloween recipes for Squid Ink Pasta with Squid served with a wicked cocktail Blue Moon Curacao Vodka Cocktail definitely a side of Cornbread Skulls .
Must have desserts, in my opinion, would be an elegant Pumpkin Ganache Spice Cake or a simple platter of Witches Fingers!
Ingredients Needed
- Raw cashews
- White balsamic vinegar
- White pepper
- Salt
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Nutritional yeast
- Fenugreek powder
- Water
- Mini tart shells
- Olive oil
- Anchovies
- Micro greens
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper
- Food processor or blender
- Basting brush
Homemade Cashew Cheese Anchovy Tarts
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- Baking sheet
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 2 cups Raw cashews
- 1 tbsp White balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 tsp White pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast or more to taste
- 1 tsp Fenugreek powder
- Water – as needed
- 12 Mini tart shells
- Olive oil – as needed
- 12 Anchovies
- 12 Microgreens
Instructions
- Cashew Cheese Soak raw cashews, completely covered in water, for 1 hour. Drain
- Place soaked cashews, vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast and fenugreek in a blender or food processor. Puree into a paste. Drizzle a little water into the paste (about 1/4 cup), for a soft cheese consistency.
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place tart shells on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush with a little olive oil. Bake 4-5 minutes, just to turn golden. Watch closely because they burn fast. Let tarts cool.
- Place a dollop of cashew cheese in each tart shell. Stand the anchovy into the cheese, tail up. Garnish with a micro-green leaf.
Video
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
