Name: Tamarind-Cashew Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; ½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate or paste; ½ cup honey; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 pinch powdered saffron or turmeric; ½ cup chopped cashews; 2/3 cup fresh cilantro; 2 garlic cloves; 2 green onions; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ cup olive oil

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This is a copycat recipe for that amazing Cheesecake Factory Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce. They serve it with their avocado egg rolls and their lettuce wraps.

Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce in a jar on a white background with the title

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Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce in a white bowl with sangak bread and cilantro in the background

Back to that sauce

It’s so good, sweet and tangy, kicky sauce made with vinegars, cilantro, garlic, honey, tamarind, and cashews along with some spices. It’s rich and delicious. Oh my gosh I could dip everything in it.

Previously, I made Air Fryer Avocado Fries to go with it. But it’s so good I wanted it to have a post of its own.

Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce spread on a plate with a spoon

What is tamarind?

Tamarind is a fruit native to Asia and northern Africa.

The tree grows pods that are about 5-inches long, that contain small seeds and a sour-sweet pulp.

Tamarind is one of the ingredients in Pad Thai that makes the dish so delicious.

It’s also an ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.

square crop of Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce in a jar

What is tamarind concentrate?

They take that tamarind pulp, harvest it, and turn it into cakes, blocks, or paste.

Normally tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate are the same product. They come in jars and are thick and smooth but spoonable.

It’s worth the time and money to find buy the tamarind paste for this sauce. It’s got a great fruity sweet and sour to a tangy and tart flavor.

Sometime you will find tamarind pulp in the stores. This tamarind pulp is different than paste or concentrate, because it’s the compressed cake form of the skinned whole fruits.

Tamarind pulp needs to be first soaked in boiling water and then rubbed through a sieve or strainer to remove the fibers and any seeds.

It may be worth buying a block of tamarind pulp rather than the ready made up paste depending on how often you use it, as the block will keep longer, and you can reconstitute the amount you need with water to make a paste.

But, if you’re only making this recipe with the tamarind, you only need ½ a teaspoon, and the recipe makes a nice big batch. So I like the small jar of tamarind concentrate for the convenience.

I bought my (affiliate link) tamarind concentrate through Amazon, but I’ve also seen it in Mexican markets, Asian markets, and Middle-Eastern markets.

a piece of bread dipped into Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce

What can I serve with this sauce?

Besides those Avocado Fries I mentioned. I have served this sauce with flatbread or naan, I’ve stirred a spoonful into stir fry veggies. I’ve topped grilled fish with it.

It’s delicious on any roasted veggie. Or, dip some raw veggies into it.

Try making these finger foods to dunk into it.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

These baked zucchini fries are a nice healthy option for tailgating snacks month. Want to make more? USe the servings slider to easily adjust the amounts.

Check out this recipe

These healthy baked zucchini fries are a nice option for tailgating snacks month. Not everything has to be fried or cheesy to be delicious for game day!

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Delicious coconut shrimp made easy and lighter in the Air Fryer.

Check out this recipe

breaded shrimp on a white plate in front of another white plate with more shrimp and some dipping sauce on it

Air Fryer Vegetable Egg Rolls

These easy to make and healthy air fryer egg rolls are super tasty and very impressive. They’re crunchy on the outside and filled with tender cooked veggies in a light Asian flavor sauce.

Check out this recipe

Egg Rolls stacked on a plate garnished with green onions. Plus the title

Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce in a white bowl with bread and cilantro in th background

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