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National Cashew Day

Food · November 23

A day for the cashew, the curved, buttery nut that grows from the bottom of a fruit and ends up in snack bowls, stir fries and creamy sauces.

National Cashew Day falls on Monday, November 23, 2026. That is 27 days away.

The cashew grows in an odd spot. Each nut hangs from the bottom of a fleshy fruit called the cashew apple, one nut per fruit, like a hook dangling under a bell pepper.

That shell is not friendly. It holds a caustic liquid related to the irritant in poison ivy, which is why cashews are never sold in the shell. They are roasted or steamed and shelled before they reach a store, so the cashews most people know have already had quite a journey.

What arrives is mild, a little sweet and softer than most nuts. That softness is the cashew's real talent. Soaked and blended, cashews turn into a smooth cream that can stand in for dairy in sauces, soups and spreads. Toasted, they add crunch to stir fries and curries. Plain and salted, they tend to disappear from a mixed nut bowl before the almonds do.

Marking the day usually means eating some, often in a dish where they do more than garnish. Cashew butter on toast is one easy route. A handful toasted in a dry pan for a few minutes, until golden and fragrant, is another, and it changes the flavor more than you might expect.

The cashew apple itself is eaten and juiced where the trees grow, though it bruises too easily to travel far.

Ways to celebrate

• Toast a handful of cashews in a dry pan until golden.
• Try blending soaked cashews into a creamy pasta sauce.
• Spread cashew butter on toast instead of your usual spread.
• Add cashews to a stir fry or curry at home.
• Look up photos of the cashew apple and its hanging nut.

Dates

All national days on November 23

Also on November 23

• National Espresso Day
• Eat a Cranberry Day
• Fibonacci Day

Categories: Food days