For this recipe, it's important that the cashews are softened so they blend well and create a creamy and non-grainy dressing. To preserve as many nutrients in the cashews as possible, it's best to soak them in cold water for a minimum of 4-6 hours. This will soften them enough to smoothly blend them. If you're in a rush, however, there's a quick & easy way to soften your cashew nuts: Simply place them into boiling water for 20 minutes and they will be soft and ready to blend into a dressing. Because of the heat used in this process, however, the nuts can lose a significant amount of micronutrients, so take this into consideration when preparing the salad dressing.