For many of us, our first run-in with peanut butter goes back to our childhoods, when our palates craved nothing more than a sandwich with the sticky, gooey butter and an equally sticky, sweet strawberry jelly. And even though as adults we’ve grown to love spicy food, complex flavors, and even sugar-free desserts, when it comes to peanut butter, our first association is still the white-crusted peanut butter and jelly sandwich, followed by a peanut butter cup or cookie.
Peanut butter has a ton of nutritious value, especially for plant-based diets. It has more protein than most vegan protein sources, tons of healthy fats and one serving has almost half of the recommended daily dose of vitamin E. It’s also high in fiber, magnesium, and niacin, the B vitamin that’s good for healthy skin and a healthy heart. Apart from its dietary value, peanut butter just tastes so good, including in savory dishes, like these recipes, which give peanut butter an adult makeover. It’s a great base for creamy sauces, and almost unrecognizable when infused with the flavors of southeast Asia, like ginger and sesame oil. Add it to Mexican tacos for a surprising, creamy twist or use it to make a lunch staple, like chicken salad, taste a little bit more exciting.
Peanut Butter Chicken
This is the easiest Thai peanut chicken recipe, with no fish sauce or hard to track down spices involved. Chili peppers, lime, and cilantro add a ton of flavor and spice, while peanut butter replaces the peanut sauce that not everyone has in their pantry.
Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Soup
Creamy, hearty and vegan! The sweet potato and peanut butter flavors in this soup are balanced out with fragrant garlic and onion for a perfect fall soup.
Peanut Butter & Bacon Burger
Already have a favorite burger? Then this recipe for a peanut butter bacon burger is only going to make it better. Try topping your perfect patty with peanut butter, bacon, and pineapple for a surprising and delicious twist.
Baked Peanut Butter Chicken Wings
Garlic-laced chicken wings are already pretty dang good, but tossed with honey, tamari sauce, and peanut butter, like in this recipe, they're taken to a new level of yum.
Coconut Chickpea Curry With Peanut Butter
This coconut curry is chock-full of colorful vegetables, like spinach and bell peppers and so easy to make. Just add veggies to a base of coconut milk, some red curry sauce, and spices — and dinner's ready.
Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
Greek yogurt makes this peanut chicken salad a healthier option than it’s mayo-filled counterpart, while peanut butter and fresh ginger make it a whole lot tastier. The recipe includes some crunchy peppers and carrots for anyone who likes some texture with lunch.
Thai Peanut Burrito Bowl
This peanut burrito bowl is easy to make by adding almost any veggies to jasmine rice and a spicy, warm sauce with honey, ginger, and peanut butter.
Quinoa Crunch Salad With Peanut Dressing
Quinoa is loaded with protein and fiber and in this salad recipe, it's coupled with the vitamin-rich, sweet mango and crunchy cucumber. The peanut, honey, and ginger dressing adds even more flavor and some heat.
Sesame Peanut Brussels Sprouts
Even those who don't like the vegetable, will fall in love with this recipe for sesame peanut Brussels sprouts, thanks to a generous helping of ginger, lime juice, and cayenne pepper in the sauce.
Tofu Zucchini Fritters With Peanut Sauce
There's a good helping of greens in these patties made with zucchini, parsley, and spring onion. Tofu brings in some texture and protein, but the star of this zucchini fritters recipe is the peanut sauce.
Peanut Butter Hummus
This toddler-approved recipe for peanut butter hummus with a honey drizzle, has only five ingredients, making it the perfect snack to whip up on busy days.
Sticky Peanut Butter Brown Rice Bowl
The sticky rice in this peanut butter brown rice bowl is extra-delicious served with roasted eggplant, peanuts, and sautéed mushrooms. The peanut butter sauce has a lovely fall addition in the form of maple syrup.
Thai Chicken Pizza
This Thai chicken pizza takes what makes pizza great, like mozzarella and a killer crust, and makes it even better with ginger, honey, sesame oil, and oyster sauce for a distinctly Thai flavor.
Peanut Butter Broccolini
The secret’s in the sauce! Made with peanut butter, sriracha, garlic, and honey, this recipe will bring out the best in most green vegetables, not just broccolini.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Peanut Butter Basil Sauce
This roasted pork tenderloin is spicy and sweet with aromatic basil and garlic and will definitely bring some heat to the dinner table.
Peanut Butter Steak Tacos
This super easy recipe for peanut butter steak tacos has only seven ingredients, but is full of flavor. Lime and cilantro add a fresh, zesty kick, while warm peanut butter and cheese give the tacos a satisfying rich taste.
Charred Corn Slaw With Peanut Butter Lime Dressing
Two backyard party favorites, corn and coleslaw, combine in this end-of-summer recipe for charred corn slaw. The twist is the peanut butter, lime, and mint dressing, which adds depth to this beloved classic.
Grilled Eggplant With Peanut Butter Teriyaki
Grilled eggplant is a lovely end-of-summer dish and it's so much better when drizzled with a homemade teriyaki sauce, and garnished with mint and green onions, like in this recipe.
Green Peanut Butter Sandwich
This savory peanut butter sandwich is for grown-up lunch boxes. Like its jelly-filled counterpart, it’s easy to make, but full of vitamins and surprisingly delicious. The filling includes cucumbers, chickpeas, and cottage cheese.
Stir-Fried Vegetable Noodles With Peanut Butter Sauce
This recipe for stir-fried noodles is full of colorful, nutritious vegetables laced with garlic, but the noodles, tossed with a peanut butter sauce are what make this dish a repeat dinner choice.
