I can’t believe it’s nut butter!

9 non-sandwich uses for bread’s best spread

We didn’t suggest stocking a sustainable pantry with jars of nut butter so we could tell you to slather it on sandwiches or scoop it into oats and smoothies—or right in your mouth. At least, those aren’t the only reasons. When it comes to getting food on the table in a hurry, nut butters are a kitchen cheat code: Just a tablespoon or two adds instant nuttiness (duh), creaminess, and mild sweetness to all kinds of dishes, and it can lessen the need for other fats, dairy, binders, or seasonings. 

This week, we’re turning the last bits of a tub of PB into the flavor base for a speedy dinner, and digging into how other nut and seed varieties, like cashew and sunflower butters, can get whipped into decadent sauces, alternative milks, and more. Get your spatulas ready, because this one’ll leave ya scrapin’ the bottom of the jar.

Part I: 🎵 Peanut, peanut butter—and curry 🎵

The OG of nut butters stars in a variety of savory dishes from around the globe, from Thai satay sauce to an Indonesian salad called gado gado. While PB isn’t typically a part of Indian curries, I was intrigued when I saw Carleigh Bodrug, founder of the PlantYou blog, tap it to make creamy curried chickpeas without any actual cream. Her peanut butter curry recipe uses mostly nonperishable ingredients, including four of our favorite pantry staples, for a speedy dinner. Other than some brief chopping and sautéing, the dish is basically just opening cans and dumping them into a skillet—my favorite kind of recipe. 

We’ve just met our new go-to weeknight curry in a hurry. Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

The flavor base starts off with onions, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper sautéed in aromatic spices like curry powder, paprika, turmeric, and garam masala (which I always keep close for chana masala). Once the spices smell toasty, two big spoonfuls of peanut butter, a can of crushed tomatoes, and a can of chickpeas get dumped into the pan. After the peanut butter melts, coconut milk helps make the sauce silky-smooth. A squeeze of lime adds a necessary hit of acid to bring all the flavors together, and some baby spinach and cilantro wilt in to bring a little green. 

Thanks to my favorite kitchen appliance, the rice cooker, a warm pot of rice was ready and waiting when this dish was done: only 20 minutes from start to finish. This curry was crazily easy to make and really demonstrates peanut butter’s star quality for thickening up dishes. Just a couple tablespoons gives the meal a subtle nutty sweetness and a luscious “stick to your ribs” feeling that coconut milk alone couldn’t achieve. Plus, if you use chunky peanut butter like I did, you’ll get some crunch as a bonus. 

My beloved PB has a stronger taste than many other nut butters, so a little goes a long way as a thickener and flavor weapon. If you want to tap into nut butter’s ability to act as a base for silky sauces and dressings, you’ll want to turn to a more neutral one like cashew to let other ingredients shine through. I’m using it to make a quick-and-easy plant-based “cheese” sauce. I’ll hang tight while you stock up on tortilla chips...

Part II: This instant ‘cheese’ sauce is nuts

I’m no stranger to making imitation “cheese” sauces like cashew queso, but not exactly used to doing it in short order. The process typically involves soaking the whole nuts for at least 45 minutes before blending them with spices and nutritional yeast (for the cheesy flavor). Reaching for nut butter, though, means you can skip the soak and go straight for the sauce. This one’s ready to get dippin’ in 5 minutes or less.

Once you’re done licking the bowl (no judgement), keep reading for a full menu of uses for those jars of blended nuts.

It’s a good thing this is a quick dip, becuase we’ll be making it on repeat. Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

Cashew Butter ‘Cheese’ Sauce

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup cashew butter

• 1 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon white miso paste

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (optional)

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Procedure:

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender with 1 ½ cups hot water and blend until smooth, adding more water to thin out if necessary. It should be creamy and pourable. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

2. To warm, transfer to a small saucepan over medium-low heat, adding more water if necessary. 

3. Once warmed through, serve on your favorite veggies, toss with cooked pasta, or enjoy like a queso with tortilla chips. 

Notes and Substitutions:

• You can swap the chipotle in adobo for a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or 2 tablespoons of salsa. If you’re heat averse, just omit it.

• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week in a covered container, or up to a month in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan.

• Sunflower butter is technically a seed butter but would make a great sub for cashew butter here since it has a mild flavor that wouldn’t overpower the sauce. 

7 more magnificent ways to use up nut butter 

When choosing which nut butter to tap in a dish, think of the overall flavor profile you’re going for and how prominent you want the nutty notes to be. I always have a jar of crunchy peanut for dressing noodles and then something milder like cashew or almond for making silky sauces or nut milks. If you are game to go beyond the basics, consider hazelnut butter to add decadence to desserts or pistachio butter (if you can find it) to enhance a pesto. Here are some more ways to go nuts in the kitchen.

• Nut milks. No plant-based milk for your coffee? Thanks to this hack you just need nut butter and water. Almonds and cashews are the obvious choice here, but hazelnut, pecan, and pistachio butter would also level up a humdrum bowl of cereal.

• Baking substitutes. Nut butter is the secret ingredient to thick and chewy flourless cookies—you can even substitute it for eggs to make pancakes. 

• Salad dressings. Got an almost empty jar of nut butter? Don’t toss it: Pour in oil, vinegar, and other flavor agents and shake up a no-waste dressing.

• Stews. A couple spoonfuls of peanut butter adds depth and creaminess to curries, chilis, and stews. In the veggie version of the West African stew known as maafé, peanut butter is a vital ingredient. 

• Frozen treats. Make the easiest, creamiest (no churn) ice cream—that tastes like PB cups—by blending nut butter with oat creamer and maple syrup and freezing for 4-6 hours. 

• Dipping sauces. From satay sauce to this sweet and smoky riff on Spanish picada, all nut butters blitz into dreamy dips.

• Noodles. Use cashew butter to make creamier sauces, like for cacio e pepe, and peanut or almond butter to make zippy dressings for udon or soba noodles and pasta salads.