Skip to content
FriendsPantry
Peanut butter

Beans, lentils & pulses · Nut butters

Peanut butter

Paste of ground roasted peanuts, smooth or crunchy; spread on bread and used in satay, stews and baking.

Also called: groundnut paste, smooth peanut butter

A kind of peanuts

27 recipes with it

Photo: Famartin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Peanut butter is roasted peanuts ground until their oil releases and forms a paste, sold smooth or crunchy. 'Natural' kinds are just peanuts (and salt) and separate on standing; mainstream brands add sugar and stabilising fats so they stay creamy. Recipes may behave differently depending on which you use.

How it’s used

  • Spread on toast and in sandwiches
  • Whisked with soy, lime and chilli into satay sauce
  • Stirred into West African groundnut stew (maafe)
  • Baked into cookies, bars and brownies

Characteristics

Taste
Rich, roasted and savoury-sweet.
Texture
Thick and creamy or with crunchy pieces.
When cooked
Thickens sauces; can scorch over high heat, so stir it into liquid.
Sold as
paste
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Suitable for baking, Used for thickening

Storage

Pantry-stable. Store in the pantry; natural peanut butter keeps better in the fridge once opened. Stir separated oil back in. A bitter or stale smell means it is rancid.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Peanuts.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Peanut is a major allergen and reactions can be severe; peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts, but are often processed alongside tree nuts, so cross-contact is common.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
598 kcal
Protein
22.21 g
Carbohydrate
22.31 g
Fat
51.36 g
Fibre
5 g
Sugars
10.49 g

USDA FoodData Central: Peanut butter, smooth style, without salt.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Almond butter — Swap 1:1; milder, and a tree-nut allergen.
  • Tahini — In savoury sauces; thinner and more bitter, add a little sweetener.

Related ingredients

Recipes with peanut butter

See all 27

15 more