Caucasian mother and daughter making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Delicious Alternatives to Peanuts

Peanut allergies are one of the most common food allergies, affecting roughly 4% to 6% of children in the United States. It’s also one of the most serious and potentially fatal food allergies and can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis–an allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing, vomiting, rash, and other serious problems. If you, a family member, or a friend has a peanut allergy, it’s helpful to know about tasty peanut alternatives that can make purchasing and preparing meals easier. The secret to peanut allergy safety is reading labels and knowing exactly what’s going into your food. Fortunately, there are some yummy substitutions that make cooking and buying foods for peanut-allergy appropriate meals much easier than it used to be.

White kidney beans in a brown pot macro and bread

1. Beans

If a recipe calls for whole peanuts, try substituting beans. Roasting them first gives them more of a peanut taste and texture. Roasted soybeans and chickpeas are delicious to eat on their own by the handful or added to a salad. You can make a variety of flavors of roasted chickpea snacks just by varying the spices you use.

2. Pretzels

Pretzels are another great replacement for peanuts in recipes that need some extra crunch. Crush them into pie crusts or use them for coating chicken breasts. You can substitute them anywhere you’d use chopped nuts. Love peanut butter cookies? Try making them with chickpea flour and pretzel bits instead of chopped peanuts.

3. Seeds

Many people who are allergic to peanuts are also allergic to tree nuts. If this is the case, use healthy seeds as a nut substitute. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, work well in homemade granola bars, seed butters, and nut breads. Seeds are also perfect for roasting with spices and packing as a snack for work or school.

bowl of tahini sauce next to sesame seeds and scoop

4. Tahini

Speaking of seeds, tahini is a nutty, toasty Middle Eastern treat that’s safe for people with peanut allergies. Tahini is a simple spread made with sesame seeds and oil. As a bonus, it doesn’t have any sugar, which makes it delicious when paired with honey or jam on a sandwich. You can find tahini in most grocery stores, but if you’re making tahini from scratch, you can toast your sesame seeds first for a richer flavor. DIY tahini is pretty easy. Simply grind 2 cups of sesame seeds in a food processor and mix in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

dish of sunflower seed butter next to rice cake pile of seeds and spoon

5. Sunflower Seed Butter

Let’s transition to the world of “butters.” A butter is technically a creamy food spread made by churning fat globules until they are smooth. The result is a tasty treat that’s great on toast or a sandwich. Sunflower seed butter is an excellent substitute for peanut butter because it has a similar texture and a mild, nutty flavor. Try it with jelly or mix a tablespoon into smoothies.

6. Almond Butter

Almond butter is another spreadable substitute that has a bit more sweetness and crunch than your usual creamy peanut butter. Some even say it has a cherry overtone to its flavor. Almond butter is super healthy with more calcium and fiber than peanuts. The consistency makes it a winner for sandwiches and on celery sticks. You can also use almond butter to make cookies.

7. Coconut Butter

This peanut substitute is probably the least like peanut butter, but it is a flavorful alternative. It’s essentially a paste of shredded coconut that has a rich coconutty flavor. It pairs well with jam or chocolate and makes a great dip for graham crackers or vanilla wafers. You can find coconut butter at health food stores and online.

8. Watermelon Seed Butter

If you’re feeling adventurous, watermelon seed butter is a fun peanut butter alternative to try. Watermelon seeds are rich in nutrients like magnesium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. They also have high levels of healthy unsaturated fats. The flavor is earthy and sweet, making it perfect for mixing into oatmeal or yogurt. You can purchase watermelon seed butter at your local health food store, as well as online.

Caucasian man holding cans of peanut butter in grocery store

9. Cookie Butter

For those of you who love peanut butter desserts, but have to skip them because you or someone you’re cooking for has a peanut allergy, here’s a substitute you’ll love: cookie butter! You can buy ready-made cookie butter at the grocery store, though it’s easy to make yourself. Combine 1 cup of sunflower seed butter with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Eat by the spoonful and enjoy! Just be careful–cookie butter is much sweeter than regular peanut butter, so keep that in mind when using it in a recipe.

9 Food Substitutes for Peanut Allergy

About The Author