Q: I love spring rolls and other Asian dishes, but I'm allergic to peanuts, which a lot of these dishes contain. I considered making an almond butter dipping sauce for spring rolls, etc., but I don't know if it'd work well. What are some good substitutes for peanuts in these dishes?
Sent by Caitlin
Editor: I find that cashews make a very good substitute for peanuts since they're so rich and creamy. Readers, what do you suggest?
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Tahini in lieu of peanutbutter or a miso dressing? What about dried/ roasted chickpeas instead of peanuts?
macadamia nuts could be used too. But for the questioner finding nuts that aren't processed in a facility that processes peanuts can be hard. Macadamia may be better since they are usually processed in Hawaii and won't have peanut dust.
As a paleo eater, peanuts are totally off limits for me, so I've gotten creative in Asian dishes. I agree that cashews are an excellent substitute when a recipe calls for chopped nuts.
For a dipping sauce, almond butter works, but I recommend sunflower butter instead. It has the creamy texture of peanut butter and is closer in flavor, too. Here's my recipe for dipping sauce... it's called Sunshine Sauce and it will blow your mind:
http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/07/21/sunshine-sauce/
Substituting for peanut butter you could use tahini. Substituting for whole peanuts, you could use toasted sesame seeds and/or toasted garlic slices.
Have you tried kinako? It's toasted soybean flour - I always thought it tasted mildly of peanuts actually. I'm thinking mixing it in with another nut butter or even tahini (suggested by Manjar) might make it a passable taste & texture substitute for peanut sauce.
Our school cafeteria is nut-free; they often use sunbutter in lieu of peanuts/peanut butter in sauces. It's delicious!
pine nuts!
Definitely cashews!
A note -- For many people allergic to peanuts, ALL nuts are off limits. My daughter also has been told to stay away from pine nuts and sesame seeds. There needs to be greater education about the seriousness of this allergy. (For my daughter, it did not come on until she was a senior in high school.) She has been hospitalized from exposure from well meaning classmates who wanted to share their nut filled snacks.
You should try the almond butter! I've substituted with almond butter in asian-inspired recipes before (satay and the like) and I thought it was delicious!
If you are looking for totally nut free dipping sauces or marinades, I love using a light oil with some powdered ginger root, sliced Serrano chilies and lime juice. Throw in some minced garlic if you like. I love marinating tofu or shrimp in this type of concoction, but I've also used it for dipping summer rolls in.