ALLERGENS: NONE
Put a new spin on an old classic with this allergy-friendly version of the PB&J. The Sunbutter, Jelly and Jalapeño has no peanuts and a little bit of heat to make it really fun and tasty.
It’s possible this will be the simplest recipe I ever post on The Nut-Free Vegan. It’s a spin on the standard peanut butter and jelly sandwich that takes no time to make and with one single ingredient and a little bit of heat, transcends to a whole different level. That ingredient? Jalapeño peppers!
This recipe came about nearly a decade ago when I was sitting in a dive bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They had a panini press tucked away in the corner and were selling sandwiches that were quickly thrown together and pressed for a minute. Not gourmet, but pretty interesting for bar food, because one of them was a variation of this take on the pb&j.
The bar’s version used raw jalapeños, which provided a nice crunch, but they were also unseeded and the heat was intense. I decided to remove the seeds and sauté the pepper slices for a little more nuance to the flavor. And, of course, I replaced the peanut butter with SunButter, a safe alternative for readers with a nut allergy. And even though I’m not allergic to peanuts (my allergy only extends to tree nuts like cashews, almonds, walnuts and pine nuts), I’ve found from using SunButter over the years that I actually like it better, especially the Natural Crunch version. If you’re not a SunButter fan, I’ve also linked to a list of other great nut-butter alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe below.
Tell Me What You Think
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this Sunbutter, Jelly and Jalapeño if you make it. So drop me a comment below, and be sure to tag @nutfreevegan on social media if you’re posting photos. Plus, it’s always super fun to see these dishes out in the wild!
SBJ and J (SunButter, Jelly and Jalapeño)
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large jalapeno pepper sliced
- 2 slices of your favorite bread I use Whole Foods’ Whole Wheat
- 2 Tbsp. Sunbutter Natural Crunch or other nut-free butter
- 2 Tbsp. jelly grape and strawberry work best with the peppers
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over low-medium heat in frying pan; add jalapeno and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Spread SunButter on 1 slice bread. Add jelly to the other slice.
- Heat remaining oil and place bread plain side down in oil, moving it around to make sure pieces are coated evenly on bottom. Cook about 2 minutes.
- Add jalapenos to jelly and combine bread slices to form sandwich. Cook until brown on both sides, about 3 minutes each.
Notes
Nutrition
Oh my goodness – you speak to my own heart! I love using either hot pepper jelly or even just adding jarred pickled jalapeño slices when I don’t have the time to cook or am too lazy to prepare my own fresh peppers. I’m a big fan of using blackberry with the peppers, but I also have to say that siracha + strawberry jam = very happy tastebuds. I also love to mash in a few chickpeas with the PB and then squeezes in a little arugula or kale between those slices. Oh the options are endless – but however it’s done PB & J is definitely at it’s finest with that extra J!!!!
Sriracha and strawberry jam sounds amazing! I need to give that a try next time I’m craving sweet and spicy. Thanks for the tip!
This looks amazing!! Is it really only 1 teaspoon of pb though? That just doesn’t seem to be nearly enough to spread over an entire slice of bread. At any rate, definitely going to have to try this. 🙂
A tablespoon seems more likely, doesn’t it, Aimee? I should update that. Really, with something like this is whatever your preference is. If I measured out the amount I normally use, it’d be closer to half a cup probably!
This has been one of my favorites ever since I was a very poor 11 year old