Spicy Ginger Almond Butter Sauce (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo)
A few days ago a friend and I were discussing our love of Asian peanut sauces. She told me she just made a peanut noodle stir-fry with tofu and her meat-loving husband gobbles it up.
Earlier today, I stood looking through my pantry pulling out items to make a peanut sauce of my own. Although I’m certainly not the first person to think it, I decided to make an almond butter based sauce instead. Why not? I’d made a few version of an almond butter dipping sauce at my old job and it was so creamy and delicious. I knew I wanted to make mine spicy yet full of flavor and added lots of fresh mined ginger and spicy Serrano chile.
Serrano chiles look very similar to jalapenos, but slightly smaller. They tend to be spicier than jalapenos too. You’ll get some nice heat here, but as long as you can tolerate spice, don’t worry. You won’t burn your mouth off! The creamy healthy fats of the almond butter will help to cut some of the heat.
The almond butter sauce has so much flavor without having to add any additional salt. The bit of saltiness comes from using Bragg's liquid aminos,The rest of the flavors are from fresh ginger, fresh cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and dates. I added in a kitchen tip below for using fresh ginger!
Kitch Tip: How to peel and mince ginger
1. Use the back of a small spoon to scrape away the skin.
Peel the entire knob.
2. Slice into strips, long-wise. Then minced by chopping in the opposite direction.
3. Depending on large your piece of ginger is, you may not need it all for this recipe. That's ok! Ginger freezers well. Save it in a zip lock bag and use it another time.
I love creating recipes that are adaptable, no matter your nutritional lifestyle. There’s no refined sugars here and the sauce is appropriate for vegans and non-vegans alike!
So, how do I use this sauce?
Serve the Spicy Ginger Almond Butter Sauce:
Dunk raw veggies in sauce
Dipping sauce for Asian spring rolls
Thin with water and drizzle over lettuce greens as a dressing
Toss with veggies and noodles for a quick and healthy dinner (hot or cold)
I tossed the almond butter sauce with stir-fried vegetables and protein rich bean noodles to make a complete meal.
Spicy Ginger Almond Butter Sauce
Makes: ~8oz
Time: 15 minutes
Tools: Food Processor or high powered blender
Ingredients:
½ cup natural almond butter (no sugar or salt added)
1 heaping Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 pitted dates, soaked in water for 10 minutes
¼ cup fresh cilantro + extra for garnish if desired
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbsp liquid aminos or coconut aminos
1 tsp minced serrano chile
3 Tbsp water to thin
Instructions:
Start by soaking your dates for 10 minute to soften. (if you have a vitamix or high powered blender you can skip this step.)
Add ginger, serrano, cilantro, lime juice to the food processor and pulse to begin to break down the mixture.
Add almond butter, and aminos. Puree until smooth. The sauce will be pretty thick, so feel free to add water 1 tablespoon until it reaches the consistency you desire. I added 3 tablespoons, because it thickens even further once you store it in the refrigerator.
Store in an airtight container.
