Satay Sauce without Peanuts and Soy

It took me years to create a version of satay sauce that I was happy with. And finally, it happened. This peanut-free satay sauce is creamy, sticky, rich, and the perfect accompaniment to lectin-free chicken satay. But feel free to pair it with other dishes. It works well with stir-fries, cabbage, and beef and makes a perfect creamy dressing for a chicken salad.

Do peanuts have lectins?

Yes, peanuts have lectins. Contrary to the name, peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes that grow in the ground. For this reason, not only are they high in harmful lectins, but they also contain aflatoxins, a group of toxic compounds produced by certain molds found in food.

Peanut butter, the main ingredient in satay sauce, is high in lectins, and that’s one of the reasons I created a satay sauce made without peanut butter.

For a list of lectin-free and low-lectin foods, check out our printable Plant Paradox Shopping List.

The ingredients for this lectin-free satay sauce

Traditionally, chicken satay sauce is made with peanut butter and soy sauce. I used toasted tahini (sesame paste made of lightly toasted sesame seeds) and a little bit of hazelnut butter, spices, and aromatics to bring in the umami flavor given by the soy sauce.

The aromatics I used are (they were sauteed in olive oil):

• shallots
• garlic

The spices I used are:

• turmeric
• cumin
• ground black pepper
• ginger powder (fresh can also be used)
• sea salt / Himalayan pink salt
• red Tabasco (another compliant hot sauce can be used, such as Sriracha)

The creamy/liquid ingredients are:

• toasted tahini (if you don’t find toasted tahini, you can use tahini made with raw sesame seeds, and maybe add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to the mix, or toast some seeds and add them to the blender)
• hazelnut butter
• extra virgin olive oil
• coconut milk
• water
• raw, local honey (can be replaced with Yacon syrup or another compliant sweetener)
• lemon juice

Other ingredients for more depth of flavor:

• capers
• lemon zest

Coconut aminos can be used, but that’s not an ingredient readily available worldwide. It will not hurt to add a little bit to your sauce if it’s something you have in your pantry.

How to prepare this lectin-free satay sauce without peanuts

Usually, this sauce is cooked on the stove while making the chicken and served warm. I wanted to simplify things and make it a condiment that can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge.

I cooked the shallot and garlic in a small saucepan, added all the ingredients to my Nutribullet, and blended until creamy.

I stored the sauce in the fridge until dinner time. After making the chicken, I added the sauce to an oven-proof serving dish and warmed it a little bit in the oven before adding the chicken skewers on top.

You can double the quantity and use leftovers as a creamy dressing for a chicken salad or a stir-fry sauce the next day.

Making Chicken Satay without Peanuts and Soy

Creating this delicious satay sauce without peanuts and soy made it possible to have one of our favorite dishes again: chicken satay.

This Baked Chicken Satay is easy to make and delicious.

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