Even before going vegan, I loved peanut butter – it was (and is) such a staple in my diet, that it probably could have stood as its own food group.
When I went vegan and started paying more attention to what was in my food, peanut butter didn’t escape my gaze. It was shocking to see how many weird ingredients snuck into the ingredient list, whether they were animal-based or otherwise!
Rather than toss my beloved peanut butter entirely out of my diet, I simply looked for better choices. Instead of slathering my sandwiches in nut butters with added oils, tons of sugars, and stabilizers, I tried to stay simple.
The closer to an ingredients list of just peanuts (and maybe a little salt and cane sugar) the better!
Luckily, most peanut butter brands also happen to be 100% vegan-friendly – if you’re shopping for a brand that isn’t on this list, be sure to check the ingredient list for honey, which is sometimes added as a sweetener.
Otherwise, animal products don’t generally sneak their way into peanut butter. It’s usually a safe go-to for plant-based animal lovers!
Looking for your next favorite smoothie addition, sandwich spread, or banana companion? Get your spoons ready – below are some of the best vegan peanut butter brands, which are not only animal-friendly but ready to dip!
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
Love peanut butter, but want to keep your calorie or fat intake down? Try using PB2 as your go-to peanut butter!
This product is made from defatted peanuts, giving it 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter. You can add one part water to two parts PB2 to make a peanut spread for sandwiches, rice cakes, or apple slices, or simply add the powder as is to smoothies and oatmeal.
For chocolate lovers, try the premium chocolate flavor in desserts for an extra boost of cocoa!
I like to buy the two-pack of PB2, with one plain and one cocoa version. Each jar contains 16 ounces of PB2, which make about 37 servings each. A two-tablespoon serving of both the plain and chocolate varieties contain 45 calories, 1.5g fat, 5g carbohydrates, and 5g protein.
What We Like
This product packs excellent peanut taste in for a fraction of the calories and fat! If you’re trying to watch what you eat, or need to reduce your fat intake, this makes a flavorful swap as an easy way to cut calories with minimal sacrifice.
What We Didn’t Like
While this product is delicious in smoothies and oatmeal, it’s not going to fool you for “real” peanut butter. When mixed with plain water and used as a spread, the taste and texture can leave a little to be desired. Stick with mixing this in or using it in peanut sauce, rather than using it as a stand-alone spread.
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Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
If you’re transitioning your family to a healthier lifestyle, but don’t want to waste money on “healthy” products your kids will turn up their noses at, I can’t recommend Skippy Natural enough.
This peanut butter keeps the familiar salty, sweet, creamy taste that kids (and you!) love, but leaves out the preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors.
It’s also no-stir, so you won’t have to deal with the mess of incorporating everything, and your kids won’t be able to tell the difference.
This peanut butter is made in Arkansas, USA. It comes in a 40-ounce jar, which contains about 35 servings. Each serving contains 190 calories, 16g fat, 6g carbohydrates, and 7g protein (not too different from other “high end” natural peanut butter!). You can purchase this in creamy or chunky.
What We Like
Skippy Natural is a super affordable alternative to many gourmet natural nut butter, and the nutritional profile really isn’t all that different. Plus, the large jar makes it easy to stock up, especially for families, as you won’t be going through each jar as quickly.
What We Didn’t Like
To be honest, we can’t thing of anything negative to say about this product.
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Naturally More Organic Valencia Peanut Butter
Peanut butter may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of probiotics, but the peanut butter from Naturally More delivers these friendly gut buddies along with that delicious peanut flavor!
The probiotics support immune and digestive health and can help with protein utilization. It also includes heart-healthy flax for a dose of omegas.
Each 16-ounce jar is BPA-free and contains about 14 servings. Each one of those servings has 180 calories, 15g fat, 8g carbs, and 8g of protein.
What We Like
The texture of this peanut butter is unique – Naturally More calls it “lightly crunchy”. You don’t have big peanut chunks like you do with regular crunchy peanut butter, but the flax seeds provide an interesting textural element.
What We Didn’t Like
While this product provides great health benefits, it is on the sweet side, as it uses natural coconut sugar to sweeten the deal. Some reviewers also said it was a little too runny for their tastes, and a little hard to use as a “spread”.
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Crazy Richards Natural Chunky Peanut Butter
When I’m craving super crunchy peanut butter, I always reach for a jar of Crazy Richard’s. In addition to a coarse, satisfying texture, Crazy Richard’s has an ingredient list you can feel good about.
It contains no added salts or sugars, hydrogenated or palm oils, and no trans fats. They use non-GMO peanuts in their peanut butter, and produce it in the United States.
Two tablespoons of this crunchy peanut butter contain 190 calories, 16g fat, 7g carbohydrates, and 8g protein. The 16-ounce BPA-free jar contains 14 servings, and you can buy a pack of 6 from Amazon.
What We Like
As a lover of crunchy peanut butter, I find this brand to have the best “chunk”. I especially love it stirred into my morning oatmeal – the creamy part melts into the oats, and I get the great toothsome crunch of the peanut chunks!
What We Didn’t Like
It seems like no matter how careful you are, this peanut butter always makes a mess. As the oil naturally separates, you’ll need to stir it to incorporate everything. Do yourself a favor and do this in the sink, or on a paper towel.
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Justin's Classic Peanut Butter
It makes sense that a company known for manufacturing delicious, vegan-friendly chocolate peanut butter cups would also have a fantastic classic peanut butter for sandwiches and spreads.
The ingredient list contains just two ingredients: dry roasted peanuts and a touch of palm fruit oil, for a smooth, spreadable, ultra-creamy nut butter. The peanut butter is free of sugar and salt so that you can use it in sweet dishes as well as savory.
The peanut butter is certified gluten-free, kosher, and vegan. Each 16-ounce jar contains 14 servings, each with 190 calories, 16g fat, 7g carbohydrates, and 8g protein.
What We Like
What We Love: The texture of this peanut butter is buttery smooth. It is firm enough to spread onto apple slices and sandwiches, and there’s no need to stir, so you don’t have to dirty your hands or deal with the oil slick that comes with natural nut butter.
What We Didn’t Like
The Downside: With no sugar or salt added, purchasers may find the taste bland if they’re used to commercial peanut butter with lots of added ingredients. Add some sweetener – maple syrup is great! – if you like your peanut butter on the sweeter side.
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Once Again Organic Smooth Peanut Butter
Once Again’s Organic Peanut Butter is for the peanut lover. It contains a single ingredient: organic roasted peanuts, which means it’s free of added oils, sugars, and salt. This makes it a perfect choice for households looking to forego sugar or salt, or who prefer to doctor up their peanut butter on their own.
You can also buy Once Again’s Peanut Butter in crunchy varieties, as well as sweetened, salted, and/or no-stir varieties, if you’re into that.
Each 30g serving contains 210 calories, 16g fat, 6g carbohydrates, and 9g of protein. It’s also a great source of folate!
You can buy these in one-pound jars, or purchase by the case direct from the company’s website.
What We Like
You get maximum customizability with this peanut butter. As it contains no sweeteners or salt, you can add this peanut butter to sweet and savory dishes, or simply doctor it up to meet your tastes.
If you want to add a little pink Himalayan salt and organic raw sugar, you can – without changing the whole batch. It’s also great for people who want to eat as clean as possible.
What We Didn’t Like
The consistency of this peanut butter is on the looser side – while delicious, it’s a little runnier than traditional peanut butter. It’s fantastic for adding to smoothies and oatmeals, but if you want a bit of a firmer texture, stir this very well and place in the fridge for a few hours.
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MaraNatha Organic Peanut Butter Creamy
Maranatha is well-known for its incredible almond butter, but their peanut butter is a slam dunk too!
The product is 100% natural, but it’s a no-stir variety, so you don’t need to worry about getting oil all over your hands or risking dried-out peanut butter at the end of your jar.
Each 2 tablespoon serving contains 200 calories, 17g fat, 5g carbohydrates, and 8g protein. It is entirely gluten-free, uses sustainably sourced palm oil for a velvety texture, and does not contain any GMO ingredients. Each jar is 16-ounces and provides about 14 servings.
What We Like
In addition to the clean ingredient list and smooth texture, we love that Maranatha uses organic peanuts in this butter. Made without chemicals and pesticides, you can feel good about packing this into your kids’ lunches and making it a part of your post-workout snack or meal.
What We Didn’t Like
This peanut butter does include cane syrup (read: sugar) in its ingredient list, so if you’re avoiding sugar, this may not be the product for you. However, it does give this a great taste and can help you transition your family from traditional peanut butter to the natural stuff.
Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter
Full disclosure: I can’t have the Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter from PB & Co. in my house. Not because anyone in my home is allergic to it, but because I can’t stop myself from eating this stuff by the spoonful!
This peanut butter has an incredible dark chocolate flavor that’s fantastic in a banana shake or stirred into oatmeal.
Each two-tablespoon serving contains 170 calories, 12g of carbs, 2g of sugar, and 6g protein.
What We Like
The flavor!!!! If you loved Nutella in your pre-vegan life, this is a product to try out. It makes the perfect treat after a long day at work or drizzled over special Saturday morning pancakes.
What We Didn’t Like
Compared to many of the other peanut butters on this list, the ingredient list for Dark Chocolate Dreams makes it more of a treat than a staple. In addition to the peanuts and cocoa, this product also has a substantial amount of cane sugar, palm fruit oil, and lecithin.
Trader Joe’s No Stir Peanut Butter
Trader Joe’s is a haven for vegans and natural-food-lovers alike, and their peanut butter is a winner for reasons beyond the great taste. You can choose from a wide variety of peanut butter based on your family’s preferences – creamy or crunchy, salted or unsalted, completely natural or no-stir.
There plenty of options to choose from to meet what you need. Even better? The Trader Joe’s peanut butter tends to be way cheaper than other brands of natural peanut butter, and the unsalted varieties have comparable clean ingredient lists.
Each variety comes in a 16-ounce plastic jar (no worries about broken glass if you drop it), and the nutrition content varies slightly based on the type you get.
What We Like
As vegans, we love having options! We appreciate that Trader Joe’s goes above and beyond to supply products that meet so many different preferences, diets, and tastes. It’s great to be able to choose a peanut butter that fits your needs correctly!
What We Didn’t Like
If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, it can be tough to get your hands on this stuff. You can find TJ’s PB online, but it tends to be overpriced if you don’t buy it directly from the store.
Spread the Love
Peanut butter can absolutely have a place in a healthy, whole-foods, plant-based diet – just a few simple swaps will have you spreading the love in no time!
Treat your body well with peanut butters that have short ingredient lists – peanuts should always be the first ingredient, maybe cozied up with a little salt and natural sweetener, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Your best bet is to look at the nutrition panel – if the fat or carbohydrates seem unusually high, that can be indicative of added oils or sugars.
Remember too that healthy diets are also about balance – it can’t be about kale salads and green smoothies all the time! Sometimes, a spoonful of dark chocolate peanut butter drizzled over pancakes or on top of your morning oatmeal is just what the doctor ordered. Listen to what your body craves, and find wholesome foods to nourish it with.
I am really disappointed in this list. Almost all of them have added surges and added oil of some kind which is not needed because peanuts have enough oils themselves. I saw only 1 or 2 with the listed ingredients as just peanuts and nothing else. I use Costco peanut butter which has peanuts and sea slat nothing else. When I first open I dump off all the extra oil and save my self a lots of fat. Yes it makes it more thick and harder to spread but I rater have that issue than all that extra oil inside my body. Just my 2 cents.
Hey Tom,
That’s a great point that you bring up. It’s getting easier and easier to find brands that are vegan, but that also means a lot of variety in how they are created. There’s a lot of research and evidence that point towards oils being good for you as well as studies that show the opposite. So we aren’t creating this list to advise one way or the other, we are just trying to shed light on products that are Vegan. From there, the end user can check them out and make a decision on which they feel suits their lifestyle.