Soy butter, also called soy nut butter, is a peanut-butter alternative made by grinding roasted soybeans with oil and salt into a smooth, spreadable paste. It is a distinct product from soy margarine: margarine is an emulsified spread made from soybean oil and water and used as a butter substitute, while soy butter is a ground paste made directly from whole soybeans, similar in form to peanut butter.
Soy butter was developed mainly as a nut-free alternative to peanut butter for people with peanut or tree-nut allergies, since soybeans are legumes rather than tree nuts or peanuts. It became more widely available in the late 20th century as schools and food manufacturers sought peanut-free options for children with allergies, and it remains marketed today largely on that basis.
In the cooking and baking process, soy butter is used much like peanut butter: spread on bread, toast, or crackers, stirred into oatmeal or smoothies, or used as the fat base in cookies, energy bars, and other baked goods. Unlike soy margarine, it is not typically used for sautéing, frying, or as a general cooking fat, since its thick, ground-legume texture and flavor are closer to a nut butter than to a spreadable cooking fat.
The flavor profile of soy butter is mild, nutty, and slightly sweet, with a texture ranging from smooth to chunky depending on the brand and how finely the soybeans are ground. It pairs well with the same ingredients commonly used with peanut butter, such as chocolate, banana, and honey.