This recipe was inspired by the PBJ’s Grilled food truck in Portland (which has since closed down) that I fell in love with when I first moved there almost a decade ago. The moment I put it in my mouth, my PB&J world changed forever and I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since. Salty, nutty peanut butter, sweet honey or marmalade, warming curry powder, spicy tangy sriracha, and fresh basil get sandwiched and then crisped up in the pan for a surprisingly satisfying take on the PBJ.
The sandwich at the truck has the option of adding coconut shrimp – we’re leaving that out but if you want to add protein, give it a shot!
Servings 1 sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 5 minutes Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- 3 tbsp natural peanut butter*
- ¼-½ tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp orange marmalade (or use honey)
- Sriracha
- 4-5 pieces fresh basil
- Butter
- *If peanut butter is unsalted, sprinkle a little bit of salt onto each slice before adding the remaining ingredients.
- *If your bread slices are larger or smaller, you may need more or less fillings. So use your judgment!
- Note: ~ as I mentioned in the headnote, the food truck had a coconut shrimp add-on. So if you want to add protein, try pan-frying some shrimp and tucking it into the sandwich (or just keep it on the side)!
Instructions
- Spread a thin layer of butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Flip the slices over so the unbuttered sides are facing up. Spread about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter onto one slice and the remaining 1 tablespoon on the other. You want to keep the peanut butter thicker in the center of the bread because when you fry it up, it will ooze out.
- On the slice with more peanut butter, add the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the curry powder on top and spread it around to evenly coat. Spread the orange marmalade on top (or drizzle the honey). Squeeze the Sriracha all over and top with fresh basil. Place the other slice on top (peanut butter side down).
- Heat a small/medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan has heated up, carefully place the sandwich into the skillet. Once it starts to sizzle, press down very gently just to make sure the bread is in contact with the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Carefully flip and cook for about 1 minute on the other side, or until deeply golden brown.
- Let the sandwich sit for about 5-10 minutes before slicing in half. Anything that oozes out when you slice it, you can just scoop it up with the bread.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- No prep needed!
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use a gluten-free bread alternative.
- Sub peanut butter with any nut or seed butter.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Reheat in a pan to crisp it back up.
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