This quick and easy Peanut Sauce recipe can be made with just a few simple ingredients in 5 minutes or less! Creamy peanut butter, savory soy sauce, a touch of sugar, and the heat of Sriracha makes for a delectably smooth, spicy-sweet flavor.
What is Peanut Sauce?
Peanut Sauce, often called satay sauce, is sweet, savory, and often subtly spicy sauce that is made from ground peanuts, water, and other spices. It is often found in Indonesian, Thai, and other Asian cuisines served as a dip alongside spring rolls and chicken satay or even a marinade for grilled meats.
Why Make this Recipe?
Besides the fact that you are only 5 minutes and 6 simple ingredients away from one of the BEST Thai dipping sauces ever?
There is also so much room for variation– something you can’t get when you buy a bottle of it at the store.
Plus, it tastes INCREDIBLE! I know this because it has been made by TONS of readers and they all say the same thing!
Once you’ve made the recipe, try dipping your favorite Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls in it, or drizzling it atop some Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Satay, Egg Roll in a Bowl, or these PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps.
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this Peanut Sauce recipe include:
- Peanut butter. A smooth peanut butter without any added sugar is best.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free varieties or Tamari sauce may be used and coconut liquid aminos also work as a soy-free alternative.
- Sugar. Brown sugar will taste the best, but honey and agave nectar may be used if you’d like a healthier alternative. If on a low-carb or keto diet, you can also substitute with a non-nutritive sweetener such as stevia.
- Sriracha sauce. Feel free to substitute with another hot sauce of choice.
- Rice vinegar. Rice vinegar is the most common and authentic acidic component to use, but fresh lime juice may also be used.
- Garlic. A clove of fresh garlic is preferred, but ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted for each clove.
How to Make Peanut Sauce
The basic steps for making Peanut Sauce are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Mix the Main Ingredients
Add all of the ingredients except for the water to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk them together until smooth and well combined.
If the peanut butter is too difficult to whisk at room temperature, it can be warmed for 10-20 seconds in the microwave to soften it up and make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
Whisk in Water
When all the other ingredients are combined, slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon of warm water at a time. This will help to thin out the sauce to the desired consistency – going slightly thicker for a dipping sauce, and slightly thinner for a drizzling sauce or dressing.
By the time the desired amount of water is fully whisked in, the sauce should have returned to a lighter brown color, similar to that of the peanut butter.
Serve the sauce with Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, and enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Homemade peanut sauce can be prepared up to 3-4 days in advance, however the sauce will gradually start to lose some of its flavor over time.
- To Store: Prepared peanut sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Leftover sauce can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
- To Reheat: Stored peanut sauce may be left out on the counter for an hour before serving, or microwaved in the oven for 10-20 seconds to make it smooth and creamy.
FAQS
Are peanut sauce and satay sauce the same thing?
While peanut sauce can technically refer to any sauce featuring peanuts or peanut butter, satay sauce is the form of preparation generally involving soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and water.
What do you use peanut sauce for?
Peanut sauce can be used for a wide variety of Asian dishes, such as Vietnamese spring rolls, Thai lettuce wraps, Indonesian satay, or Pad Thai with a nutty kick.
How do you thicken peanut sauce?
If peanut sauce has been thinned out a little too much, try putting it in the fridge for a short amount of time to solidify it a bit, or carefully whisk in a little more peanut butter to thicken it back up.
Why are some peanut sauce recipes cooked on the stovetop and others not?
It comes down to preference and preparation technique. Some recipes where the sauce is being used in a hot dish may call for it to be prepared very warm, or some cooks may find it easier to incorporate all of the ingredients when the sauce is heated on the stovetop.
Recipe Tips
- Warm it up. To make the sauce easier to stir, microwave the peanut butter for 10 seconds before adding it, and use warm water instead of cold to thin it out.
- Prep in bulk. Peanut sauce reheats beautifully, so make a double or triple batch and portion it out to freeze until ready to use it.
- Watch the spice. Start by adding just a little bit of Sriracha to the sauce and tasting it, gradually adding more and testing until it reaches your desired level of spice.
- Make it creamy. For a thinner, mellower, extra creamy sauce that’s perfect for tossing with noodles or salads, try replacing the water with coconut milk.
- Experiment with flavors. Implementing ingredients like sesame oil, fresh ginger, coconut milk, alternative nut butters, or lime juice within the sauce can help yield different results.
What to Serve Asian Peanut Sauce With
This incredibly versatile sauce makes for the perfect spicy-sweet accompaniment to loads of delicious Asian dishes:
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Ground Chicken Thai Lettuce Wraps
- Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls
- Thai Peanut Sauce Chicken and Veggies
- Peanut Butter Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
- Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad
- Easy Pad Thai
Tap stars to rate!
4.98 from 80 votes
Best Peanut Sauce Recipe
This quick and easy Peanut Sauce recipe can be made with just a few simple ingredients in 5 minutes or less! Creamy peanut butter, savory soy sauce, a touch of sugar, and the heat of Sriracha makes for a delectably smooth, spicy-sweet flavor.
Yield 12 servings
Prep 5 minutes mins
Total 5 minutes mins
Print Pin Comment
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter smooth
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or Tamari
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar honey or coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce to taste
- 3-6 Tbsp warm water
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl, except for the water, to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until well smooth and well combined.
½ cup peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic, ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
Slowly add in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time to help thin it out. Stop adding when your desired consistency is reached.
3-6 Tbsp warm water
This recipe makes roughly ¾ cup of sauce, or 12 tablespoons. Serve sauce with Fresh Spring Rolls and enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
4.98 from 80 votes
Video
Notes
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian and vegan as written. Here are some substitutions you can make:
- Gluten-Free: Substitute soy sauce for a gluten-free variety, or for Tamari sauce.
- Peanut-Free: Use almond or cashew butter.
- Low-Carb: Use a non-nutritive sweetener such as stevia extract.
- Whole30: Use almond or cashew butter, coconut sugar or honey, apple cider vinegar, and a hot sauce without any added sugars.
- Soy-Free: Substitute the soy sauce or Tamari sauce for coconut liquid aminos.
- Refined Sugar-Free: Replace the brown sugar with honey, agave nectar, or coconut sugar.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Homemade peanut sauce can be prepared up to 3-4 days in advance, however the sauce will gradually start to lose some of its flavor over time.
- To Store: Prepared peanut sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- To Freeze: Leftover sauce can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
- To Reheat: Stored peanut sauce may be left out on the counter for an hour before serving, microwaved in the oven for 10-20 seconds, or heated in a small saucepan on the stove, constantly stirring until smooth and creamy.
Nutrition
Calories: 75kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 193mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!
Categorized as:
, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Recipes, Refined Sugar-Free, , Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30
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