Asian Peanut Sauce

Name: Asian Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup creamy peanut butter; 1 tsp white vinegar; 1 tsp soy sauce ((tamari for gluten-fre)); ½ tsp hot sauce; 1-2 cloves garlic (minced); 2-3 stalks scallions (chopped); ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp sugar; ½ tsp pepper powder; ¼ cup water (adjust based on thickness of sauce)

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Here is how to make the BEST Asian Peanut Sauce. Use it as a dip for veggies, as a satay sauce, over salad or noodles!

It is incredibly creamy, savory, slightly sweet and mildly spicy. Plus super easy to make in under 10 minutes and no-cooking involved.

Top view of Peanut Sauce in a white bowl against a dark background with chopped onions and Spring Roll Nachos on the side.

As we get closer to grilling and potluck season, I am sharing my go-to sauce thats perfect to take along with so many dishes!

The peanut based satay sauce that is often served with Vietnamese Spring Rolls at restaurants is actually a quick 5 minute recipe to put together. And it is easy to make with ingredients you have at hand.

Works like a charm as a dipping sauce, over noodles and salad or season tofu to make satay sticks.

I have often used this sauce in my recipes but never got around making a video or a complete post on it. Finally I did!

Jump to:

What is Peanut Sauce
Why this recipe works
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to make this recipe
Expert Tips and Notes
Pairings
Recipe FAQs
More Thai Recipes to try
Asian Peanut Sauce

What is Peanut Sauce

A simple sauce made with peanuts and a host of other ingredients; this Peanut sauce is often associated with Thai cuisine. However, per wikipedia it is actually from Indonesia. It is popularly known as Satay sauce.

A sauce popular as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese Spring Rolls, this one was traditionally made with roasted peanuts and a host of other ingredients.

However, churning roasted peanuts will yield peanut butter and so that works as a perfect starting point for this sauce. Unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter is a great way to make this sauce.

There are various variations of the sauce using a lot of different ingredients, this mix of ingredients has always been our favorite. I like to pour this over cold noodles or over my popular recipe of Vietnamese Spring Roll Nachos! And it is great with these Baked Spring Rolls as well.

Why this recipe works

It is super quick and easy to put together. It is as simple as add the ingredients and mix well! Barely takes 5 minutes.
This sauce works wonderfully on raw vegetables, zoodles, as a dip for spring rolls etc. It is also amazing over noodles and salad. With just one sauce the possibilities are endless!
This version is a light one and I use water to thin it out. However, use coconut milk for a creamier and richer sauce to use as a dipping sauce.
The sauce tastes amazing cooked, at room temperature as well as refrigerated. Use it as you like for your recipes.
Keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. I recommend freezing it for storing it for a longer time.

So it is always great to have some of this sauce ready to go. I often prepare it as part of meal prep and then it goes over noodles, fried rice, with Vietnamese Spring Rolls and so on. If you are looking for more Thai recipes, these Vegan Pad Kee Mow, Thai Papaya Salad, Vegan Thai Pasta Salad and Vegan Thai Red Curry are great too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Peanut sauce ingredients: Peanut butter, sauces and aromatics.

Peanut Butter: Smooth unsweetened and salted peanut butter works best for this peanut sauce. Chunky and crunchy varieties will work, however they do not yield a smooth sauce.
Sauces: The flavoring agents here are soy sauce, vinegar and hot sauce like Sriracha sauce. Together they bring in the Asian element really well.
Garlic and Scallions: These are optional but add a zing and texture to the sauce. I especially like to add these to make a sauce for noodles. These can be skipped if there is a dislike for raw garlic when serving the sauce with veggie sticks etc.
Seasonings: As the sauces have a lot of flavor, hence we add just a little salt, sugar and pepper powder to the sauce. Honey, maple syrup etc also work, however I prefer sugar over these in my sauce recipe.
Water: The resulting mix of the above ingredients would be a rather thick one. Use water to make the sauce spreadable. Adding coconut milk instead of water is an option too.
Apart from these ingredients; add sesame seeds, sesame oil, chopped roasted peanuts, chili flakes and shredded ginger to this peanut sauce for extra flavor.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a bowl add peanut butter.

2- Add soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic and scallions.

Mixing peanut butter with add-ins like onions, garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper in a glass measuring cup.

3- Then goes the salt, sugar and pepper.

4- Mix everything well.

Season and mix the peanut butter and sauces along with the spices.

5- Then add water as required to make a pourable consistency sauce.

6- Taste and adjust seasonings.

Adjust consistency with water and mix till you get a smooth sauce.

7- Transfer to a clean jar. Enjoy or refrigerate till ready to use.

Thai Peanut sauce in glass jar topped with roasted peanuts and scallions served on a gray napkin.

Expert Tips and Notes

Use peanut butter that has been brought to room temperature as cold peanut butter will not work well. It will clump together and not mix well with the other ingredients.
Add in hot chili oil, chili flakes or more hot sauce if you like the sauce to be spicy. The sauce does taste great mild or hot.
The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Bring to room temperature or add it directly if cooking with it. Freeze it to store longer. On thawing the sauce becomes spreadable and dip ready.
Use this sauce as a dipping sauce for veggie straws, crudités, Vietnamese Spring Rolls or over noodles.

Pairings

This sauce is wonderful with so many things. But in particular we enjoy it with these the most.

Recipe FAQs

What is Thai Peanut sauce made with?

This sauce is made using peanut butter, sauces like hot sauce, vinegar and soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free), garlic and seasoning. It can be seasoned as you like.

Can we make this sauce without peanut butter?

Certainly. First churn roasted peanuts till smooth in a powerful blender. Then use it to make the sauce.

Is this sauce same as Satay Sauce?

While we can use this sauce for stay; traditionally Satay Sauce is slightly spicy. Adding more chili sauce or flakes converts this sauce to satay sauce.

Is this sauce suitable for Vegan and Gluten-free diets?

This sauce is naturally Vegan. However, it does have gluten. Swap regular soy sauce for tamari or a soy sauce free from gluten to make it suitable for gluten-free diet.

Thai Peanut sauce in a glass container with a spoon on a dark background.

More Thai Recipes to try

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