May 16, 2024, Updated Jun 03, 2024 Everyone needs an outrageously rich and perfectly balanced peanut sauce recipe like this in their back pocket. This easy dipping sauce or salad dressing is made with creamy peanut butter, heat, salty soy sauce, and bright lime. It’s a whisk-and-serve, 1-bowl kind of sauce (you’re welcome) but it’s also a great base to add to. Let’s dive in. Try it with my fresh spring rolls, noodle bowls, as a satay sauce, and change your life today. Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly asked questions.
It’s a dip, it’s a dressing, and it’s a sauce – so multipurpose. All you need is 5 minutes and a few everyday ingredients to make this sauce. So quick, it’s crazy! So yummy you’ll want to make a triple batch and enjoy all week long.
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
It’s likely you already have these simple grocery store ingredients at home:
Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth and rich texture. Natural peanut butter with no added sugars or oils is perfect. Brown sugar: Adjust the amount based on your sweetness preference. Soy sauce: Use regular soy sauce for a rich, umami flavor. Low sodium soy sauce works, too, especially if your peanut butter is salty. Fresh Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is best. Crushed red pepper flakes: Add a little bit of heat to balance out the flavors. Leave it out if you don’t want any spice.
You’ll also need hot water to thin it out. This makes a simple, great peanut sauce base, but the add-ins take it to the next level:
Add-ins
Use either or both of these to amp up the flavor in your new go-to peanut sauce:
Fresh Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic cloves or the best flavor. Fresh ginger: Adds a little fresh heat and makes a huge difference.
Peanut butter substitute: You can use crunchy peanut butter, or try almond butter or cashew butter. Sunflower seed butter works for a nut-free version. Sugar swap: Use coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup instead. Lime juice substitute: You can substitute with lemon juice from fresh lemons if that’s all you have on hand. Rice vinegar (rice wine vinegar), white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar will work in a pinch. Soy sauce alternatives: For a gluten-free option, substitute with gluten free soy sauce (tamari) or coconut aminos. Red pepper flakes: Try a little sriracha sauce, garlic chili sauce or cayenne pepper. For some warmth with less heat, use 1/4 tsp ground black pepper. Creamy Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe: To make a creamier, coconut-flavored version, add a few tablespoons of coconut milk + a tablespoon of red curry paste to the base peanut sauce. Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe: Add 1 tbsp hoisin sauce and a few splashes of fish sauce to taste. A teaspoon of sesame oil can also add extra depth.
Dissolve the sugar
Combine brown sugar and boiling water in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Whisk in the other ingredients
Whisk in peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice and crushed red pepper flakes (plus garlic and/or ginger, if using) until smooth. For longer storage, you can freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container or a resealable plastic bag. Leave some space at the top of the container, as the sauce may expand when frozen. Frozen peanut sauce can be stored for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
I love it with stir fries (like this Spicy Ground Pork Stir Fry. Serve it over rice noodles to make simple peanut noodles or on thicker noodles for an easy take on Dan Dan Noodles. On rice bowls with my easy basmati rice recipe or sushi rice recipe. Slathered over these perfect air fryer tuna steaks.
Serve this dipping sauce with fresh spring rolls. It’s delicious with my Asian pulled chicken wraps or an Asian-style salad. With Salmon Satay or chicken satay – such a great summer bbq recipe. I love having a little jar of it on hand for lightning-fast dinners. Make a batch of last minute frozen instant pot chicken breasts in it or try it with my simple air fried frozen salmon and a side of asparagus.
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