Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (2024)

Published December 29, 2021.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This very easy-to-make full-flavored Thai-style peanut sauce is a perfect accompaniment to any of your grilled or cooked meat recipes. You should absolutely serve this up with my chicken satay recipe.

If you are a huge sauce fan like I am then expand your repertoire by making my homemade pesto or teriyaki sauce.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (1)

There are quite a few different styles of peanut sauce ranging from Indonesian to Malaysian, to Thai, and beyond. All of them are unique in ingredients and flavors and all act as a dipping sauce for cooked protein or vegetables.

This peanut sauce recipe is much more of a Thai-style sauce, but I do not use curry. I don’t feel it necessary to use curry as there are so many other flavors in the sauce that compliment and there is no need to add curry to overtake it. You can however use it, and if you want I’ve got an amazing homemade recipe for fresh curry.

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (2)
  • Peanut Butter – Creamy peanut butter is best for this recipe.
  • Coconut Milk – Full fat unsweetened canned coconut milk.
  • Vinegar – You can use coconut or rice wine vinegar.
  • Ginger – Fresh peeled ginger is best, but you could substitute for a ½ teaspoon of dry.
  • Chili-Garlic Sauce – Also known as sambal which can be found in the Asian aisle in your local grocery store.
  • Sugar – It’s best to use palm sugar but that may be hard to find. If so, perfectly substitute for packed light brown sugar.
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best, but you can substitute for 1 teaspoon of dry.
  • Lime Juice – Use fresh limes to juice.
  • Soy Sauce – Any good soy or tamari sauce will work.

How to Make Peanut Sauce

Use these step-by-step instructions for making this tasty Thai peanut sauce recipe:

Add all the ingredients except for the coconut milk to a large bowl.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (3)

Gently whisk everything together until combined. This peanut butter will tighten up a little bit.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (4)

Slowly add in the coconut milk a ½ cup at a time and gently whisk it in until the sauce is smooth and combined. Store until ready to use.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (5)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 3 days ahead of time.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (6)

chef notes + tips

  • Feel free to use chunky peanut butter if you want
  • You can use bottled coconut milk, but for maximum fat and flavor canned is best.
Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (7)

More Sauce Recipes

  • Horseradish Sauce
  • Crème Fraiche
  • Gravy
  • Pomodoro Sauce
  • Chimichurri

Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram,andPinterest,and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (8)

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Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (9)

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5 from 9 votes

This very easy-to-make full-flavored Thai-style peanut sauce is a perfect accompaniment to any of your grilled or cooked meat recipes.

Servings: 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
  • 2 finely grated garlic
  • 1 ” chunk of finely grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 2 teaspoons coconut or rice wine vinegar
  • 15 ounce can full-fat coconut milk

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients except for the coconut milk to a large bowl.

  • Gently whisk everything together until combined. This peanut butter will tighten up a little bit.

  • Slowly add in the coconut milk a ½ cup at a time and gently whisk it in until the sauce is smooth and combined. I usually only use about ½ of the coconut fat that’s at the top of the can.

  • Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 3 days ahead of time.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Feel free to use chunky peanut butter if you want

You can use bottled coconut milk, but for maximum fat and flavor canned is best.

Nutrition

Calories: 1257kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 39gFat: 110gSaturated Fat: 54gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gSodium: 2486mgPotassium: 1370mgFiber: 9gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 10mg

Course: Appetizer, sauce

Cuisine: Thai

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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24 comments

    • Keith Duffek
    • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (10)

    This so easy to make and so good!

    • Reply
    • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (11)

        so good!!

        • Reply
      • Linda Chiasson

      Hi. Love your recipes and videos. For the peanut sauce, is palm sugar necessary? Ty

      • Reply
      • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (12)

          regular sugar works. I believe I mention that in the post.

          • Reply
        • Sabella Gioia
        • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (13)

        I’m considered by family and friends to be a really good cook. Having said that, you are my ‘go to’ Chef whenever I want or need to research a recipe or try something new. You never disappoint, in fact, you always exceed my expectations! Tried this sauce for the first time. Everyone loved it! Made it for the Thai Style Chicken Satay.

        • Reply
        • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (14)

            Perfect!

            • Reply
          • Sharon Ilich

          Love reading and trying your recipes

          • Reply
          • lynn Willard
          • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (15)

          Holy Smokes!!! this is the bomb recipe. I have literally put this on everything since the day I made it. LOL chicken dipping sauce, salad dressing, on a spoon as a midnight snack. JUST MAKE IT!! seriously……..now…….run!!!!

          • Reply
          • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (16)

              so good!!

              • Reply
            • Martin

            Here in the Netherlands we always make satay sauce while stirring in a pan. So a warm preparation. Is that also the intention with this recipe or do you eat this variant cold?

            • Reply
            • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (17)

                Either

                • Reply
              • DJ Posner
              • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (18)

              During the pandemic I taught myself Thai cooking. This recipe is outstanding and your techniques used on the Satay recipe are so helpful. Thanks Chef!

              • Reply
              • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (19)

                  My pleasure!

                  • Reply
                • Willam Spyrison
                • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (20)

                Deliciously Yummers

                • Reply
                • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (21)

                    so good!!

                    • Reply
                  • Don
                  • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (22)

                  This makes a good salad dressing.

                  • Reply
                  • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (23)

                      Thanks for trying it!

                      • Reply
                    • Mark

                    Tried this for the first time! Everyone absolutely loves ❤️ it! I use your recipes all the time and I have never had a meal that wasn’t well received. Thank you very much your guidance and recipes are making me a better cook than I really am. My wife brags about my cooking all the time. Thanks again, Mark

                    • Reply
                    • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (24)

                        Thanks for giving it a shot!!

                        • Reply
                      • frannie

                      I do love this sauce……and it’s delicious on everything!

                      • Reply
                      • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (25)

                          Agreed

                          • Reply
                        • Lisa Leng
                        • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (26)

                        I made this to go with Chicken Satay, however, I use it on everything, sooo delicious!! 🥜

                        • Reply
                        • Michelle
                        • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (27)

                        I wonder if I could use this in a vegetable noodle bowl as the dressing on warm noodles and veggies.

                        • Reply
                          • Lisa Leng
                          • Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (28)

                          Definitely, I use it on lots of recipes!

                          • Reply
                      Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (2024)

                      FAQs

                      What is peanut sauce made of? ›

                      Instructions. To a medium mixing bowl add (starting with the amount at the lower end of the measurement range where applicable) peanut butter, tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos), maple syrup, lime juice, chili sauce (or chili or red pepper), and whisk to combine.

                      How to make store-bought peanut sauce taste better? ›

                      You can make it sweet and tangy, with the addition of tamarind paste. You can make it sweet and spicy, by adding fresh ginger, garlic, and chili paste. You can reduce the sweetness by diluting it with more peanut butter, or with tahini.

                      What's a good substitute for peanut sauce? ›

                      How to make this Nut-Free “Peanut” Sauce
                      • Sunbutter – I prefer this smooth brand with no added sugar. ...
                      • Coconut aminos – This soy sauce alternative is made from reducing coconut sap until it's dark and syrupy. ...
                      • Garlic powder.
                      • Red pepper flakes – These are optional if you don't want it spicy.
                      • Fine sea salt.
                      Jan 8, 2019

                      How to thicken up peanut sauce? ›

                      How to thicken peanut sauce. If you accidentally add too much water to your peanut sauce, simply whisk in small amounts of peanut butter to adjust the consistency, You may also need to add other ingredients to maintain the flavor balance. Peanut butter powder also works in place of peanut butter to make this adjustment ...

                      What is good with peanut sauce? ›

                      Carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, red peppers, and snow peas are just some of the vegetables that taste great when paired with Thai Peanut Sauce. Try a unique twist with your veggies and dip Summer Rolls into the rich, peanut flavor!

                      Why is peanut sauce so good? ›

                      Peanut sauce reached its sophistication in Indonesia, with the delicate balance of taste acquired from various ingredients according to each recipe of peanut sauce; fried peanuts, gula jawa (palm sugar), garlic, shallot, ginger, tamarind juice, lemon juice, lemongrass, salt, chilli, pepper, sweet soy sauce, ground ...

                      Why is my peanut sauce breaking? ›

                      Sauces can break for any number of reasons including cooking at high heat, adding too much liquid to a hot pan, or even just waiting too long for everything to combine appropriately.

                      Does peanut sauce go bad? ›

                      First, take a look at it. If you notice any mold, there's a significant change in the color or texture of the sauce, or the sauce has started to separate, it's best to throw it away. Also, take a moment to smell the sauce. If you notice a rancid or “off” smell, the sauce is likely spoiled.

                      Why is my peanut sauce not smooth? ›

                      If the oil is separating from the sauce a bit (this can happen from the oil in the coconut milk and the peanut butter, but it's easy to fix!), add water a few drops at a time and whisk until it comes smoothly back together.

                      How do you thin peanut butter into sauce? ›

                      Start with a little less than equal parts warm water to nut butter and add more water as needed, until the sauce is your desired consistency. You'll want it thinner for drizzling, and thicker for dipping.

                      Does Trader Joe's sell a peanut sauce? ›

                      Peanutty Satay Sauce | Trader Joe's.

                      What can I use instead of sauce? ›

                      7 Substitutes for Tomato Sauce If You Run Out of the Pantry Staple
                      • Canned Tomatoes.
                      • Fresh Tomatoes.
                      • Tomato Paste.
                      • Tomato Soup.
                      • Ketchup.
                      • Tomato Purée.
                      • Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
                      Apr 27, 2024

                      What is Vietnamese peanut sauce made of? ›

                      One of the unique aspects of Vietnamese-style peanut sauce compared to other varieties of peanut sauce is the inclusion of hoisin sauce. Vietnamese peanut sauce is simply made with peanut butter, hoisin and garlic for a sweet, tangy and rich sauce.

                      What if I add too much soy sauce to peanut sauce? ›

                      Too salty? You probably added too much soy sauce. Counteract this by adding more peanut butter, sugar, or water.

                      What can I use instead of hoisin? ›

                      Ready-made hoisin sauce alternatives
                      • soy sauce.
                      • tamari, which is suitable for gluten-free diets.
                      • oyster sauce.
                      • chili sauce.
                      • barbecue sauce.
                      • sweet and sour sauce.
                      • teriyaki sauce.
                      Feb 2, 2022

                      Does peanut sauce taste like? ›

                      It's salty, sweet, acidic and bold — a sauce like no other. For the uninitiated, Asian peanut sauce is a puree of peanuts, soy sauce, ginger, sesame, spices and often garlic, lemongrass and lime.

                      What culture is peanut sauce from? ›

                      Also just called peanut sauce or satay sauce, this dipping sauce is a flavorful part of Southeast Asian cuisine, especially Indonesian cuisine, where it's called bumbu kacang or sambal kacang.

                      What is peanut butter syrup made of? ›

                      Ingredients. Pure Cane Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (to preserve freshness), Potassium Sorbate (to preserve freshness), Caramel Color. Contains Peanut Allergens.

                      References

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