Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (2024)

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Jump To Recipe 2 reviews posted Nov 19, 2021 by Jessica Hoffman

Easy Thai Peanut Sauce comes together in just 5 minutes and is naturally vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free. This peanut sauce can be enjoyed as a dip, dressing or sauce on just about anything you love!

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (1)

What is Thai Peanut Sauce?

Thai Peanut Sauce is a Thai-inspired sauce that is similar to a peanut satay sauce but is often made with some different variations.

In Thailand, you won’t actually see much “peanut sauce” on the menus, rather a satay sauce served with satay skewers. Thai cuisine also often uses crushed peanuts in their recipes. Thai peanut sauce is often “Americanized,” but is delicious as a dipping, as a stir fry sauce or even as a dressing.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Thai Peanut Sauce

  • Ready in 5 minutes. This Thai Peanut Sauce takes just 5 miunutes to whip up and can be made directly in a bowl. This sauce is also naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free with gluten-free soy sauce.
  • Versatile. One thing I love about peanut sauce is that is goes well with just about anything. You can use this sauce in so many different ways.
  • Packed with flavor. If you want to elevate any bland food, just add some peanut sauce on top! It’s packed with flavor and will make pretty much anything taste great.

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce Ingredients & Substitutions

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (2)
  • Peanut butter: the star ingredient in peanut sauce! You can use cramy or natural peanut butter. I’ve tested the recipe with both and they both work well.
  • Soy sauce: you can substitute with tamari or gluten-free soy sauce if needed.
  • Lime juice: limes are commonly used in Thai recipes to give a slight taginess. You could also use rice vinegar if you don’t have fresh lime juice.
  • Maple syrup: this isn’t a traditional ingredient, but I personally love the flavour of maple syrup with peanut butter. You can substitute honey, agave or coconut sugar.
  • Garlic: fresh minced garlic.
  • Sambal Oelek: this is a spicy chili sauce that will add some heat. You can also use sriracha or chili flakes.
  • Sesame oil: this gives the sauce a hint of sesame flavour which is really delicious. If you don’t have sesame oil you can just leave this out.
  • Water: depending on your prefered sauce texture, you can add a little or a lot of water to the sauce to help thin it out.

How to make Thai Peanut Sauce

Step 1

Add all the ingredients except the water to a mixing bowl and mix or whisk together until combined.

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (3)

Step 2

Add the water 1-2 tablespoons at a time and mix until the peanut sauce is the consistency you like.

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (4)

What to Serve with this Simple Peanut Sauce Recipe

Thai Peanut Sauce is great to enjoy as a dipping sauce, used as a dressing in bowls, or used as stir fry sauce. Here are some ways you can serve this sauce:

Bowls & salads: Try adding this peanut sauce on top of a power bowl, noodle bowl or poke bowl. It can also be enjoyed as a dressing over a Thai Salad.

Tofu & proteins: peanut sauce is delicious to drizzle on top of baked tofu, in a stir fry, or with any type of protein you love. You can even use it as a dipping sauce on the side of your favourite barbequed dish.

Veggie platter: peanut sauce is delicious served as a dipping sauce on a veggie or Crudités platter.

Dipping sauce: Serve up this sauce as a dip with some dumplings, spring rolls or satay skewers. Peanut sauce makes for an amazing dipping sauce!

How to Store Thai Peanut Sauce

Store this peanut sauce in a sealed jar like a mason jar in the fridge for up to a week.

You may notice that the sauce will thicken a lot after being stored in the fridge. To loosen up the sauce after refrigerating gently warm the sauce in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove.

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • You can use creamy peanut butter or natural peanut butter in this recipe. Both will work fine. If using natural peanut butter, the sauce will naturally have a thinner and more runny texture. Creamy peanut butter will usually have a thicker and creamier texture.
  • If it seems like the water isn’t mixing into the sauce just keep mixing. It will slowly incorporate.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Depending on the brand of peanut butter you use, you may find you need more soy sauce, maple syrup etc.
  • If your sauce begins to separate, just add some more water and mix. This is just the fat and oils from the peanut butter separating from the sauce and is nothing to worry about.

FAQ for Simple Peanut Sauce

Is peanut sauce and satay the same?

Satay sauce is generally made with Thai curry paste and coconut milk in addition to peanut butter. This peanut sauce has slightly different ingredients in it to give it a different taste.

What does Thai Peanut Sauce taste like?

Thai peanut sauce has a strong peanut butter taste but with a sweet, salty and tanginess to it. It’s savoury and delicious!

Can Thai Peanut Sauce be frozen?

Yes. Thai Peanut Sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months and can be thawed on the countertop. Since the recipe only takes 5 minutes to make I prefer the sauce fresh.

Is peanut sauce healthy?

In moderation, peanut sauce can be part of a healthy diet. Keep in mind that peanut butter is high in calories and fat so if you use a lot of sauce it will be high in calories.

What is Thai peanut sauce made of?

Thai peanut sauce is made from a base of peanut butter with additional ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey to make it sweet, salty and tangy. There are many different variations of peanut sauce but they will all have these types of flavours.

Why is my peanut sauce oily?

If your peanut sauce is oily it’s because the oil has separated from the peanut butter. If this happens add a few drops of water and whisk the sauce, it should come together again.

What is Thai peanut sauce called?

Thai peanut sauce is commonly referred to as Satay sauce. These are generally both the same.

Is Thai peanut sauce spicy?

This peanut sauce is slightly spicy. If you don’t like spice, you can leave out the Sambal Oelek.

More Thai recipes to try

  • Northern-Style Thai Coconut Soup
  • Thai Drunken Noodles
  • Thai Peanut Cauliflower Wings
  • Thai Mango Salad
Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (5)

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Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (6)

Thai Peanut Sauce

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: Thai
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Easy Thai Peanut Sauce comes together in just 5 minutes and can be put on just about anything!

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or natural)
  • 23 tbsp soy sauce* (gluten-free if needed)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (can sub honey)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsp sambal oelek (can sub sriracha)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 28 tbsp of water to thin** (see note)

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients together except for the water in a mixing bowl and mix until combined.
  2. Add the water 1-2 tablespoons at a time and mix well until the sauce reaches your desired texture.

Notes

*Depending on the brand of soy sauce you use and if the peanut butter you are using is salted, you may need a bit more or less soy sauce. Taste and add more as needed.

**The peanut butter sauce will be very thick without the addition of water. Depending on your personal preference you can add very little water to thin out the sauce or a lot of water to thin out the sauce. I generally like to add 4-6 tablespoons of water to get a texture that can be easily drizzled.

Store in the fridge in a mason jar for up to a week.

You can use creamy peanut butter or natural peanut butter in this recipe. Both will work fine. If using natural peanut butter, the sauce will naturally have a thinner and more runny texture. Creamy peanut butter will usually have a thicker and creamier texture.

If it seems like the water isn’t mixing into the sauce just keep mixing. It will slowly incorporate.

If your sauce begins to separate, just add some more water and mix. This is just the fat and oils from the peanut butter separating from the sauce and is nothing to worry about.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 115
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 250mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 6g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 3g

This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. I only recommend products that I know, trust and love!

Fall Gluten Free Grain-free Refined sugar-free Spring Summer Vegan Vegetarian Winter

posted by Jessica Hoffman on November 19, 2021 (updated April 26, 2022)

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4 comments on “Simple Thai Peanut Sauce”

  1. Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (7)

    Jessie Reply

    Delicious peanut sauce! I added a bit of grated ginger for some extra zing. Turned out great!

    • Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (8)

      Jessica Hoffman Reply

      Happy you enjoyed it Jessie!

  2. Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (9)

    Justin Reply

    My go-to peanut sauce! Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings and it’s always a hit!

    • Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (10)

      Jessica Hoffman Reply

      Happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe 🙂

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce (Easy 5-Minute Recipe) - Choosing Chia (2024)

FAQs

Why is my peanut sauce splitting? ›

This happens when there's too much fat or liquid in the mixture. This can happen when there are not enough emulsifiers (which help keep your ingredients together). Sauces are usually made from multiple ingredients that include both oil and water. Oils and water will naturally separate.

What is Thai peanut sauce made of? ›

Directions. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until brown sugar is dissolved and sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes.

What is a good substitute for peanut sauce? ›

Because hoisin sauce has many of the same ingredients I would use in a more involved peanut sauce, it works great here. Hoisin has hints of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and Chile peppers. Some version even have a peanut-esque taste to it, so it's the perfect way to shorten the ingredient list in a peanut sauce.

How to loosen a peanut butter dip? ›

Warm water is best because it helps to loosen the nut butter more quickly, and generally equal parts nut butter to liquid is the best ratio. 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.

How to fix broken peanut sauce? ›

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.

What is the difference between satay sauce and peanut sauce? ›

Although commonly associated with Thai cuisine, peanut sauce actually originated in Indonesia (source). What Americans know as peanut sauce is more commonly referred to as satay sauce (or bumbu kacang) in Indonesia, because it's most often served with the popular Indonesian dish, satay (skewered, grilled meats).

Do you have to refrigerate Thai peanut sauce? ›

Simply keep it in a cool, dark place. Generally, an unopened bottle of peanut sauce will last about a year if it's stored correctly. While it's a good idea to keep the “use by” date in mind, it's usually just fine for a few months after that date. Once the bottle is opened, you'll need to keep it in the refrigerator.

Is there sugar in Thai peanut sauce? ›

Thai Style Peanut Sauce blends premium roasted peanuts with traditionally brewed soy sauce, sugar, wine, honey, miso, sesame oil, and a mix of seasonings and spices.

Is peanut sauce an American thing? ›

Peanut sauce, satay sauce (saté sauce), bumbu kacang, sambal kacang, or pecel is an Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in Indonesian cuisine and many other dishes throughout the world.

Is tahini the same as soy sauce? ›

Tamari and tahini have many more differences than they do similarities. Whereas Tamari comes completely from soybeans, tahini is made purely from sesame seeds. Unlike Tamari, tahini involves no fermentation. Instead, it is produced by grinding sesame seeds into a spreadable paste.

What do you eat peanut sauce with? ›

Dip your veggies

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!

What if Thai peanut sauce is too thick? ›

If the sauce too thick for your purposes, simply thin it out with some additional water or coconut milk or lime juice.

How to loosen peanut butter? ›

When using peanut butter only, the key is heat. Peanut butter is naturally high in fat, but that fat is nearly solid at room temperature. In order to soften it up, you need some heat. In my case, I heated two tablespoons in a heat-proof bowl and then stirred like crazy.

How to thin peanut butter for a sauce? ›

If your peanut butter sauce is too thick to drizzle, simply add water a little bit at a time (no more than a tablespoon at once) and stir to incorporate. Keep adding water until the sauce reaches the consistency you like, keeping in mind that it will likely thicken a bit once you remove it from the heat.

How do you fix peanut butter that separates? ›

The process of oils and solids separating, known as syneresis, is completely safe, but it's still really irritating. Luckily, there's a solution besides dumping it down the drain, trying to mix it with a spoon, or going back to buying peanut spread: Store the jar upside down.

Is it normal for peanut oil to separate? ›

If you have a lot of floating oil on the top of your peanut butter jar, you don't need to worry, it's a sign that your peanut butter is all-natural. Store the jar in the pantry upside down, which will help some of the oil incorporate.

Is peanut butter still good when oil separates? ›

After storing, if your natural peanut butter has a layer of oil at the top, don't worry! That's not a sign of spoilage, but is a natural occurrence as the oil separates.

Why is my peanut sauce clumpy? ›

If your ingredients aren't all the same temperature, your sauce and get lumpy. To prevent this you can gently warm the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl then whisk to combine. How do you thicken peanut sauce? This recipe is thickened by the peanut butter and doesn't need any other thickener.

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