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.

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

                      First up, semantics. Sate doesn't actually mean spicy peanut sauce, though we tend to misappropriate the term here, and other dishes have been invented that use this accompanying sauce. Sate refers instead to the skewers of meat, and many variations of it come with a different sauce, and some without any sauce at all.

                      What is Vietnamese peanut sauce made of? ›

                      Vietnamese peanut sauce is simply made with peanut butter, hoisin and garlic for a sweet, tangy and rich sauce. How long can I store homemade peanut sauce? Store leftover homemade peanut sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

                      How do you thin peanut butter into 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.

                      Is satay sauce the same as peanut sauce? ›

                      Satay sauce is a slightly spicy peanut sauce. While it's popularly associated with Thai cuisine, it's enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia and has Indonesian roots. It's best known as the sauce for satay, a tasty appetizer of marinated meat (often chicken, pork, or beef) grilled on a skewer.

                      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.

                      What is similar to 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.

                      Does peanut sauce taste like peanut butter? ›

                      It has an amazing creamy texture, with a nutty, bright, and spicy flavor from peanut butter, lime, and sriracha.

                      Is satay served with peanut sauce or soy sauce? ›

                      Indonesian satay is often served with peanut sauce, and is often accompanied with lontong or ketupat, both of which are similar types of rice cake, though the diversity of the country has produced a wide variety of satay recipes.

                      How do I thicken my 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 ...

                      Why is peanut sauce healthy? ›

                      Peanut sauce can be a healthy addition to any diet. Since it is made from peanut butter, it naturally has some protein. Look for ones with not a lot of sodium or added sugar. Better yet, when making it at home, you have full control over the quality of the ingredients.

                      Can you melt peanut butter into a liquid? ›

                      Blend on low speed for 30 seconds.

                      To liquify the peanut butter, turn it up to a higher speed. Once the peanut butter reaches the desired consistency, turn off the blender or food processor, add the peanut butter to your recipe and enjoy.

                      What is Chinese peanut sauce made of? ›

                      Add peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and 1/3 cup water and blend, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if needed to thin, until smooth. DO AHEAD: Peanut sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

                      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.

                      What countries use peanut sauce? ›

                      Use as a base for soup or stew

                      Thai Peanut Sauce has such an interesting history and evolution that spans across several Asian countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and its rich flavors can be used in several different ways that go beyond what we commonly see the sauce paired alongside.

                      What is peanut cream made of? ›

                      The 100% Peanut Cream or “peanut butter” is a spreadable cream made from roasted and ground peanuts. It has an intense taste and a high protein level.

                      References

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