Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe
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.
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
- 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.
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. Store until ready to use.
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.
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.
More Sauce Recipes
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Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe
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.
I usually use sugar free white chocolate peanut butter, would this be an acceptable alternative?
Possibly. Without testing it myself, I’m not 100% sure.
This so easy to make and so good!
so good!!
Hi. Love your recipes and videos. For the peanut sauce, is palm sugar necessary? Ty
regular sugar works. I believe I mention that in the post.
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.
Perfect!
Love reading and trying your recipes
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!!!!
so good!!
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?
Either
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!
My pleasure!
Deliciously Yummers
so good!!
This makes a good salad dressing.
Thanks for trying it!
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
Thanks for giving it a shot!!
I do love this sauce……and it’s delicious on everything!
Agreed
I made this to go with Chicken Satay, however, I use it on everything, sooo delicious!! 🥜
I wonder if I could use this in a vegetable noodle bowl as the dressing on warm noodles and veggies.
Definitely, I use it on lots of recipes!