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)

Save

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe

Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe (9)

Print

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

Add a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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? ›

                      A typical recipe usually contains ground roasted peanuts or peanut butter (smooth or crunchy), coconut milk, soy sauce, tamarind, galangal, garlic, and spices (such as coriander seed or cumin). Other possible ingredients are chili peppers, sugar, fried onion, and lemongrass.

                      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? ›

                      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.

                      How long does homemade peanut sauce last? ›

                      I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe to have throughout the week with salad rolls, roasted veggies, and salads. How long with the sauce last? The Peanut Sauce will last up to 1 week in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.

                      Why is peanut sauce so good? ›

                      Best flavor: Peanut butter and coconut milk give this sauce a creamy texture, tamari adds a rich, deep salty flavor, rice vinegar, and lime juice make it tangy, and Thai chili sauce adds lots of spicy sweetness.

                      What is in Little Saigon peanut sauce? ›

                      Here is a little secret: mix it with Little Saigon Chili Oil to throw in that extra kick. - Ingredients: Filter water, peanut butter, soybeans, sweet potato, modified corn starch, sesame seeds, garlic, wheat flour, salt, sugar, spices, colour, and acetic acid. Contains nuts, soybeans, wheat (gluten) & sesame seeds.

                      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

                      Is peanut sauce an American thing? ›

                      Only a few traditional Thai dishes contain ground peanuts, and they are much chunkier and not at all like the peanut sauces we see in the United States. So when you see Thai peanut sauce dishes, they're really considered American fusion cuisine. Peanuts themselves were first grown in South America.

                      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.

                      Is satay sauce the same as 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).

                      Is peanut sauce Thai or Indonesian? ›

                      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).

                      Is peanut sauce healthy? ›

                      Peanut sauce is so heavy on the calories and fat because of what it traditionally contains. The base is full-fat coconut milk, with full-fat peanut butter and ground peanuts added. The sauce may also contain brown sugar or honey, soy sauce and oil, which can raise its sugar and sodium contents.

                      Is peanut butter and peanut flour the same thing? ›

                      Is peanut flour the same as powdered peanut butter? Peanut flour is not the same as powdered peanut butter, although it can be used interchangeably in some recipes. Peanut butter powder is made by grinding roasted peanuts into a powder and has a different nutritional profile to peanut flour.

                      Top Articles
                      Latest Posts
                      Article information

                      Author: Kieth Sipes

                      Last Updated:

                      Views: 6418

                      Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

                      Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

                      Author information

                      Name: Kieth Sipes

                      Birthday: 2001-04-14

                      Address: Suite 492 62479 Champlin Loop, South Catrice, MS 57271

                      Phone: +9663362133320

                      Job: District Sales Analyst

                      Hobby: Digital arts, Dance, Ghost hunting, Worldbuilding, Kayaking, Table tennis, 3D printing

                      Introduction: My name is Kieth Sipes, I am a zany, rich, courageous, powerful, faithful, jolly, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.