This magic Thai peanut sauce is savory and creamy, perfect for noodles or
stir-fry! The best Thai peanut sauce recipe to make any meal amazing.
It never fails. Every year when the temperatures start to warm, I crave salads. My Costco-copy sweet kale salad is really good, and so is my Panzanella salad with homemade Caesar dressing. But this time I was craving something very specific: chicken salad with Thai peanut sauce.
I wanted a sauce that could double as a sauce OR a dressing. You know the kind I’m talking about, right? Where it’s thin enough to work into some crunchy vegetables and get solid coverage as a dressing, but thick enough to stand up to dunking spring rolls or chunks of grilled chicken.
The ingredients for this simple satay sauce are simple and healthy!
Here’s What You Need
- Peanut butter
- Rice vinegar
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce (I use liquid aminos; use tamari if you’re gluten-free)
- Salt
- Crushed red pepper
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Honey (or maple syrup)
- Cilantro
Notes on the Ingredients
- I’m NOT using fish sauce or sesame oil. I love both ingredients, but this recipe is perfect without them!
- Every ingredient is necessary. I’ve tried reducing and subbing and the results were not nearly as good.
Psst! Want to make sure your salt is fresh AND doesn’t have microplastics (ummm, gross…)? Try Ava Jane’s Kitchen for this recipe, and add a pinch as a great savory finisher! You can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor EXCEPT the cilantro.
Step 2. Once it is creamy, add cilantro.
Step 3. Pulse until cilantro is in small pieces.
Use your dressing on your salad or meal and that’s it!
Recipe Tips
You can make your own Crunch Salad by starting with 4 cups of thinly sliced Napa cabbage (which is MUCH milder in flavor than typical green cabbage) and adding 4 more cups of crunchy vegetables. Some examples:
- Matchstick carrots (use a julienne peeler to cut them quick!)
- Bell pepper (I suggest red, orange, or yellow for the mild flavors)
- English cucumber (seeded)
- Broccoli stems (buy the whole bunch and use the florets in easy homemade Alfredo sauce!)
- Sliced Brussels sprouts
- Matchstick radishes
- Mix/match with what you have, what’s on sale, what’s in your garden and what your family likes. Once you top it with this Thai peanut sauce, your people will forget they’re eating a big bowl of vegetables.
If you like a more complete recipe, try Crunchy Vegetable Quinoa Salad or Costco Copycat Kale Salad!
FAQs
Peanut sauce is both spicy and sweet. It has small chunks of peanuts with a smooth consistency.
You can use it in a noodle dish, as a dipping sauce for chicken satay, steamed shrimp, or as a salad dressing, etc.
Yes, as long as you choose to use maple syrup rather than honey, this Thai peanut sauce recipe is great for vegan lifestyles.
To Serve
- Add it to any Asian dish (like pad Thai!)
- Use it as a stir fry sauce
- As a dipping sauce for chicken satay or steamed shrimp
- In any noodle dish
- As a salad dressing (try it as a substitute dressing on my Buffalo Chicken Ranch salad – same veggies and protein, totally NEW TASTE!)
- With Spring rolls or dumplings
- Mix with coconut milk for an AMAZING sauce
And of course, feel free to top with chicken for a boost in protein.
Any chicken will do, but I recommend all-purpose slow cooker chicken, especially in the summer. All the benefits of having chicken ready for your favorite meals, without having to heat up the house!
Whether it’s chicken, noodles, or salad, this authentic Thai peanut sauce is sure to make your meal spectacular!
More Asian-Style Recipes
- Instant Pot Beef And Broccoli
- Asian Mason Jar Salad With Rice And Miso Dressing
- Instant Pot Korean Beef
- Sweet And Sticky Chicken
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Thai Peanut Sauce
Ridiculously easy Thai peanut sauce recipe that’s slightly spicy, made in the blender, and doubles as a dressing. You can add it to stir-fry, noodles, salads, and satay!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (I use liquid aminos; use tamari if you’re gluten-free)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp crushed red pepper
- 1” fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 2–3 garlic cloves)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor EXCEPT the cilantro.
- Once it is creamy, add cilantro.
- Pulse until cilantro is in small pieces.
- Use your dressing on your salad or meal as desired. That’s it!
Notes
- I’m NOT using fish sauce or sesame oil. I love both ingredients, but this recipe is perfect without them!
- Every ingredient is necessary. I’ve tried reducing and subbing and the results were not nearly as good.
Keywords: peanut sauce
I love this as a peanut dressing. I added coconut milk because I wanted a more traditional peanut sauce.
Using the blender to make peanut sauce is a game changer; so quick and easy and delicious. This recipes is exceptional and is also easy to reduce the oil, honey, sugar if you want it even healthier.
★★★★★
Hello Judith!
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe! As you said, the blender is a HUGE game changer. Thank you for posting! 🙂
Delicious!! I put this on a beef an pasta dish and I will definitely be making more for later!!!
★★★★★
Yay Ameera! Thanks so much for sharing. Let us know how else you try it. 🙂
How much coconut milk for a sauce?
Hi Gail,
It depends on how runny you want the sauce to be! For a thicker one, refrigerate the can of coconut milk for 24 hours beforehand, crack the can, drain out the clear liquid and just use the harder cream in the sauce. On the other hand, you could start with about 1/2 of a 15 oz can for a more runny sauce. Be sure to report back and let us know how it goes!
Love the taste and freshness of this sauce.
Was wondering if you can freeze it.
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Hi Cindy,
This recipe freezes well. It will last up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container in the freezer. Hope this helps!
Fabulous!!
★★★★★
In the recipe you have cilantro. But the video does not show it. Is it ok to leave it out.
Hi Sandra,
I’m very sorry about this. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. And yes, it will still be very tasty without cilantro if you are not able to use it. 🙂
I just made this sauce this afternoon. At first I wasn’t sure about the cilantro. I tasted it before I added the cilantro at the end and it was very good. Then I added the cilantro and couldn’t believe it was better. This will make an awesome sauce for wraps or for pasta.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked this, Tammie! The cilantro is a must for us too. 😉
Hey Tiffany, I hate Cilantro, I wonder if you have tried parsley as a sub?
I haven’t, but it would definitely change the flavor. Do you like coriander?
I have made this sauce about a dozen times now. I love it! Whenever I try different recipes in various cookbooks that call for a peanut sauce — I make the one in the book, and inevitably write in my cookbook – “USE EASY THAI PEANUT SAUCE INSTEAD” and tape your recipe in my book. I put this sauce on so many things, and can usually whip up from ingredients I have on hand
For personal preference, I omit the sugar and the salt. I find that with the honey and soy sauce, it is fine. I also add quite a bit of water so that it is almost a dressing.
Thank you for creating this!!!
★★★★★
I love this Mimi! Thank you for including me in your cookbook notes. ♥
Can you use ground ginger instead of fresh ginger.
Yes! I use the equivalent measurement of ground to fresh, since ground isn’t as potent.
Amazing and easy!! I omitted the red pepper flakes as my kids don’t like spice but put in a little sweet chilli sauce to add a bit of the chilli flavour. I skipped the sugar to balance out the sweet of the sweet chilli sauce.
Good thing I made a double batch of this cause it was inhaled! Along with the all veggies in the stir fry I was able to get everyone to eat 😀
★★★★★
Awesome news Ashley! I’m so glad you liked it!!
I love this sauce! It made my New Year’s Eve Thai Peanut pasta with veggies a perfect meal!
★★★★★
We are vegan so we have to sub honey. Should I use equal amount of sugar?
You can, Jackie, or you can leave it out entirely! (We leave it out nowadays. 🙂 )