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Make this easy peanut sauce recipe with pantry staples in 5 minutes. Creamy, sweet, and spicy with a Thai-style option for spring rolls, noodles, and more.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Peanut sauce is one of those recipes that just works, even if it’s your first time making it. It's quick, easy, and made with simple pantry ingredients. You don’t need any special equipment—just a bowl and a whisk. I use it for everything from Asian lettuce wraps and noodle bowls to grilled chicken, stir-fry, and spring rolls. It’s perfect for drizzling over salads or plain rice.
The best part about this peanut sauce recipe is that you get to customize the texture based on how you want to use it—thick for dipping or a little thinner for drizzling—and once you try it, you’ll keep coming back to it for Thai and Vietnamese-inspired meals.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Peanut butter – The base of the sauce. Use any peanut butter you like. I use a natural, creamy peanut butter with no added sugar or oil, but other types will work. See recipe footnotes for how to adjust.
- Soy sauce – Adds salt and savory flavor. Use low-sodium if preferred.
- Rice vinegar – Adds acidity to balance the richness. Just note that seasoned rice vinegar contains added sugar and salt.
- Sweetener – Maple syrup adds a smooth sweetness, but an equal amount of honey, sugar, or agave works as well.
- Fresh ginger – Adds a fresh, slightly spicy bite that lifts the whole sauce.
- Sriracha – Gives the sauce its heat and a little tang. You can adjust the amount to control the spice level.
- Garlic – Adds sharp, savory flavor that rounds everything out.
- Water – Used to control the consistency, from thick and dippable to smooth and pourable.
- Thai-style variation – Lime juice adds brightness, fish sauce adds depth, and coconut milk makes the sauce richer and creamier.
How to Make Peanut Sauce
Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and sriracha in a mixing bowl until smooth. The sauce will be very thick and slightly sticky at this stage—this is normal before adding water.
Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, whisking between each addition, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
You’ll notice the sauce lighten and smooth out as you go. Use less water for a thicker peanut sauce dip or more water for a drizzly sauce. Transfer to a lidded jar or airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Serve at room temperature for the best texture and consistency.
Tips From The Test Kitchen
- Peanut butter selection – I’m using a natural, creamy peanut butter with no added sugar or oil. If using a conventional sweetened peanut butter, start with less maple syrup, taste, and add more if needed. Then add water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Peanut butter temperature – If peanut butter is cold or stiff, warm it briefly in the microwave or on the stove until soft, then let it cool slightly before mixing.
- Adjusting consistency. The sauce will look very thick at first, but will smooth out as you add water (or coconut milk, if using). Add liquid gradually, since small amounts can quickly make it too thin.
- Customize the spice level. This is naturally spicy, thanks to sriracha. For more heat, add extra sriracha or a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes. For a mild version, replace sriracha with ketchup.
- Storing peanut sauce. Peanut sauce thickens in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature or microwave in short intervals before serving to loosen.
Thai-Style Peanut Sauce (Optional)
Want a peanut sauce with more of a Thai restaurant flavor? Add 1 teaspoon fish sauce (note: this makes it not vegan), add the juice of 1 lime, and replace the water with coconut milk. Adjust the heat with extra sriracha, or swap in chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek, red pepper flakes, or cayenne to taste.
Peanut Sauce Serving Ideas
Use this peanut sauce as a dip for fresh spring rolls or a veggie tray—it’s especially good with raw cauliflower, carrots, and cucumbers. It’s also great drizzled over rice bowls, salads, or a Buddha bowl, and I love it on my Asian Slaw for easy lunches. I use it for meal prep all the time, especially over grilled chicken or roasted vegetables, and you can even toss it with noodles like my Thai peanut zoodles for a quick, easy meal.
Easy Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Thai Coconut Soup
- Quick Pho Recipe
- Thai Red Curry
- Pickled Carrots and Daikon
- Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Chicken Fried Rice
📖 Recipe
Easy Peanut Sauce Recipe
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha Sauce
- 1 (½-inch) piece Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons Cold Water, add more as needed
- pinch Salt, optional, as needed
* For a Thai-style variation, see recipe notes below.
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together PEANUT BUTTER, SOY SAUCE, RICE VINEGAR, MAPLE SYRUP, SRIRACHA, GINGER, and GARLIC until smooth.If using sweetened peanut butter, see footnotes.
- Add WATER, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust for tang, sweetness, or heat to your liking. Add a pinch of SALT to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Thai-Style Peanut Sauce (Optional)
Add 1 teaspoon fish sauce (note: this makes it not vegan), add the juice of 1 lime, and replace the water with coconut milk, adding more as needed. Adjust the heat with extra sriracha, or use chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek, red pepper flakes, or cayenne to taste.Equipment
- fork or whisk
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Liesl Carter says
I forgot the stars in the review I submitted. How could I??!! If it were possible, I'd give it 10 stars! This sauce is truly The Best!!!
Traci says
Okay this made my day 😄 Thank you for the 10 stars! I’m so glad it’s a favorite for you.
Liesl Carter says
This is the absolute best peanut sauce recipe I've ever used. It's now my "go to" for peanut sauce any time I need some. It's also extremely versatile with the modifications that you've mentioned. Thank you for sharing this Magic recipe. I'll never use another for peanut sauce!
Traci says
“Magic recipe” is the best compliment, Liesl 😄 So glad you love it and are making it your own. Thank you for sharing this!
Hilary says
Loved it added a little lime juice and sesame oil Had it with noodles and chicken and a few chopped veggies
Traci says
Yay! So glad you went for it and enjoyed. I love peanut sauce in the same ways. Thanks for sharing your experience. Enjoy!
Gina says
How much peanut butter? The amount is missing. Thanks!
Traci says
Hi Gina, I'm not sure what you mean. The amount of peanut butter is in the recipe card. Let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks and enjoy!
Jennifer says
Will be making this soon. Probably keep refrigerated, I would assume? Thanks, Traci.
Jennifer
Traci says
Aww, of course 🙂 And yes refrigerate – I included a note in the recipe card. Thanks for asking. Enjoy!!
Seva Garrett says
love this sauce! used it for Stir Fry, everyone loved it!
Traci says
Oops sorry I missed this comment. Yes, love peanut sauce for stir fry. I'm glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing your experience. xoxo
Leese says
It was so amazing. I love my food spicy so I added crushed red pepper flakes and Cayenne. I put some on spicy tuna lettuce wraps and then mixed w ramen and veggies. Can’t wait to make another batch and double it. Thank you.
Traci says
Yayy! I'm so glad you went for it. So easy, right? And, as you know, customizable 🙂 I love mine spicy too, so I usually add more heat than the family-friendly version I created here. Thanks so much for the feedback. Much appreciated!
Patti says
Substituted the one tablespoon of soy sauce with one tablespoon of fish sauce and added a whole tablespoon of Siracha. Really gave it a kick with umami!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome...so glad you enjoyed it! I like fish sauce in it too, but I kept it vegan knowing it could be added. Thanks for the review! 🙂
Natasja says
Made peanut soba noodles with this and it tasted so good! Even the picky eaters in my house loved it.
We will be eating this a lot more.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear it, Natasja! This peanut sauce really goes well on a lot of things. Glad your family is enjoying it...thanks for letting me know!
K says
Tastes great! How long would this last stored in the refrigerator? I'd love to whip up a large batch and set aside for future use.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks K! I've had mine up to a week or 10 days easily...maybe even more, but mine never lasts that long lol. Glad you're enjoying the recipe 🙂
GC says
Delicious sauce! I used it as a dipping sauce for dumplings. I had to use double the amount of water though for it to have a nice consistency.
Traci Antonovich says
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it! And yes, the water can easily be adjusted to change consistency. Glad you found your sweet spot 🙂