Description
This easy Thai Peanut Sauce recipe is creamy, savory, slightly sweet, and packed with bold flavor. It comes together in about 5 minutes with pantry staples and works beautifully on noodles, grain bowls, vegetables, chicken, shrimp, tofu, and more.
Ingredients
Units
- 1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons tamari or slow-sodium soy sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 small garlic clove (always use fresh garlic)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 to 6 tablespoons warm water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar (optional)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (optional, use if you don't have lime juice)
- Optional for heat: Sriracha, chili garlic sauce, or red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Add the peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and optional sweetener to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a blender, whisk over very low heat in a pan on the stove.
- Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust as needed. Add more lime juice for brightness, sweetener for balance, or chili sauce for heat.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Use less water for a thick dip and more water for a thinner dressing or drizzle.
The sauce thickens in the refrigerator. Stir in a splash of warm water before serving again.
For gluten-free peanut sauce, use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce.
Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter all work well as substitutes.
Delicious with noodles, grain bowls, spring rolls, chicken, shrimp, tofu, roasted vegetables, or salads.