What is Thai Peanut Sauce?
Thai peanut sauce is probably one of the most popular Asian dipping sauces. Everyone loves the taste of peanut sauce since it’s so tasty, versatile, and addictive.
Thai peanut sauce goes well with skewers of chicken sate or grilled meat, but it’s also amazing with other protein such as shrimp or fish.
Most people think that peanut sauce is hard to make and never attempted it at home. The best thing about this peanut sauce recipe is that it doesn’t involve much cooking, all you need is to mix the ingredients in a sauce pan, heat it up, and voila, you have the homemade peanut sauce.
This easy peanut sauce takes less than 15 minutes. Add all the ingredients in a sauce pan, heat it up, whisk it and it’s done.
Ingredients for Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
You will only need a few key ingredients:
- Peanut Butter
- Coconut Milk
- Thai red curry paste
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Sugar
Frequently Asked Questions
Is peanut sauce vegan?
Yes, the best part is that this sauce is vegan!
How long can you keep peanut sauce?
The sauce will be good in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How many calories?
This recipe has 397 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
This meal is best served as a condiment with these recipes. For a wholesome Thai meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following.
This Recipe Goes Well with:
Recipes that Go Well with Peanut Sauce:
Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
Thai Peanut Sauce - this asian peanut sauce recipe is super easy and only takes 15 minutes to make at home to pair with all of your favorite protein.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- 2 tablespoons ground peanut
- salt to taste
Pan-Fried Turmeric Chicken
- 2 chicken thighs, skin-on, boneless
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
-
Add all the ingredients in the saucepan. Use a whisk to quickly whisk all the ingredients together before transferring to a stove top to heat up on low heat. Continue to whisk the peanut sauce until all ingredients are well-combined.
-
As soon as the peanut sauce starts to simmer and bubble, turn off the heat. (If you like the sauce more watery, you may add a little water to dilute it during the cooking process.) Transfer off the heat and top with some ground peanut. The Thai peanut sauce is now ready. You can keep the left over in the fridge for a week without losing the fresh taste. To make the chicken, marinate both sides of the chicken thighs with turmeric powder, salt and black pepper, for 15 minutes. Pan fry the chicken with some oil until both sides are nicely brown and slightly "crispy," and the meat is cooked through. Slice the chicken into pieces and drizzle with the peanut sauce and garnish with some chopped cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with rice and with fresh salad of your choice.
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Lisa
Can I use this sauce on rice noodles?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes, you can!
Janice Eastburn
This is excellent and very easy to make. Mild as written, but plenty flavorful. I doubled to recipe (in order to use one whole can of coconut milk) and added one juiced lime. The addition of the lime added depth to the flavor and provided just the right consistency for my taste. Excellent on salad.
Joseph garrido
How much sugar is recommended
Rasa Malaysia
The recipe is here: https://rasamalaysia.com/thai-peanut-sauce/2/
leonard
For the Dumplings,Does the shrimp and pork need to be cooked first? I would think not.
Rasa Malaysia
No, they get cooked when you boil them. :)
Bharat Ratna
Seriously amazing! I can’t wait to make this!
Doug
Hi and thank you for posting your Peanut-Sauce recipe.
It looks delicious so I’m anxious to try it.soon.
Based on the ingredients.. I KNOW I’ll love it !!!
PS:
As you’re probably aware “Peanut Sauce” is not Thai but Indonesian..
Altho, several Thai restaurants (outside of Thailand) serve it.
Just like many Chinese buffet restaurants serve “sushi” and teriyaki dishes.
Rasa Malaysia
Every country has its own peanut sauce. Malaysian has its own, Indonesia, Thailand. This version is the Thai recipe. Malaysian and Indonesian recipes are different.
SaraM
I have yellow curry, not red, on hand. Can I use that instead?
Rasa Malaysia
You can try. Not 100% the same taste.
Valgerdur
By far the best peanut sauce I’ve ever tasted and it’s so easy and fast.
Thanks a million!
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Valgerdur, thanks for your sweet comment about my Thai Peanut Sauce. :)
FishGirl
This sauce is fantastic!! I had made an Asian meatball recipe with peanut sauce from a different website, but the sauce was just not very good. I made the meatball recipe again, but used your recipe for sauce – it makes all the difference!! What a great balance of flavors. Thank you for sharing.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi FishGirl thanks. Yes all my recipes have great balance of flavors. :)
punita oza
love your peanut sauce recipe turns out very well. My son loves thai food alway want me to make this sauce . Thank you ..
barbara newton
This is so easy and wonderful. Does it freeze well? We will not finish it
in one sitting.
Thank-you
Rasa Malaysia
Yes you can freeze and thaw and reheat to enjoy it!
Zena
Yummy! looks good and very easy to make. Can we put it on top of stir-fried noodles, or is that a different recipe?
Siti
I absolutely love this recipe ! So simple to make and absolutely delicious .Have made it multiple time since I saw it on Pinterest. Never thought of using the red curry paste before. What a time saver. Good bye to the tedious traditional way ! Now it’s my go to recipe. Thank you for posting !
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Siti!
Sarah
Where can I find “ground peanut?”
Rasa Malaysia
You can use regular roasted peanuts and ground with a food processor.
justine
Hi, thanks for the recipe. We have a child who is allergic to peanuts so I substituted Tahini Paste for the peanut butter. it still tasted delicious. Thanks
shane kern
I think it’s very unlikely that cooks or chefs in Malaysia use peanut better. I would prefer to make a more authentic peanut satay sauce
Rasa Malaysia
Shane – this is the version found in the Thai restaurants in the US.
Holly
What Brand of peanut butter do you I know they vary in sugar content and saltiness.
Rasa Malaysia
I use Skippy.
Nicola
Can this sauce be put in a jar and refrigerated? If so for how long? A week?
Tracey Manuel
I would also like to know how long it would keep. :) Thanks!!!
Debbie S
I love peanut sauce, but recently developed a peanut allergy. Any nut substitute?
Rasa Malaysia
Debbie, I am so sorry but I am not sure…:(
Angela
Do the 2 tablespoons of red curry paste make it spicy, or is this a mild recipe?
Rasa Malaysia
It’s mild.
neilt
To that point, I added one tsp red pepper flakes. I thought that improved it significantly.
Sara
I frequent a Thai restaurant that serves a peanut dressing on salad. Do you have such a recipe. They tell me it is very hard to make. Wondering if I can use this recipe?
Ashley
This recipe is beyond delish! Thanks a bunch. I’ve been looking for a better peanut sauce recipe!
Food to Fitness
This looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
George Humphreys
All of your recipes are easy to understand and put together. They are the best tasting and easiest Asian recipes that I know of. Congrats and thank you for sharing your Asian cuisine knowledge.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks George!
lauren
Hi there, I love Asian food but have a coconut allergy – what you you recommend using in the place of coconut milk? Thanks!
zurud
You can use plain yogurt or milk. Some fluid that is creamy
Chris
This is an awesome recipe! Made it twice already this week, I could just eat it on its own! I used chunky peanut butter as that was what was available. I prefer tamarind juice and brown sugar as ran out of palm sugar. Thanks again!
Rasa Malaysia
That’s great Chris! So glad you love this recipe.
Kristen Ko
Did you come up with the idea of using apple cider vinegar in this Thai satay sauce all on your own, Bee?
Rasa Malaysia
There are many ways to make Thai peanut sauce, you can use tamarind juice, like in this recipe: https://rasamalaysia.com/thai-chicken-sate-with-peanut-sauce/2/, regular Chinese clear “white” vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice if all are not assessible. I am trying to make this recipe really easy for my American readers, with easy-to-get store bought ingredients, so I use apple cider vinegar. Instead of salt, you can use fish sauce for better umami flavor, and instead of sugar, you can use Thai palm sugar. It’s all about simplifying the recipe so everyone can make it. :)
E.B
this may be a dumb question but can curry powder be substituted? I am kind of new to using curry.
Rasa Malaysia
You can try but I think it will not be as good. The curry paste is a “wet” paste.
[email protected]
I’ve been looking for a good peanut sauce recipe, I will definitely have to try this! Thanks for posting! Can I use regular vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar? Thanks!
Rasa Malaysia
Yes, please use according to taste, you can also use tamarind juice. :)
Cynthia Finan
Love your site and recipes. This new Peanut Sauce recipe looks so much easier to make than the one included in the Beef Satay Recipe. Is there one ingredient I can or should add to make it Spicy Peanut Sauce for Beef Satay? Thank you!
Rasa Malaysia
Yes, there are so many different kinds of satay peanut sauce and this is the easy ones that is very accessible. To make it spicy, you can use more red curry paste to taste.
JEWEL
I love peanut sauce so much I think I may even try it on ice cream one day! thanks for this simple recipe. Is this a typo or what do you mean by jam? ‘peanut butter jam’
Rasa Malaysia
Ice cream, that’s a great idea. Yes it was a typo. Fixed.
Liz
Thank you for the nice recipes. Have a Happy Tuesday.
Lily
Bee…congrats on the new sponsorship. Recipe looks yummy as usual, and may 2014 bring more power to you. :)
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Lily, thanks for your kind words. Same to you and I am so thrilled to be working with Beka Cookware.
May
I love peanut sauce didn’t know its so easy to make.
Rasa Malaysia
Yep, it’s so easy to make and you can get the ingredients easily too.
Alona
Rasa hi, how can i write to you in private? I sent you an email but no answer. I am not sure i sent to the right email
Jenny
Does this saucepan scratch easily? Mine scratch badly because of the whisk I use I think.
Rasa Malaysia
I don’t think so…Beka Cookware is very durable and this is tri-ply and the outer layer stainless steel and inside is aluminum. Very strong built.
Monika
I bought myself a non metallic whisk because of that. The new whisk doesn’t scratch anything.