Spring rolls would not be complete without a creamy, spicy-sweet Thai peanut sauce to dip them into! And this easy 5-minute recipe is the best! By simply whisking peanut butter together with a few common Asian ingredients, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Sriracha sauce, you can have this tasty homemade version ready to eat.
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I always knew I loved Vietnamese Fresh spring rolls. But recently I realized that the fresh ingredients are NOTHING without an incredible sauce from peanut butter to dip them in.
So when we were rolling up our own at home one night, I knew they wouldn’t be complete without that sweet and kinda’ spicy sauce.
It took me a while to get the proportions just right, but after a few test rounds what resulted was the BEST peanut sauce I had ever had.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Peanut butter. A smooth and creamy peanut butter without any added sugar is best.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free varieties or Tamari sauce may be used and coconut liquid aminos also work as a soy-free alternative.
- Sugar. Brown sugar will taste the best, but pure maple syrup and agave nectar may be used if you’d like a healthier alternative. If on a low-carb or keto diet, you can also substitute with a non-nutritive sweetener such as stevia.
- Sriracha sauce. Feel free to substitute with another hot sauce of choice.
- Rice vinegar. Rice vinegar is the most common and authentic acidic component to use, but fresh lime juice may also be used.
- Garlic. A clove of fresh garlic is preferred, but ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted for each clove.
How to Make Thai Peanut Sauce
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Mix all but the water together. Add all of the ingredients except for the water to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk them together until smooth and well combined. If the peanut butter is too difficult to whisk at room temperature, it can be warmed for 10-20 seconds in the microwave to soften it up and make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- Slowly add in the water. When all the other ingredients are combined, slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon of warm water at a time. This will help to thin out the sauce to the desired consistency – going slightly thicker for a dipping sauce, and slightly thinner for a drizzling sauce or dressing. By the time the desired amount of water is fully whisked in, the sauce should have returned to a lighter brown color, similar to that of the peanut butter.
- You can then serve it up with those classic spring rolls, or try it in a new dish like on this Spring Roll in a Bowl, Egg Roll in a Bowl, or PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps!
Want a more drizzle-able consistency for a salad? Check out this Peanut Butter Dressing recipe next!
Storage Directions
- Prep-Ahead: This homemade sauce can be prepared up to 3-4 days in advance, however the sauce will gradually start to lose some of its flavor over time.
- Storage: Prepared sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Leftover sauce can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
- Reheating: Stored peanut sauce may be left out on the counter for an hour before serving, or microwaved in the oven for 10-20 seconds to make it smooth and creamy.
FAQS
While this sauce can technically refer to any sauce featuring peanuts or peanut butter, satay sauce is the form of preparation generally involving soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and water.
This sauce can be used for a wide variety of Asian dishes, such as Vietnamese spring rolls, Thai lettuce wraps, Indonesian satay, or Pad Thai with a nutty kick.
If this sauce has been thinned out a little too much, try putting it in the fridge for a short amount of time to solidify it a bit, or carefully whisk in a little more peanut butter to thicken it back up.
It comes down to preference and preparation technique. Some recipes where the sauce is being used in a hot dish may call for it to be prepared very warm, or some cooks may find it easier to incorporate all of the ingredients when the sauce is heated on the stovetop.
Recipes that Use Peanut Sauce
This incredibly versatile sauce makes for the perfect spicy-sweet accompaniment to loads of delicious Asian dishes:
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Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter smooth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½-1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce to taste
- 3-6 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except for the water, to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined.½ cup peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic, ½-1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- Slowly add in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time to help thin it out. Stop adding when your desired consistency is reached.3-6 tablespoons warm water
- This recipe makes roughly ¾ cup of sauce, or 12 tablespoons. Serve sauce with Fresh Spring Rolls and enjoy!
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Notes
- Soy sauce: Substitute soy sauce for a gluten-free variety, or for Tamari sauce.
- Nuts: Use almond or cashew butter if needed
- Sweetener: Use a non-nutritive sweetener such as stevia extract.
- Prep-Ahead: Homemade peanut sauce can be prepared up to 3-4 days in advance, however the sauce will gradually start to lose some of its flavor over time.
- Storage: Prepared peanut sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Leftover sauce can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
- Reheating: Stored peanut sauce may be left out on the counter for an hour before serving, or microwaved in the oven for 10-20 seconds to make it smooth and creamy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was fantastic. I made Thai bowls tonight and used this as the sauce. I think I used four or five tablespoons of hot water and it made the sauce perfect. Thanks for sharing this! I will be printing this off and keeping it with my “favorite” recipes.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Naomi! Sounds tasty! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!