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. Plus, you can easily adjust and customize the ingredient amounts to suit your liking!
Table of Contents
I always knew I loved spring rolls. But recently I realized that the fresh ingredients are NOTHING without an incredible peanut sauce 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.
Why this is the Best Peanut Sauce
Besides the fact that you are only 5 minutes and 6 simple ingredients away from making it?
There is also so much room for variation– something you can’t get when you buy a bottle of it at the store or get it from your favorite Thai restaurant.
I look at this “recipe” as more of a base that you can adapt to your taste preferences. Like it spicy? Add in more sriracha. Not a fan of sweet? Keep the sugar out. Since you get to pick and choose how much of each ingredient you add in, you’re really able to make a peanut dipping sauce customized to YOU and your taste preferences!
Ingredients
- 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
The basic steps for making Peanut Sauce are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. 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.
2. 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.
Serve the sauce with Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, and enjoy!
Want a more drizzle-able consistency for a salad? Check out this Peanut Butter Dressing recipe next!
Storage Directions
- To 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.
- Storing Peanut Sauce: 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.
- To Reheat: 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 peanut 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.
Peanut 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 peanut 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.
Recipe Tips
- Warm it up. To make the sauce easier to stir, microwave the peanut butter for 10 seconds before adding it, and use warm water instead of cold to thin it out.
- Prep in bulk. Peanut sauce reheats beautifully, so make a double or triple batch and portion it out to freeze until ready to use it.
- Watch the spice. Start by adding just a little bit of Sriracha to the sauce and tasting it, gradually adding more and testing until it reaches your desired level of spice.
- Make it creamy. For a thinner, mellower, extra creamy sauce that’s perfect for tossing with noodles or salads, try replacing the water with coconut milk.
- Experiment with flavors. Implementing ingredients like sesame oil, fresh ginger, coconut milk, alternative nut butters, or lime juice within the sauce can help yield different results.
Recipes that Use Peanut Sauce
This incredibly versatile sauce makes for the perfect spicy-sweet accompaniment to loads of delicious Asian dishes:
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Ground Chicken Thai Lettuce Wraps
- Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls
- Thai Peanut Sauce Chicken and Veggies
- Peanut Butter Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
- Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad
- Easy Pad Thai
Tap stars to rate!
Email this recipe!
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter smooth
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or Tamari
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce to taste
- 3-6 Tbsp 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 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic, ½-1 tsp. 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 Tbsp warm water
- This recipe makes roughly ¾ cup of sauce, or 12 tablespoons. Serve sauce with Fresh Spring Rolls and enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
Video
Notes
- Gluten-Free: Substitute soy sauce for a gluten-free variety, or for Tamari sauce.
- Peanut-Free: Use almond or cashew butter.
- Low-Carb: Use a non-nutritive sweetener such as stevia extract.
- Whole30: Use almond or cashew butter, coconut sugar or honey, apple cider vinegar, and a hot sauce without any added sugars.
- Soy-Free: Substitute the soy sauce or Tamari sauce for coconut liquid aminos.
- Refined Sugar-Free: Replace the brown sugar with honey, agave nectar, or coconut sugar.
- To 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.
- To Store: Prepared peanut sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect flavor for spring rolls
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Aimee! They go so well together. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Made the recipe to specs, my husband couldn’t stop saying Mmmm! while giving me a thumbs up 🙂 Better than the restaurant
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I love to hear reviews like this. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Very nice sauce!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Loreen! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!