Pad Thai Sauce

This quick Pad Thai sauce delivers the classic sweet-savory-tangy profile with pantry staples- no tamarind required. Blend it silky for tossing with noodles, drizzling as a pad thai dressing, or using as an ultra-flavorful dipping sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Pad Thai Sauce

• Gives the flavor you’re actually looking for. A good pad thai sauce needs that sweet, tangy, salty balance that makes homemade noodles taste like a real dish instead of stir-fried noodles with random sauce poured on top.
• Makes homemade pad thai more approachable. Once the sauce is mixed, the rest of the meal feels easier and faster, which is exactly what readers want from a sauce recipe.
• Useful beyond one dinner. A strong pad thai sauce can be used for noodles, stir-fries, shrimp, chicken, tofu, or even as a jumping-off point for other Thai-inspired dinners.

Ingredients for Pad Thai Sauce

All of these simple ingredients are easy to keep stocked in your kitchen so you can whip up this quick sauce any time! A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Chicken Broth – Chicken broth is the savory liquid base of the sauce and helps loosen the richer ingredients so everything blends smoothly. Using low sodium broth gives you better control over the final flavor.
• Light Brown Sugar – Packed light brown sugar adds sweetness, but it also brings a subtle molasses depth that helps the sauce taste more rounded and less sharp. It balances the other ingredients so the finished sauce lands in that sweet-savory-tangy zone pad thai-style sauces need.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – Rice wine vinegar gives the sauce a gentle acidity that brightens everything without tasting too harsh. It is softer and slightly sweeter than some other vinegars, which makes it especially good for a sauce that also needs to stay balanced and smooth.
• Fish Sauce – This condiment is a staple in Asian cuisine and packs a punch of umami flavor. 
• Creamy Peanut Butter – Peanut butter gives the sauce body, richness, and that nutty flavor people expect in a peanut-forward noodle sauce. It also helps emulsify the liquid ingredients so the final texture feels silky and substantial instead of thin and separated.
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce – Soy sauce adds salty, savory depth and helps reinforce the umami from the fish sauce. Using low sodium soy sauce keeps the flavor balanced and prevents the finished sauce from becoming too salty once everything is combined.
• Fresh Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice brings bright, citrusy acidity that wakes up the entire sauce. It keeps the sweeter and richer ingredients from feeling heavy and gives the finished flavor a fresher, more lively finish.

How to Make Pad Thai Sauce (Step-by-Step)

You are going to love how easy it is to make this flavorful sauce.

1. Combine ingredients. Combine the broth, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce and lime juice in a small food processor.
2. Blend. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy. Use as a dipping sauce, on salad or toss in your favorite stir fry.

Test Kitchen Tips

I’ve tested this pas thai sauce recipe to be able to bring you tips and tricks for the best sauce possible.

• Sauce tastes bolder on its own than on noodles- aim slightly punchy in the bowl.
• Warm the peanut butter 10-15 seconds in the microwave for faster emulsifying.
• For restaurant-style cling, reserve some starchy noodle water to loosen and gloss after tossing.

Perfect Pairings

In our house, there are few savory foods we won’t put pad Thai sauce on! I love to serve it as a dipping sauce for veggies like broccoli and broccolini or for vegetable spring rolls, crab rangoons, or dumplings. 

It’s also a great addition to any stir-fry (we love a good shrimp stir-fry) or coconut soup — or enjoy it drizzled over Thai chicken pizza. You can also use it to liven up nearly any protein from grilled shrimp and salmon to baked chicken, tofu, and pork. 

Quick Q&A

More Asian-Inspired Sauces

A good sauce is a great way to elevate almost any dish. Here are a few of our favorite Asian Inspired Sauces that we know you’ll love.

Egg Roll Dipping Sauce

4.50 from 12 votes

Chinese Chili Oil

5 from 6 votes

Pot Sticker Sauce

4.89 from 9 votes

Ginger Sauce Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Pad Thai Sauce Recipe

Pad Thai Sauce has layers of flavor from sweet brown sugar, umami-laden soy sauce and fish sauce, acidic vinegar, and creamy peanut butter!

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: easy pad thai sauce, homemade pad thai sauce, no tamarind pad thai sauce, pad thai sauce, pad thai sauce recipe, pad thai sauce without tamarind, peanut pad thai sauce, quick pad thai sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Calories: 809kcal

Equipment

• small food processor

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

• Combine the 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/3 cup fish sauce, p1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice in a small food processor. Blend until smooth.
• Use as a dipping sauce, on salad or toss in your favorite stir fry.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

This sauce can be whisked, but it might have little bits of peanut butter. If you are putting it into a hot stir fry, this will melt easily. if are using it for a dressing or dipping sauce, I highly recommend blending it to make it smooth.

Storage: Place the sauce in an airtight container or tightly sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week. 

Freezing: Place the sauce in a freezer-safe container, silicone ice cube tray, or a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 809kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 22g, Sodium: 7645mg, Potassium: 1032mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 66g, Vitamin A: 24IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 145mg, Iron: 3mg