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.
Gather These Items
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.
- Fish Sauce – This condiment is a staple in Asian cuisine and packs a punch of umami flavor.
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Light brown sugar
- Red wine vinegar
- Creamy peanut butter
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Fresh lime juice
How to Make Pad Thai Sauce (Step-by-Step)
You are going to love how easy it is to make this flavorful sauce.
- Combine ingredients. Combine the broth, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce and lime juice in a small food processor.
- Blend. Blend until smooth.
- Enjoy. Use as a dipping sauce, on salad or toss in your favorite stir fry.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – Because chicken broth and soy sauce already have a high salt content, I choose to use the low sodium option for both. That way, you can always add more salt if you choose.
- Seasonings – Give the sauce some herbaceous flavor with a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. Incorporate tamarind paste into the sauce to give the sauce some tangy flavor.
- Swaps – Add sriracha, chili flakes, or chopped chiles to give it some heat. Drizzle in some honey for a little bit of extra sweet flavor. Instead of light brown sugar, give the sauce a richer sweetness with dark brown sugar.
- Senses – When making this sauce and adding to your favorite thai dishes, you will instantly be transported to your favorite Thai restaurant with the aromas and flavors you will experience.
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
This sauce is a combination of peanut butter, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar in a broth base. Tamarind is another ingredient that’s frequently incorporated and often citrus like lime is added, too.
It is not typically a spicy sauce. However, you can add a spicy kick by incorporating sriracha, cayenne pepper powder, or chili flakes.
Pad Thai does not always have soy sauce. Some recipes use oyster sauce while others incorporate soy.
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.
Pad Thai Sauce Recipe
Equipment
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
Nutrition
Great recipe! Easy to make and was delicious with my chicken stir-fry.
This pad Thai was perfect! We mixed it up for dinner this week and it was so yummy! Thank you!
Beautiful sauce! Have always enjoyed it but never knew how to make it at home so thanks for breaking it down so simply!
This easy and delicious pad Thai sauce will come in handy at my house. It has great flavors and is versatile. Its the perfect addition to my condiment repertoire.
Wow! this is my new favorite recipe!
This tasted absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make it again.
I have not made the main dish yet, but this sauce was EASY. And quick to put together. I used the suggestions of Coconut Milk (3 TBSP) and fresh cilantro. Tastes wonderful !! This is going into the regular rotation. Thanks Jessica 🙂
Awesome! That is what we love to hear and glad you came back to let us know!
Easy and delicious!