This spicy peanut sauce recipe is one of my favorite ways to take a simple meal to the next level and I always get asked for the recipe when I serve it at parties. The total time to make the sauce clocks in at only a couple minutes but the results taste like you spent way more time in the kitchen.
Similar to a pad thai sauce, this spicy peanut sauce is a popular dipping sauce for dishes like chicken satay or for lettuce wraps but there are tons of other ways to serve it.
Spread it on a wrap for a decadent sandwich, spoon it over veggies and meats, or set it out as a dip for tons of other types of appetizers — no one will be able to resist it!
What is Spicy Peanut Sauce?
Peanut sauce itself originated in Asia and is still eaten in many countries across the continent, most often with barbecued meats. It’s a balanced sauce with creamy peanut butter that’s blended with acidic, sweet, and salty ingredients.
For this peanut sauce recipe, we’ve added in hot chile sauce to also make it spicy. You can adjust it for the palates in your household, or leave it out altogether if you prefer.
What Sets This Sauce Apart
There are lots of Asian-inspired sauces that you can use for dipping, drizzling, and spreading, but this one has a few things that set it apart from the rest.
- Protein-Packed – Peanut sauce has plenty of protein from the peanut butter, making it a great addition to a healthy meal, especially if it’s post-workout.
- Flavor Profile – There are few other easy sauces with such a complex flavor profile, and even fewer that incorporate such rich peanut flavor.
Ingredients
While there are a decent amount of ingredients in this sauce, they all come together super quickly in this recipe. Plus, most of them are pantry staples.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – The peanut butter is the base of the sauce. I like using creamy peanut butter for a silky smooth sauce but if you want to add some texture you can substitute crunchy peanut butter.
- Light Coconut Milk – Coconut milk helps to thin out the peanut butter and gives the sauce some richness. It also adds a subtle sweetness.
- Less-Sodium Soy Sauce – Using reduced-sodium soy sauce allows you to infuse umami flavor into the peanut sauce without overpowering it with saltiness.
- Garlic Cloves – Garlic cloves give the peanut sauce its slightly pungent flavor.
- Light Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is key for adding a bit of rich sweetness. If you prefer an even more rich, sweet flavor, use dark brown sugar instead.
- Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar adds a bit of acidity to balance out the other ingredients.
- Water – Adding water thins the sauce and makes it easier to blend all of the ingredients together. You can adjust the water so that you reach your own desired consistency.
- Lime Juice – Citrus works in conjunction with the vinegar to balance the sauce while also adding bright flavor. Since you’ll be using lime zest, too, it’s best to use the juice of a fresh lime rather than using a store-bought variety.
- Hot Chile Sauce – While this is optional if you want to add some spice to the sauce, this is a great way to do it. Feel free to experiment with the amount and taste as you go.
- Lime Zest – The zest from the lime gives the sauce a more concentrated lime flavor.
What To Serve With Spicy Peanut Sauce
Peanut sauce can be used as a dip, spread, salad dressing, or topping to dress up lots of dishes! We love to spread it on bread for sandwiches and burgers and spoon it over roasted or steamed veggies (like broccoli) or proteins like baked chicken thighs, tofu, or pork.
You can also toss the sauce with stir fry noodles, pour it over a simple side salad, or use it instead of vinegar or mayo to make a fun twist on coleslaw. As a dipping sauce, the possibilities are nearly endless — you can serve it alongside raw veggies, Chinese dumplings, crab rangoons, or spring rolls.
For parties or game day, you can also drizzle it over top of a Thai-style pizza or use it instead of Buffalo sauce on chicken wings.
How to Make Spicy Peanut Sauce
Jazzing up weeknight dinners doesn’t get much easier than making this quick and simple sauce. With just a few minutes of prep time, this sauce the ultimate timesaving trick to elevate a meal.
- Add ingredients to food processor. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor or blender.
- Combine until smooth. Pulse until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Add to bowl and serve. Transfer to a serving bowl or airtight container. Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate.
Variations
Once you’ve made this sauce as a base, you can get crafty with customizations.
- Heat – For a spicier kick, increase the amount of hot chile sauce or add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Texture – Add some crunchiness to the sauce by stirring in some crushed peanuts.
- Garlic – Increase the garlicky flavor by sprinkling in some garlic powder or doubling the amount of garlic. Or, roast the garlic before adding it to the sauce.
- Sauces – Add a splash of Worcestershire or extra soy sauce for more umami flavor.
- Herbs and Spices – Sprinkle in chopped fresh cilantro or grate in fresh ginger.
- Almonds – Instead of peanut butter, substitute almond butter if you have allergies to be concerned about or just want a different flavor profile.
- Citrus – Swap out the lime juice and use lemon juice instead.
- Tamari – For a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce, try using tamari.
Storage and Freezing
This spicy sauce stores well in both the fridge and freezer so don’t shy away from making a little (or a lot!) extra so you have it handy when a craving pops up.
How to Store Spicy Peanut Sauce
This sauce is great for meal prep — you can quickly make it and then store it to enjoy throughout the week.
Store the sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
How to Freeze Peanut Sauce
Place the sauce in a resealable freezer bag or freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. You can also store it in a silicone ice cube tray for smaller servings that you can easily pop out when you need them.
Common Questions About Spicy Peanut Sauce
Peanut sauce is made with a base of peanut butter, coconut milk, and water blended together with other ingredients like citrus, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and vinegar.
Peanut sauce is a versatile condiment that pairs well with anything from proteins and raw or cooked veggies to dumplings, egg rolls, sandwiches, and pizza.
Peanut sauce refers to the sauce made specifically with peanuts or peanut butter. Satay sauce is the umbrella term for sauces served with satay (skewered meats). While peanut sauce can be a satay sauce, there are other variations that can be satay sauces, too.
Other Savory Sauces
We keep it saucy over here and dipping sauce recipes are the name of the game!
Meatloaf Glaze Recipe
Chinese Hot Mustard Recipe
Caramelized Onion Jam
Spicy Peanut Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1-3 hot chile sauce , optional
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
Instructions
- Place the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, water, lime juice, chile sauce and lime zest into a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Use immediately or chill until ready to use.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Notes
1 pound chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup less-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
Marinate chicken for 12-24 hours, remove from marinade and thread through skewers. Discard remaining marinade.
Heat a large skillet, grill pan or grill grates to medium heat. Oil well.
Cook for 1-2 minutes per side until chicken is browned and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serve with the peanut sauce.
Nutrition
I’m already thinking of the items I want to dip into this fabulous spicy peanut sauce. Yum!
Delicious! We love this as a dip for some fried tofu – so good!
Yummy! I was looking for something to pair with chicken tonight and this is perfect!
This was perfect over noodles! So much flavor and just the right amount of spice!
I love the idea of this sauce on a sandwich! I’m super excited to try it!