Homemade Peanut Sauce is made with flavorful ingredients like creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It’s especially delicious as a dip or can be used in dishes like stir fry and noodles.
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Peanut sauce is a popular condiment most often used in Asian cuisine.
While you can buy a bottle of it from the grocery store, homemade is much, much better, especially because you can adjust the ingredients to suit your own tastes.
I use this particular sauce the most when I make Chicken Peanut Stir Fry or to dip chicken tenders in. It’s also very similar to the sauce used for Peanut Butter Chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
Quick: this recipe is really quick to make. It’s as simple as adding all of the ingredients to a bowl and mixing.
Flavorful: the combination of peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, aromatics and spices give this sauce a complex, amazing flavor that is both sweet and savory with a hint of spiciness.
Versatile: you can use this sauce in many different ways. It’s perfect for stir fry, Asian-inspired noodle dishes, and makes a delicious dip for appetizers and chicken recipes like chicken satay or even Pan Fried Chicken Tenders.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 1 13.66 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk: I use full fat coconut milk from Thai Kitchen. If the brand you use is slightly more or less it won’t make much difference.
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter: I use natural peanut butter.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed): reduce or omit for a less sweet, more authentic flavor.
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili paste): can be omitted for a milder flavor.
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
The only prep work for this recipe is to mince the garlic and ginger.
Create!
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until well combined and smooth.
Present!
Use as desired.
Store in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tips and Techniques
- Omit or lessen the amount of brown sugar for a less sweet, more authentic peanut sauce flavor.
- Omit the sambal oelek for a milder sauce.
- Store peanut sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 1 week.
FAQ’s
Can You Freeze Peanut Sauce?
Extra peanut sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
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Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 13.66 13.66 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (full fat)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (natural is recommended)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed, see notes)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek ( or chili paste, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until well combined and smooth.1 13.66 13.66 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Use as desired.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Omit or lessen the amount of brown sugar for a less sweet, more authentic peanut sauce flavor.
- Omit the sambal oelek for a milder sauce.
- Store peanut sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 1 week.
Molly Kumar says
This looks so creamy and delicious!!!! The ingredients are do simple and right in pantry, I’m saving the recipe to try soon.
Tammy says
I love peanut sauce…so delicious with so many different things. This sounds sooo flavorful especially with the coconut milk base. Definitely need to make this with noodles!
Jacqueline Debono says
I fell in love with peanut sauce years ago when I first had satay! This version is so flavorful and easy to make. It’s such a great dipping sauce too.
Veronika says
Such a delicious simple sauce! We used it to dip rice paper wraps but a stir fry is definitely next on my list!
Leslie says
I love adding this peanut sauce recipe to my stir fry! it’s so creamy and delicious!
Alexandra says
This sauce is superb! It comes together quickly and has a great depth of flavor. I followed the recipe exactly, and served with oven baked chicken tenders and a cabbage salad. Delicious!
Mikayla says
Found your recipe and decided we needed to make stir fry for dinner and drizzle this all over it! Wonderful!
Cathleen says
This peanut sauce is perfect!! I love a good sauce recipe, and I know that I am going to be making this over and over this year.
Savita says
This peanut sauce recipe is an absolute game-changer! Creamy, flavorful, and so versatile, it elevates any dish to new heights of deliciousness.
Yu says
Peanut sauce is a “must-have” sauce for lots of Asian cuisines. This nutty sauce was a perfect dipping sauce for shrimp spring rolls!