Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce is a versatile and flavorful sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to noodles. Let me tell you why you will love this dipping sauce: is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, delivers fantastic flavors, has the perfect texture and you can slightly change it to your taste!
What is Thai Peanut Sauce
If you're new to Thai cuisine, you might be wondering what is Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce. Well, it's a creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce made from ingredients such as peanut butter, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, garlic, and rice vinegar. This versatile sauce is a staple in Thai cuisine and can be used as a dip, dressing, marinade, or sauce.
Our Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce is a plant-based version of the traditional Thai Peanut Sauce, which usually contains fish sauce or shrimp paste.
Peanut butter is a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. It also contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium. By using natural peanut butter without added sugars or oils, you can make a healthier version of this sauce.
Why you will love our recipe
This is one of those recipes that we make really often at home. When we make summer rolls, spring rolls, tofu satay, or anything that can be dipped, we find ourselves making this Thai Peanut Sauce.
We use simple ingredients that we normally have at home or that are easy to substitute such as lime, rice vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, and sugar. You can use different ingredients or skip some if you are missing something from the list.
The umami-rich flavor and heartiness of this peanut sauce are simply delicious. We never make enough and always end up fighting for the last bits.
It comes together in 5 minutes. This recipe is really quick to make and you can just make it before serving your dish.
You can easily customize our recipe to meet your tastes. We add some spice to our portions when we have already served the kids by adding sambal or harissa paste. It gives the sauce a beautiful heat that we love. You can add different ingredients to make the dip perfect for your taste.
Our Thai Peanut Sauce is:
- Vegan
- Can be made gluten-free
- Umami-rich
- Quick to make
- A delicious dip
- Easy to customize
How to make our Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Peanut Butter. For the peanut sauce, you will need to use smooth or creamy peanut butter. You can as well, make your own peanut butter. All you need to do is add roasted (unsalted) peanuts into a food processor with a pinch of salt. Blend until you get a creamy consistency. It may take a little bit to reach that consistency and you may need to stop a few times to push the peanuts down the processor walls but it's definitely worth it. Have a look at this amazing recipe by Culinary Hill. If you prefer a crunchy texture, you can use crunchy peanut butter as well.
Brown sugar. We use brown sugar to give a bit of sweetness to the sauce but you can use as well maple syrup, date syrup, or another sweetener of your choice.
Soy sauce. Dark or light soy sauce will both work for your peanut sauce. For a gluten-free option, you will need to use tamari. You can use Kecap Manis, but we recommend leaving out the sweetener as this sauce is already sweet.
Sesame oil. We use toasted sesame oil to add more umami to the sauce. You can use spicy sesame oil if you want to add a little kick to the dip.
Lime juice. The freshly squeezed lime juice will give your peanut dip that lovely tanginess. You can use lemon juice instead.
Rice vinegar. We love adding a little bit of rice vinegar as it's umami-rich and adds a lovely punch to the sauce. This ingredient may be a bit more difficult to have on hand, but you can find it in different big supermarkets or Asian shops.
Warm water. Adding warm water to your dip will bring the sauce together. You can adjust this ingredient depending on your taste or the use you want to give to the peanut sauce to make it thicker or more liquid.
Sea salt. Because we are already adding soy sauce, this dip doesn't need much salt but you can adjust it to your taste.
Step-by-Step Method
This peanut dip comes together in less than 5 minutes!
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add the warm water.
- Whisk until you have the desired consistency.
You can then garnish the dip with some crushed peanuts, spicy sauce, fresh coriander, sesame seeds, or green onions.
Variations of our Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce
There are so many ways to customize this dip to your liking. Here are some variations to try out:
- Make it creamier. Peanut butter has already a creamy texture but you can make it creamier by adding some coconut milk.
- Add some spiciness. We love adding harissa, sambal, or sriracha to our peanut sauce to make it spicy. Especially Sambal (chilli paste), gives this dip the perfect touch for spice lovers.
- Change the texture. You can also vary the texture of the sauce by using chunky peanut butter. The chunky peanut butter will give the sauce a bit of crunch.
- Make it gluten-free. You can make this dip gluten-free by using tamari instead of soy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This Thai Peanut Dip is perfect for many appetizers and main meals. From rolls to noodle salads or stir-fries. Here are some ideas to inspire you!
Dip
Our vegan Thai peanut sauce can be used as a dip. It is perfect for dipping vegetables such as bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, or celery. As well, this makes for the perfect dip for your spring rolls, summer rolls, or tofu.
Salad Dressing
This vegan sauce can be used as a salad dressing. It is creamy and flavorful, and it pairs well with greens and other vegetables. To make a salad dressing, simply mix our vegan Thai peanut sauce with a little bit of water or lime juice to thin it out. Drizzle it over your salad and enjoy! If you want to use this sauce as a salad dressing, we recommend checking out this delicious Thai noodle salad or this Vietnamese noodle salad.
Satay Sauce
Our vegan Thai peanut sauce can be used as a satay sauce. It is perfect for dipping grilled tofu or vegetables.
Stir Fry Sauce
Our vegan Thai peanut sauce can be used as a stir-fry sauce. It is perfect for adding flavor and creaminess to your noodle stir-fry dishes. Use dry udon noodles, rice noodles, soba noodles, or your favorite noodle type. Make sure you add a little water to the sauce if you want to use it for a stir-fry.
Buddha Bowls Sauce
This Thai sauce pairs beautifully with a delicious Buddha Bowl, Tofu Bowl, Noodle Bowl, or Poke Bowl.
FAQ and Tips
What are some vegan alternatives to peanut butter in Thai peanut sauce?
If you have a peanut allergy or simply want to switch things up, there are several vegan alternatives to peanut butter that you can use in Thai peanut sauce. One option is almond butter, which has a similar creamy texture and nutty flavor. Another option is cashew butter, which is slightly sweeter than peanut butter and has a milder flavor. You can also use sunflower seed butter or tahini, which are made from seeds and have a slightly different taste but still work well in peanut sauce recipes.
If you enjoy spicy food...
We strongly recommend adding some Sambal to your peanut sauce, seriously, it gives the sauce such a delicious touch.
If the peanut butter is too hard...
Sometimes when the peanut butter is just the last bit in the jar or has been opened for a few weeks it can be a bit hard in texture. You can add some coconut oil to eat and heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.
How long can the peanut sauce be kept in the fridge?
We normally use it in a couple of days (3-4 days). Make sure you are using an airtight container to keep the sauce so it stays good for longer.
How can I make this sauce spicy?
You can add sambal, sriracha, chili oil, red pepper flakes, or even harissa paste. Anything spicy will be a great addition to this peanut sauce!
Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup peanut butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup warm water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add the warm water.
- Whisk until you have the desired consistency.
- Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve!
Notes
- Sometimes when the peanut butter is just the last bit in the jar or has been opened for a few weeks it can be a bit hard in texture. You can add some coconut oil to eat and heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.
- If you enjoy spicy food, you can add sambal, sriracha, chili oil, chili flakes, or even harissa paste. Anything spicy will be a great addition to this peanut sauce!
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If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram. We are always happy to see your creations!
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