Peanut Sauce

By Ali Slagle

Updated Dec. 20, 2023

Peanut Sauce
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(786)
Comments
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Bright with lime juice, salty with soy sauce and punchy with chili sauce and garlic, this straightforward rendition of peanut sauce is an ideal accompaniment to grilled meats, seared tofu, roasted vegetables, noodles, salads, spring rolls or satay. There are many ways to make a peanut sauce, but the essential ingredients include ground peanuts, something savory (kecap manis or hoisin are common) and fragrant aromatics, like ginger, galangal, tamarind and chiles. The resulting sauce adds rich creaminess and toasty earthiness to whatever it touches.

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Ingredients

Yield:About ¾ cup
  • ½cup peanut butter (any kind)
  • 2tablespoons lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)
  • 1tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 to 2teaspoons chili sauce to taste, such as sambal oelek or sriracha
  • 1teaspoon brown or granulated sugar
  • 1small garlic clove, finely grated
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1.5 servings)

538 calories; 44 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 22 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 728 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl or resealable container, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar and garlic. Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached your desired consistency. (Thicker for a dipping sauce, thinner for a salad dressing.) Sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Thin with warm water as needed before using.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
786 user ratings
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Comments

Dr Eggplant

I adapted my peanut sauce recipe out of the Rebar cookbook from a great vegetarian restaurant in Victoria, BC. You just want to eat it out of the jar. 1/2 C all natural PB 3 minced garlic cloves 1/4 C grated ginger 1 T honey juice of one lime 1 T sesame oil 1 tsp sambal oelek 3 T soy sauce 2 T rice wine vinegar I chop up the garlic and ginger in a mini food processor before adding the rest of the ingredients. Addictive!

SP

The addition of a little rice vinegar and fresh ginger go a long way in bumping up the flavor.

sfjazzman

This recipe is missing some key ingredients: ginger, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.

Lily W

I've used this recipe as a base a couple times, and it's pretty solid! My go-to is make the sauce as-is, except drop the garlic, and little less than 1/4 cup warm water. (It's basically the original) Would 100% recommend!

Susan G

I love love this peanut sauce but I have a problem. As soon as I take it off the heat it starts to separate as it cools. I can add a little hot water to it and it stirs up again. But as it starts to cool it separates again. Suggestions??

DonilagringaLoca

Thank you for tip I'm going to try it@Nicholas

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