Easy Peanut Sauce
This sauce is one of my go-to toppings to dress up basic ingredients from chicken and shrimp to grains and noodles. It is easy to make ahead, stores well in the fridge, and instantly makes a plain dinner taste impressively delicious. And, all you need to do is to stir the ingredients together! I find this easy to adjust for my family’s preferences and you can even make it peanut-free, if needed, for an allergy. Make sure to look at the notes at the end of the recipe for all of the tips. (See all of my favorite dips and sauces for kids for more ideas, too.) You can use this sauce with Rice Noodle Salad, Stir Fry Noodles, Sesame Tofu, and more.
Ingredients You Need
To make this easy peanut sauce you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.
Sesame oil (toasted if possible): This oil adds deep flavor, so I love using it in this sauce recipe. Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds acidity to the sauce, helping to balance the rest of the flavors. If you do not have this or cannot find it, you can use a little lime juice instead. Soy sauce: Soy sauce adds a load of rich flavor, and I prefer to use reduced-sodium so it’s not quite as salty. If you need this to be gluten-free, you can use tamari, which has a very similar flavor. Maple syrup: A little maple syrup in the peanut sauce adds sweetness that pairs really nicely with the rest of the ingredients. You can also use honey for kids over 12 months old. Creamy peanut butter: I keep unsweetened natural-style peanut butter in my kitchen since I love that flavor and it’s easy to stir into the peanut sauce recipe. You can use any type of peanut butter you prefer, but if yours is sweetened, you can probably omit the maple syrup in the recipe. Ground or fresh ginger: Grating ginger (I keep mine in the freezer to make this easier) or adding ground dried ginger adds a pop of flavor that is really pleasant in the mix. Fresh garlic: I grate fresh garlic into the sauce with a microplane. You can use ground garlic powder if you prefer.
TIP: These ingredients keep in the pantry for months, so if you don’t often use one of the Asian ingredients, you will have plenty of time to try them in new recipes!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making this sauce. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and timing.
Serving Suggestions
We love peanut sauce with Rice Noodle Salad, Sesame Tofu, over chicken, over rice, or even over shredded cabbage salad. It’s mild and versatile and a great sauce to keep in the fridge to liven up basic ingredients like grains, poultry, fish, and veggies.
How to Store
You can store this sauce in an airtight container like a mason jar for up to 5 days. It does thicken as it sits in the fridge, so you may want or need to stir in a little water to get it to the desired consistency—thinner if you plan to drizzle it is likely better!
Best Tips for Success
Stir the sauce together until it’s well-combined. Use the blender to make the sauce and throw in a handful of spinach or kale to add nutrients. Thin with water as needed—add water and stir until it’s totally incorporated—if it’s too thick to easily drizzle over food. It will firm up a bit when stored in the fridge so you may need to thin it out before using if you make it ahead or have leftovers. You can store a knob of fresh ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer and grate it (still frozen) into the bowl. It would be delicious with spring rolls, shrimp, chicken tenders, or really any steamed veggie. (My kids have even been known to dip scrambled eggs into it, oddly enough!) Use Sunbutter or almond butter as needed/desired to make this peanut-free.
Please comment below with feedback if you try the recipe. I’d love to hear what your family thinks!
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This post was first published April 2019.
