10 Flavorful Thai Peanut Sauce Recipes You’ll Love Making
Thai peanut sauce transforms ordinary dishes into restaurant-quality meals with its perfect balance of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors. These versatile sauces work beautifully with stir-fries, noodles, and spring rolls.
Each recipe brings its own special twist to this beloved Asian condiment, from simple five-ingredient versions to complex curry-infused creations that will elevate your home cooking.
01. Simple Thai Peanut Sauce
A foolproof peanut sauce using pantry staples that delivers authentic Thai flavors. This versatile sauce comes together in minutes and works perfectly for dipping or drizzling.
Ingredients: ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced, 3-4 tablespoons warm water.
How To Make Simple Thai Peanut Sauce
1. Whisk peanut butter and soy sauce together in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. The mixture will look thick at first, but don’t worry as we’ll thin it out in the next steps.
2. Add brown sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar to the peanut butter mixture. Whisk vigorously until the sugar completely dissolves and the sauce becomes glossy and smooth throughout.
3. Stir in minced garlic and gradually add warm water one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily.
4. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more soy sauce for saltiness or brown sugar for sweetness. Let the sauce sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld together beautifully.
02. Todd’s Signature Thai Peanut Sauce
This elevated version uses whole roasted peanuts instead of peanut butter for superior texture and depth. The extra effort creates a sauce with incredible nutty complexity and authentic restaurant taste.
Ingredients: 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 small Thai chili, ½ cup coconut milk.
How To Make Todd’s Signature Thai Peanut Sauce
1. Process roasted peanuts in a food processor until they form a smooth, creamy paste similar to natural peanut butter. This takes about 3-4 minutes of continuous processing, scraping down sides as needed.
2. Add garlic and Thai chili to the peanut paste and pulse until finely minced and well incorporated. The chili adds authentic heat, so adjust the amount based on your spice preference.
3. Pour in soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Process until completely smooth and the sugar has dissolved entirely, creating a glossy, well-blended mixture.
4. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in coconut milk until the sauce reaches a pourable consistency. The coconut milk adds richness and helps balance the bold flavors perfectly.
5. Transfer to a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to develop and intensify for the best possible taste experience.
03. Best Five-Ingredient Peanut Sauce
Proof that amazing flavor doesn’t require complicated ingredients. This streamlined recipe delivers maximum taste with minimal effort, perfect for busy weeknight cooking adventures.
Ingredients: ½ cup crunchy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, 2 cloves garlic minced.
How To Make Best Five-Ingredient Peanut Sauce
1. Combine crunchy peanut butter and soy sauce in a mixing bowl, whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and well blended. The crunchy peanut butter adds delightful texture that makes this sauce special.
2. Add white sugar and minced garlic, stirring vigorously until the sugar completely dissolves. I recommend using fresh garlic rather than powder for the best flavor impact in this simple recipe.
3. Stir in hot pepper sauce starting with just a few drops, then taste and add more as desired. Different hot sauces have varying heat levels, so adjust carefully to match your spice tolerance.
4. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it with warm water one teaspoon at a time until you achieve the perfect consistency for your intended use, whether dipping or drizzling.
04. Fiery Thai Peanut Sauce
Heat lovers rejoice with this intensely spiced peanut sauce that brings serious fire. Sweet chili sauce and red pepper flakes create layers of heat that build beautifully with each bite.
Ingredients: ½ cup smooth peanut butter, ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons coconut milk.
How To Make Fiery Thai Peanut Sauce
1. Whisk peanut butter with Thai sweet chili sauce until completely smooth. The sweet chili sauce provides both heat and sweetness, creating the perfect base for this spicy creation.
2. Add hoisin sauce and soy sauce, mixing thoroughly until the sauce becomes glossy and uniform. These ingredients add depth and umami that balance the intense heat beautifully.
3. Stir in red pepper flakes and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to allow the flakes to release their oils and intensify the heat level throughout the sauce.
4. Whisk in lime juice for brightness, then gradually add coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency. The coconut milk helps cool the palate while maintaining the sauce’s bold character.
5. Taste carefully and adjust heat level by adding more red pepper flakes or sweet chili sauce. Remember, you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away once it’s mixed in.
05. Cayenne Peanut Sauce
Cayenne pepper brings clean, intense heat to this beloved sauce recipe. The straightforward spice allows the peanut flavor to shine while delivering a satisfying kick that builds gradually.
Ingredients: ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic minced, 4 tablespoons warm water.
How To Make Cayenne Peanut Sauce
1. Mix peanut butter with soy sauce in a bowl, whisking until completely smooth and well combined. This creates the rich, savory base that makes this sauce so incredibly satisfying and flavorful.
2. Add honey and rice vinegar, stirring until the honey dissolves completely. The honey provides natural sweetness that balances the cayenne’s heat while the vinegar adds essential brightness to the overall flavor profile.
3. Sprinkle in cayenne pepper and minced garlic, mixing thoroughly to distribute the spice evenly. Start with the recommended amount, but feel free to adjust based on your heat preference and tolerance level.
4. Gradually whisk in warm water until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. The sauce should pour easily but still coat ingredients well, creating the perfect texture for both dipping and cooking applications.
06. Classic Thai-Style Peanut Sauce
This robust and flavorful sauce captures authentic Thai flavors in just fifteen minutes. Its versatility makes it perfect for noodles, spring rolls, satay, and countless other delicious applications.
Ingredients: ½ cup natural peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated, ¼ cup coconut milk, 1 clove garlic minced.
How To Make Classic Thai-Style Peanut Sauce
1. Whisk peanut butter with soy sauce until smooth and creamy. Natural peanut butter works best here because it lacks added sugars and oils that might interfere with the authentic flavor balance we’re creating.
2. Add brown sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce, mixing until the sugar dissolves completely. The fish sauce adds essential umami depth that distinguishes authentic Thai peanut sauce from Americanized versions.
3. Stir in grated fresh ginger and minced garlic, ensuring both aromatics are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Fresh ginger provides a subtle warmth that complements the other bold flavors perfectly.
4. Gradually whisk in coconut milk until you achieve a smooth, pourable consistency. The coconut milk adds richness and helps meld all the flavors together while providing authentic Thai character to the finished sauce.
07. Thai Peanut Stir Fry Sauce
Transform ordinary stir-fries with this sweet, spicy, and crunchy peanut sauce. Ready in just ten minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need maximum flavor fast.
Ingredients: ⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon sriracha, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced, 3 tablespoons chicken broth.
How To Make Thai Peanut Stir Fry Sauce
1. Combine crunchy peanut butter with soy sauce in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. The crunchy texture adds delightful contrast to stir-fried vegetables and proteins, making every bite more interesting and satisfying.
2. Mix in honey and sriracha, stirring until the honey completely dissolves. This combination creates the perfect sweet-heat balance that makes stir-fries absolutely irresistible and restaurant-quality at home.
3. Add sesame oil, rice vinegar, and minced garlic, whisking thoroughly to combine all flavors. The sesame oil provides nutty depth while the vinegar brightens the entire sauce beautifully.
4. Gradually stir in chicken broth until the sauce reaches the ideal consistency for coating stir-fry ingredients. The sauce should be thick enough to cling but thin enough to distribute evenly during cooking.
5. Use immediately in your stir-fry, adding it during the last minute of cooking to prevent the peanut butter from breaking down and to maintain the sauce’s perfect texture and flavor integrity.
08. Thai Curry-Peanut Sauce Supreme
Complex layers of flavor make this curry-enhanced peanut sauce extraordinary. After cooking down, the ingredients harmonize perfectly, creating depth that builds with every single delicious taste.
Ingredients: ½ cup smooth peanut butter, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, ¾ cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced, 2 cloves garlic minced.
How To Make Thai Curry-Peanut Sauce Supreme
1. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add red curry paste, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. This blooming process releases the curry paste’s essential oils and intensifies its complex flavor profile significantly.
2. Whisk in coconut milk gradually, ensuring the curry paste dissolves completely without lumps. The mixture should become smooth and aromatic, with the curry paste fully incorporated throughout the creamy coconut base.
3. Add peanut butter and whisk continuously until melted and smooth, creating a rich, velvety base. Keep the heat low to prevent the peanut butter from seizing or becoming grainy during this crucial step.
4. Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, minced ginger, and garlic. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly and all flavors meld together beautifully.
5. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, developing an even richer texture and more concentrated flavor that’s absolutely divine.
09. Versatile Thai Peanut Dressing
This multipurpose peanut sauce works beautifully as salad dressing, dipping sauce, or stir-fry ingredient. Top with fresh mint leaves and chopped peanuts for an extra special presentation touch.
Ingredients: ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic minced, 4-5 tablespoons warm water.
How To Make Versatile Thai Peanut Dressing
1. Whisk peanut butter with lime juice until smooth and creamy. The citrus acid helps break down the peanut butter, making it easier to achieve that perfect, lump-free consistency that’s essential for a great dressing.
2. Add soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar, mixing thoroughly until the honey dissolves completely. These ingredients create the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and tangy flavors that make this dressing so incredibly versatile.
3. Stir in sesame oil and minced garlic, ensuring even distribution throughout the mixture. The sesame oil adds nutty depth while fresh garlic provides aromatic punch that elevates the entire flavor profile beautifully.
4. Gradually whisk in warm water until you reach the desired consistency. For salad dressing, aim for a thinner consistency that coats leaves lightly, while dipping sauce should be slightly thicker and more substantial.
10. Honey-Sweetened Thai Peanut Sauce
Generous honey creates irresistible sweetness in this delightful peanut sauce variation. Garlic and soy sauce provide essential savory balance, resulting in perfect flavor harmony throughout.
Ingredients: ½ cup smooth peanut butter, ¼ cup honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 cloves garlic minced, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 3-4 tablespoons warm water.
How To Make Honey-Sweetened Thai Peanut Sauce
1. Combine peanut butter and honey in a mixing bowl, whisking until completely smooth and well blended. The honey’s natural consistency helps create an incredibly silky texture that coats ingredients beautifully when serving.
2. Add soy sauce and rice vinegar, stirring vigorously until the mixture becomes glossy and uniform. The soy sauce provides essential saltiness that balances the honey’s sweetness while the vinegar adds bright acidity.
3. Whisk in sesame oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes, ensuring even distribution of all aromatics. The garlic provides savory depth while the pepper flakes add just enough heat to complement the sweet honey base.
4. Gradually add warm water until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. This sauce works wonderfully thick for dipping or thinned out for drizzling over grilled meats and fresh vegetables.
5. Let the sauce rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow all flavors to meld together. The resting time helps the garlic mellow slightly while intensifying the overall flavor complexity throughout the sauce.
Final Thoughts
These Thai peanut sauce recipes offer endless possibilities for transforming your everyday meals into extraordinary culinary experiences. Each variation brings its own unique character and flavor profile to your kitchen repertoire.
Whether you prefer simple five-ingredient versions or complex curry-enhanced creations, these versatile sauces will quickly become your go-to solutions for adding authentic Thai flavors to any dish.