This easy Thai Peanut Sauce is creamy, savory, sweet, and full of flavor! Perfect for spring rolls, noodles, salads, bowls, and dipping.
This Thai Peanut Sauce is one of those sauces you’ll want to drizzle on everything! Creamy, savory, a little sweet, and packed with flavor, it takes just minutes to make and instantly transforms even the simplest meal.
Use it as a dipping sauce for Spring Rolls, toss it with noodles for our Thai Noodle Salad, or drizzle it over Buddha bowls, roasted vegetables, tofu, or chicken. It's an easy little sauce to have in your back pocket.
And there's a secret ingredient that gives it an extra layer of flavor and keeps you coming back for another spoonful. More on that below!
This is my go-to peanut sauce. Made it over a dozen times and never fails to impress! With Thai noodle salad, salad rolls, dip for crispy tofu… the list goes on. Highly recommended!
Why You'll Love this Peanut Sauce!
- Perfectly balanced. Creamy, savory, tangy, and slightly sweet, without being heavy or cloying.
- The secret is fresh orange juice. It adds a bright, fresh sweetness that brings the whole sauce to life and keeps you coming back for more.
- Ready in 5 minutes. Just whisk everything together-no cooking required.
- Light and drizzleable. It's creamy without being overly thick, so it beautifully coats noodles, salads, vegetables, and bowls-and makes a fantastic dipping sauce.
Thai Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- Peanut butter - Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter; creamy or crunchy both work. Substitute almond butter for a peanut-free version.
- Fresh orange juice - The secret ingredient! It lightens the sauce and adds a fresh, subtle sweetness that makes this peanut sauce especially craveable.
- Garlic & ginger - Fresh is best here, adding aromatic warmth and depth.
- Fresh lime juice - Adds bright acidity and balances the richness of the peanut butter.
- Soy sauce - Brings salty, savory umami flavor; use tamari or liquid aminos for gluten-free.
- Toasted sesame oil - Adds nutty, toasty depth and richness.
- Maple syrup or honey - Adds just enough sweetness to balance the salty, tangy flavors; use maple syrup to keep it vegan.
- Cayenne or sriracha - Adds a touch of heat; adjust to your taste.
How to make Peanut Sauce
Peanut Sauce is speedy and easy to make. Simply add the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth! Adjust salt and heat levels to your liking!
Storing Thai Peanut Sauce
Peanut Sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, in a sealed glass jar. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months!
Chef's Tips
- Adjust the consistency. Natural peanut butter varies quite a bit in thickness. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a little water or orange juice until perfectly drizzleable.
- Balance to taste. Peanut sauce is all about balance! Add more lime for tang, soy sauce for saltiness, maple syrup for sweetness, or sriracha for heat.
- Use fresh citrus. Fresh orange and lime juice really make this sauce sing-especially the orange juice, which is the secret to this recipe.
How to Use Thai Peanut Sauce
Use this Thai Peanut Sauce as a dipping sauce for Spring Rolls, toss it with noodles for our Thai Noodle Salad, or drizzle it over Buddha bowls, grain bowls, tofu, chicken, and roasted or raw vegetables.
It's also delicious thinned with a splash of water or lime juice and used as a creamy peanut dressing for salads and slaws. We also have this Thai Peanut Dressing.
Please rate this recipe and share your feedback in the comments below. ❤️ Have a fabulous week.-xo Sylvia
More Sauces You’ll Love!
- For a thicker style, Satay Sauce, I really like Suwanee‘s 5-minute Satay Sauce.
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Thai Peanut Dressing
- Sesame Ginger Dressing
- The Best Miso Dressing
- Flavorful Ponzu Sauce
- Green Tahini Sauce
Description
Creamy Thai Peanut Sauce with the perfect balance of savory, sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Whip it up in minutes and use it for dipping spring rolls, dressing noodles and salads, or drizzling over bowls, vegetables, tofu, and more. Vegan and gluten-free adaptable.
Ingredients
- 6 thin slices of ginger- cut across the grain, about the size of a quarter. (No need to peel)
- 2 fat cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (roughly 1 large orange)
- 1/3 cup lime juice ( 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or Gluten-free Braggs Liquid Amino Acids (Note: Tamari will turn this unpleasantly dark)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, ( or honey, palm sugar or agave,)more to taste
- 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil (6 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter (chunky or smooth, or sub almond butter!)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- optional: 1 -2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or a squirt of sriracha sauce)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender – ginger, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce, maple, sesame oil, and peanut butter and salt, and blend until smooth. Taste. Adjust sweetness, salt and cayenne to your liking.
- Note: Unripe limes can make this too tart. Adjust by adding more sweetness. Find your perfect balance.
- Use this on salads, or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls and satays.
Notes
- The Orange Juice makes this… and is a MUST!
- Peanut sauce will last up to 5 days in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Peanut Sauce can be frozen, just whisk well after thawing.
- For added depth or “umami”, feel free to add a tiny splash of fish sauce. Not necessary though!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 695.1 mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.2 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Absolutely delicious – thank you for this recipe! I’ve made this sauce a couple of times already. Great as a dip for summer rolls, too!
Instead of peanut butter, I usually just put a few peanuts in a blender and mix them with the rest of the ingredients.
Thanks Tanja!
So good !!! Do you have any suggestions to make it less liquid? I’d like to use it as a dip and would like a more dense consistency…Thanks!
Add more peanut butter?
Every body loved it!!! Especially the children!
No ginger or sesame oil…yet it was so good I drank the sauce instead!
I used sugar free peanut butter and 100% all natural OJ.
healthy too .. I couldn’t take credit for this so its all you and your recipe….thanks!!
-Anand frm Malaysia
Made this for lunch today…awesome, didn’t have an orange, but had a bunch of mandarins for the peanut sauce…worked really well:)
Awesome! Thank you. I love this tangy peanut sensation. I tasted it and all of my taste buds lit up. Beautifully balanced. I can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Thanks so much!
It’s the first peanut sauce my wife ever liked and I loved it. I was eating it by the tablespoon! Really the best ever. Thank you!
Thanks- so happy she enjoyed this!
So easy to make and delicious! Can’t wait to serve to my guests tonight with spring rolls.
This sauce is sooooooo good!!!! It is addictive!
Sauce came out amazing and can be used for so many things. I used it for dipping spring rolls and Thai noodles. I added extra peanut butter which made the sauce a little thicker and richer.
True to its name, this Thai peanut sauce is truly the best! OMG – so good!
Gald you like it!
Yum! Really want to try this!!
Are you using peanut butter that has salt and sugar added for this recipe? (the brand you linked does) I only buy natural PB so wondering if I should adjust and add more salt and sugar when i make this with natural PB. Thanks!
I use salted crunchy peanut butter most of the time. No sugar. I will update that link- thanks for letting me know!
wow! this really is amazing. the orange juice adds just the right sparkle of flavor. And this is coming from a 14 year old chef! It was easy enough to make and was a HUGE hit! Thank you so much!
Awww… love it!
OMG GOOD!
This is absolutely the best ever Thai peanut sauce, and you are right – the flavor of the orange makes it really shine! I followed your recipe exactly, and there is nothing at all that I would want to change.
I just made this to go with our “no-meat” balls – but really, it would be great on noodles, incredible on rice, or even yummy drizzled on kale 🙂
Thanks so much for such an excellent recipe! I look forward to making this often.
Simply amazing! I’ve tried other peanut sauce recipes and have been beyond disappointed. This one was a winner and perfected my wraps. Totally recommend. I’ll be adding this to my go to recipes! Thank you!
The recipe indeed is the best ever Thai peanut sauce preparation if you add the recommended tiny splash of fish sauce for an exquisite load of “umami”.
Glad you liked!
Yep. No bullshit here, hands-down the best peanut sauce I’ve ever made. EPIC!
Looks soo good! Can I replace the peanut butter for roasted peanuts and blend them first?
You can try? I’ve never done that… but give it a whirl. You may need add more liquid, even just a tablespoon or two of water.
This recipe is so easy and tasty!! It’s perfect for dipping in EVERYTHING!! Thank you so sharing!!
Honestly one of the best peanuts sauces there is!
So glad you enjoyed it!
It really is the best ever. Also not hard as you just throw everything into the blender. Yum.
best peanut sauce ever. my new go to!!
Haven’t tried it yet but sounds good. Wow,that’s a lot of cayenne pepper. My husband is not a fan of really hot stuff(except for me?). Can I cut back on it?
Of course, you can! and I will say, you can barely taste it! But cut back, and add more to taste!
I always say to people “your hot stuff is so different to my hot stuff”. I’m very sensitive to spicy but the Cayenne Pepper is not at all hot in this recipe. Sylvia is right, you cannot taste it..
Sylvia – Thank you for this recipe! I have been in search for some just really tasty food and this was the first recipe I have tried along side the spring rolls from your website – I’m just addicted now! Thank you!
i have made this and yes it is the best ever!
Thanks Tati! I’m so Glad you liked the Peanut Sauce recipe !!!
Literally the best peanut sauce I have ever tasted!