Sauces are the secret to perfect happy hour appetizer spreads, dinner parties and grain bowls at the office. They bring brightness, umami, freshness and spice. And this Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe is the perfect addition to your sauce lineup!
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce (or dressing...or drizzle, depending on your mood) creates restaurant-quality flavors perfect for impressing your friends and yourself any day of the week.
It takes all of 5 minutes to bring together, and has a good long shelf life in the refrigerator.
What you'll need to make this sauce:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Peanut butter: unsweetened peanut butter is the clear winner here. If all you have is sweetened PB, omit the sugar until you taste the finished sauce recipe.
Coconut milk: full fat is preferred, but use low-fat if you must. For a non-coconut option, choose heavy cream.
Brown sugar: substitute raw sugar or honey, if needed.
Red chili: the recipe calls for a small amount of peppers which add a muted kick of spice to the sauce recipe. For a completely mild sauce, exclude the diced peppers.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
1. Combine and blend ingredients
Like so many of our sauce recipes, this Vietnamese peanut sauce is a one-step affair. Mix it all up, either in a food processor or by hand in a bowl. Then taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Serve and enjoy
Cover and let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Then taste and adjust seasoning again. The minced garlic and red peppers will give off more flavor with time, so be slow to add more until the sauce has had time to develop.
Looking for more easy and delicious sauces?
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
Natural peanut butter (unsweetened) is best for this recipe, but if you only have sweetened peanut butter, just omit the added brown sugar in the recipe. I've made this sauce with crunchy peanut butter and with smooth peanut butter and they were both delicious. I usually add a handful of crushed peanuts on the finished sauce, so using crunchy peanut butter isn't a problem!
Peanut sauce is more commonly referred to as satay sauce in Indonesia and Malaysia because it's most often served with the popular dish called satay (skewered, grilled meats).
The variables on peanut sauce are numerous. Are you using sweetened or unsweetened peanut butter? That will affect how much sugar you add. How spicy is your chili? If you or someone you're feeding is sensitive to heat, start by adding half of the diced chili, then add a little bit more, as needed.
The thickness of the sauce is a matter of personal preference and also how you plan to serve it. As a dipping sauce for Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, you'll want a medium thickness - thin enough to get the rice paper rolls into the mixture, but thick enough that it sticks. Add more or less water to reach your desired consistency. If your peanut butter is feeling especially lumpy, adding hot water instead of cold water may help break it up.
I have used heavy cream in place of coconut milk and it created the same creamy sauce, just without the coconut flavor undertones. I also had to add a few tablespoons of extra water to achieve the usual consistency.
If you don't want any added sugar in the spicy peanut sauce, opt for stevia, brown sugar stevia, maple syrup, honey, or any other natural sweetener. You could even omit the sweetener and taste the sauce without it to determine if it suits your palate. Coconut milk introduces a natural sweetness and hoisin also has sweet undertones, so it may be balanced enough for your taste.
This is the perfect sauce for Vietnamese summer rolls, vegan summer rolls, a tray of fresh vegetables (aren't we all tired of ranch dip, anyway?) and as a salad dressing over blackened tuna salad with tons of fresh herbs. I'm also obsessed with it as a sauce for udon noodles, and for crispy tofu over quinoa. When we visited Malaysia, it was my favorite dipping sauce for the gorgeous sizzling sticks of pork and chicken satay you find all over Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Who knew an authentic Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe doubled as a satay sauce a few countries away?
To store, transfer to a jar or other airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
⅓ cup peanut butter
¼ cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chili, finely diced
Instructions
- Like so many of our sauce recipes, this Vietnamese peanut sauce is a one-step affair.
- Mix it all up - in a food processor or by hand in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning again.
Notes
The variables on peanut sauce are numerous. Are you using sweetened or unsweetened peanut butter? That will affect how much sugar you add. How spicy is your chili? If you or someone you're feeding is sensitive to heat, start by adding half of the diced chili, then add a little bit more, as needed.
The thickness of the sauce is a matter of personal preference and also how you plan to serve it. As a dipping sauce for Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, you'll want a medium thickness - thin enough to get the rice paper rolls into the mixture, but thick enough that it sticks. Add more or less water to reach your desired consistency. If your peanut butter is feeling especially lumpy, adding hot water instead of cold may help break it up.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
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