You know that feeling? You have a recipe you’ve made a hundred times, and then a single ingredient changes everything. That’s exactly what happened to me with my peanut sauce. While looking for an update to my popular noodles with peanut sauce, I came across red curry paste. Of course I had to try it immediately. And what can I say? The flavor was absolutely incredible: spicy, aromatic, creamy, with just the right amount of heat. The best peanut sauce I’ve ever made.
My Dutch family calls it satésaus or pindasaus, in the English-speaking world it’s known as satay sauce or peanut sauce, whatever you call it, it’s a true all-rounder: as a dip with summer rolls, with noodles, with rice, with vegetables, or on the buffet table, on bowls, in sandwiches and wraps, or as a dressing over a salad. It goes with almost anything.
The update was so convincing that I didn’t just rewrite my noodle recipe, but also this one: the standalone peanut sauce recipe. Simpler than ever, ready in just three minutes, and with only four ingredients (water not counted). And of course vegan.
It’s a staple on my vegan buffet: at every party it’s always the first dip to get refilled! I always make several jars at once, they always find a happy home.
Making this creamy peanut sauce yourself is actually much easier than you’d think, and far more delicious than anything you can buy ready-made. The sauce originally comes from Indonesian cuisine, where it’s served as a classic satay sauce alongside grilled skewers.
Good to know: stored in a sealed jar, it keeps in the fridge for a week without any problem.
What do you need for the new peanut sauce?
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is the absolute main ingredient in this sauce, it gives it a wonderfully creamy consistency and the typical nutty flavor. The best choice is an unsweetened, natural variety so you can control the sweetness and seasoning yourself. Combined with the other ingredients, it creates a perfectly balanced taste.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce adds the necessary depth and umami to the mix. It provides saltiness and rounds out the overall flavor. Depending on your preference, you can use light or dark soy sauce, or even a gluten-free tamari alternative.
Coconut Sugar
A touch of sweetness makes the peanut sauce truly complete, and this is where coconut sugar comes in. It has a slightly caramel-like aroma that pairs perfectly with the peanut butter and the saltiness of the soy sauce. Of course, you can substitute it with Mascobado or other brown sugar. As the sugar also defines the colour and the texture of the sauce, I wouldn’t replace it with syrup or white sugar.
Red Curry Paste
The game-changer in this recipe! Red curry paste not only adds a pleasant spiciness but also a complex depth of flavors like chili, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, coriander, and Makrut lime leaves. This mix takes the peanut sauce to the next level and makes it extra aromatic. You can adjust the amount to your taste, but once you try it, you won’t want to leave it out! Yellow curry paste is also an option, but i prefer the red curry paste for my peanut sauce.
Important: Always check the ingredients, as some brands contain shrimp paste or similar things.
What else can you add to the peanut sauce?
Lime Juice
Personally, I think this sauce is already perfect, but if you feel it needs a bit more acidity, you can add a teaspoon of fresh lime juice or a splash of rice vinegar.
Ginger
Freshly grated ginger adds a subtle extra kick and a spicy, slightly citrusy note to the sauce. It pairs beautifully with the red curry paste and makes the peanut sauce even more aromatic. Simply grate a piece of fresh ginger finely and add it to the sauce before blending. Fresh ginger is of course also extra nutritious.
Garlic
If you’re a garlic fan, you can add a small clove of garlic to the sauce. It enhances the umami note and gives the sauce more depth.
Coconut milk
Personally, I prefer my peanut sauce without coconut milk, but anyone who wants a particularly creamy, milder peanut sauce with a hint of coconut, the kind you often find in Thailand , can replace the water partially or entirely with coconut milk. I recently took a cooking class in Bangkok at May Kaidee, highly recommended, by the way, and their peanut sauce also contains plenty of coconut milk and even tomatoes. They use whole peanuts that are then ground in a mortar, so the sauce stays a bit chunky. If you feel like using whole peanuts instead or crunchy peanut butter, go for it. But most importantly, they use homemade red curry paste or Tom Yam chili paste! So the cooking class would have introduced me to that ingredient anyway.
More Chili
If you can never get enough heat, go for it!
3-MINUTE PEANUT SAUCE
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 125 g peanut butter
- 125 ml water
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or other brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
Instructions
- First, gather all your ingredients and prepare them in the right amounts. That makes it so much easier and more fun and you're less likely to forget anything 🙂
- Put everything into a blender. You can also use an immersion blender.
- Blend until smooth. That's it!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
What can I do if the sauce turns out too spicy?
You can save it with some oat milk and peanut butter.
Do I need a blender for this sauce?
I highly recommend it. My nutribullet* gets it really creamy in seconds, and an immersion blender will also work well. Stirring it by hand is possible, but it will take a while and maybe not turn out that creamy.
How long does the peanut sauce keep?
Stored in a sealed jar in the fridge, it keeps easily for a week. Before serving, simply give it a quick stir and add a splash of water if needed in case it has thickened up.
Can I freeze the peanut sauce?
Yes, that works well. Simply freeze in an airtight container and thaw in the fridge. Afterwards, stir in a little water if needed.
Is this peanut sauce vegan?
Yes, everything I make is vegan! So it’s also vegetarian, lactose-free, egg-free, and this sauce ist even gluten-free if you make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce. Just check the ingredient list when buying the red curry paste, some products contain shrimp or fish sauce.
What can you serve the peanut sauce with?
It can be enjoyed warm or as a cold dipping sauce and works well with:
or
- French fries
- Sweet potatoes
- Sandwiches
- Salads
- Vegetables
- Tofu
- Spring and summer rolls
- Bowls
- Rice dishes
and especially
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