Easy Peanut Sauce (Vegan!)

A luscious Thai-style vegan Peanut Sauce recipe with fresh garlic, ginger, and tangy sweetness! It's so easy to prepare with just 6 simple ingredients. Plus incredibly versatile in the ways you can enjoy it! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

I cannot contain my excitement for this peanut sauce! It's so creamy, luscious, and one of my all-time favorite recipes.

The flavor is amazing with fresh garlic, ginger, and tangy sweetness... all swirled into a rich, peanut butter base.

The best part is it's so easy to make! You need only 6 simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes of your time.

Plus it's so versatile in ways you can enjoy it. Try it as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, on protein, stir-fries, or whatever else sounds good. Let's get to it!

Ingredients for Vegan Peanut Sauce

For this recipe you'll whisk together in a medium bowl:

• Peanut butter: I use creamy, natural, and organic when possible. (If peanuts are an issue with your diet, I'm guessing you could substitute with a different nut butter or seed butter, but I haven't tested this.)
• Pure maple syrup: Or you can substitute your own favorite sweetener such as brown sugar or agave nectar.
• Tamari: This adds some umami saltiness to the sauce. You could also substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos. But I use tamari for gluten-free.
• Fresh lemon juice: You'll need two tablespoons lemon juice, which is about a half lemon. Lime juice works great too.
• Garlic cloves: Either use one or two fresh minced garlic cloves depending on your preference. If you don't have fresh, you could try substituting garlic powder instead.
• Fresh ginger: Use as much or as little as you prefer. I often add a bit extra because I love the flavor.
• Hot water: This helps thin the sauce to your desired consistency.

Customizing

Make it spicy: Add some heat with red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili sauce, or sriracha sauce to taste.

Make it crunchy: For extra texture, use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth. Or simply whisk in crushed peanuts to the mixture.

Other flavors: Use rice vinegar instead of lemon juice for acidity, or use coconut milk in place of water to thin.

Garnish: If serving this peanut sauce as a dip, feel free to garnish your bowl with crushed peanuts, thinly sliced green onions, or sesame seeds if desired.

Ways to Enjoy

Dipping sauce: With fresh veggie spring rolls, Crispy Baked Tofu, sliced cucumbers, carrots, or whatever else sounds good to dip!

Lettuce wraps: Drizzle it on these Cashew Tofu Lettuce Wraps or your own favorite.

Noodle dishes: Toss it on your favorite noodles like these Spring Roll Bowls or Easy Peanut Noodles.

Dressing & condiment: Thin it out with a little more water to create a flavorful salad dressing or condiment. I enjoy it on this Asian Kale & Tofu Salad or Asian-Style Chopped Salad. Or you can simply use it on your favorite lettuce & veggie salad blend.

Grain salads: Toss it with your Buddha bowls, rice bowls (I love this Tofu Rice Bowl), or Thai-Style Quinoa Salad.

On protein: Coat this flavorful Thai-style peanut sauce on your protein of choice like tempeh, vegan chicken, or Easy Baked Tofu.

Stir-fry: Enjoy it as a rich sauce with your stir-fry vegetables.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container or sealed mason jar in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 4-5 days.

For more inspiration, also browse all sauce & seasoning recipes or ginger recipes.

Easy Peanut Sauce (Vegan!)

Creamy and luscious! This Thai-style peanut sauce is made with fresh garlic, ginger, and tangy sweetness. Great for dipping, drizzling, and more.

4.88 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Dip, Sauce

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Thai-Inspired, Vegan

Servings: 4 (1/3 cup servings)

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use creamy, natural)
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. tamari
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or lime)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. ginger, freshly grated
• 1/3 cup hot water (more/less)

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Instructions

• Mince garlic and grate ginger. (I use a microplane grater for ginger.)
• Add all ingredients, except water, to a medium mixing bowl.
• Heat 1/3 cup water to just under boiling.
• Add water a couple tablespoons at a time to peanut mixture, whisking well. Continue adding water and whisking until sauce reaches your desired consistency. Use more water if needed.
• Taste and adjust flavors if desired.

Notes

Yield: Recipe makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or cayenne pepper to taste.

For salad dressing: Add more water to thin it out to desired consistency.

Recipe originally published April 2018. Updated May 2023. Inspired by The Spruce.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts

Easy Peanut Sauce (Vegan!)

Amount per Serving

Calories

227

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

17

g

26

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

4

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

8

g

Potassium

 

234

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

15

g

5

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

8

g

16

%

Vitamin A

 

2

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

4

mg

5

%

Calcium

 

31

mg

3

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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