• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Garden Grazer
  • Recipes
  • Matcha
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Gluten-Free
  • Oil-Free
  • Newsletter
  • Matcha
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Gluten-Free
    • Oil-Free
    • Newsletter
    • Matcha
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauce + Seasoning

    Easy Peanut Sauce

    Apr 17, 2018 by Kaitlin

    Our favorite Thai-style easy peanut sauce recipe with garlic, ginger, and a little sweetness! Only 6 simple ingredients, 10 minutes to make, and super versatile. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Small glass jar filled with creamy Thai Peanut Sauce

    I cannot contain my excitement for this Thai-style peanut sauce recipe. It is one of my favorites and has such delicious flavor.

    It combines garlic, ginger, and tangy sweetness. All swirled into a luscious peanut butter base.

    Plus it is easy to make with only 6 ingredients and (less than) 10 minutes prep time.

    Ingredients in separate bowls for Thai Peanut Sauce

    Ingredients for Thai Peanut Sauce

    For this recipe you will whisk together in a bowl:

    • Peanut butter: I use creamy and natural. (If peanuts are an issue, I suspect you could substitute it with a different nut butter or seed butter, but I have not tested this.)
    • Brown sugar or maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option.
    • Tamari: Or soy sauce or coconut aminos. I use tamari for gluten-free.
    • Fresh lemon juice or lime juice
    • Garlic cloves
    • Fresh ginger
    • Hot water: To thin to desired consistency.

    You can also make it spicy with red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce to taste.

    Peanut dressing being poured on ingredients for Thai Quinoa Salad

    Ways to Use

    This recipe is very flexible. There are so many ways to make it and enjoy it:

    • Thai-Style Quinoa Salad (pictured above)
    • On noodle dishes like Easy Peanut Noodles (pictured below)
    • Spring Roll Bowls
    • As a dipping sauce for fresh veggie spring rolls
    • On protein like tempeh or Baked Tofu
    • A rich sauce for stir fry with vegetables
    • Thin it out for a flavorful salad dressing (to use on an Asian-Style Chopped Salad)

    Storing

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. We find they keep for about 4-5 days.

    Creamy Thai-style Noodles with peanut butter sauce

    For more inspiration, also browse all sauce + seasoning recipes.

    Small glass jar filled with creamy Thai Peanut Sauce

    Easy Peanut Sauce

    Our favorite Thai-style peanut sauce with garlic, ginger, and a little sweetness! Only 6 simple ingredients and super versatile.
    4.88 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Thai-Inspired, Vegan
    Servings: 4 (1/3 cup servings)

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use creamy, natural)
    • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar or maple syrup (more/less to taste)
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
    • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
    • 1-2 cloves garlic
    • 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger (more/less to taste)
    • Hot water to thin to desired consistency
    • Optional: red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Mince garlic and grate ginger. (I use a microplane grater for ginger.)
    • In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except water.
    • Heat about 3/4 cup of water to just under boiling.
    • Add water a couple tablespoons at a time, slowly whisking and working the mixture together.
    • Continue adding water and whisking until sauce reaches your desired consistency. (I usually end up adding about 1/2 cup hot water.)
    • Salt to taste if desired or adjust flavors as needed: more tamari for saltiness, more sweetener, garlic, ginger, or fresh lemon/lime juice.

    Notes

    Yield: Recipe makes about 1 1/3 cup sauce.
    For gluten-free: Use tamari.
    Peanut butter: For easier whisking, microwave/warm the peanut butter for a few seconds before adding to bowl.
    For salad dressing: Simply add more water to thin it out to desired consistency.
    Recipe inspired by The Spruce.

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Peanut Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    217
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    16
    g
    25
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    19
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    Potassium
     
    253
    mg
    7
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    13
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    9
    g
    18
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    25
    mg
    3
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or RSS for more updates and inspiration.

    « Easy Peanut Butter Granola (Oil-Free)
    Fresh Thai-Style Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Margie

      April 11, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      I love this sauce so much! My husband and I have Pad Thai every Monday night now. He likes the sauce really thick so we do maybe 1/4 cup of water and it comes out so good. We use brown rice noodles and I love crunchy peanut butter so I use it for extra crunch. Fantastic recipe with plenty of room to add your own touch.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        April 13, 2022 at 7:44 am

        Wonderful to hear, Margie! So glad you're both enjoying it, and great call with the crunchy peanut butter. Pad Thai Monday sounds like a fantastic way to start the week! Thanks for sharing your kind and helpful feedback.

        Reply
    2. Natasha

      July 30, 2019 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      Love it! Make it all the time now

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        September 16, 2019 at 9:35 am

        So great to hear this Natasha! Thrilled you're enjoying - thanks for the kind feedback.

        Reply
    3. Julie

      March 22, 2019 at 6:40 am

      I am not gluten free but have friends and relatives with celiacs disease...you must be very careful to read the labels of tamari and soy sauce as they are not all gluten free.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        March 22, 2019 at 1:34 pm

        Hi Julie - absolutely. Thank you for sharing.

        Reply
    4. BLD in MT

      April 19, 2018 at 6:54 pm

      Mmmmmmmm, peanut sauce!!! I love how easy it is and how satisfying! I haven't tried it as a salad dressing yet though! Sounds perfect.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        April 24, 2018 at 5:15 pm

        Thanks so much! (PS - just checked out your blog, love your photos! Where in Montana are you located?)

        Reply
      • BLD in MT

        April 24, 2018 at 5:18 pm

        Southcentral MT--in Billings!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating:




    Primary Sidebar

    The Garden Grazer - Kaitlin profile photo

    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Contact

    Follow

    Subscribe
    Facebook
    Instagram
    Pinterest

    Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Oil Free Vegan Recipes
    Gluten Free Vegan Recipes

    Copyright © 2022 The Garden Grazer