Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

The BEST spicy peanut dipping sauce for spring rolls and all your dipping, drizzling, and dressing needs. It’s creamy, savory, spicy, garlicky, inexpensive, versatile, and ready in just 5 minutes!

Super Versatile 5-Minute Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce

Inexpensive, super versatile, delicious condiments are a must-have for any low-budget kitchen, especially when they’re as tasty and easy to throw together as avocado basil pesto, creamy vegan garlic sauce, and this spicy peanut dipping sauce!

This easy peanut sauce is ultra-creamy, salty, garlicky, tangy, has a spicy kick, and optionally even a little sweetness—a super-satisfying treat for your taste buds that’s easily adjustable to your taste! It’s also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Plus, it’s made with simple, inexpensive pantry staples and easy to throw together in just 5 minutes, no cooking necessary!

Whether you’re looking for the perfect peanut sauce for spring rolls, over noodles and rice, marinating tofu, buddha bowls, and more—this peanut butter dipping sauce fits the bill and is ready to take your dish to the next level. Plus, the leftovers will store for a couple of weeks in the fridge (3 months in the freezer)!

The Ingredients

All you need is 6 inexpensive, simple pantry ingredients to prepare this flavorful and diet-friendly easy spicy peanut sauce recipe.

• Peanut butter: We’ve found that creamy peanut butter works best for peanut dipping sauce. You can use smooth or chunky peanut butter, but look for options with minimal ingredients and no additives.
• Sesame oil: This adds a lot of flavor to the spicy peanut sauce, but if you don’t have any, use a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Soy sauce: Use regular or reduced sodium. If you’re gluten-free, use coconut aminos or tamari instead.
• Garlic: It’s best to use fresh garlic when possible, but garlic powder will work in a pinch (to taste).
• Lemon juice: We prefer fresh lemon juice (or lime juice), but bottled works, too. Alternatively, a small amount of rice vinegar would work well.
• Hot sauce: We use sriracha, but any chili sauce (or chili paste) works. Adjust the amount based on how spicy you want the peanut butter sauce.
• Water: Use warm water to thin it to your desired consistency. You can use it as a dip, drizzle, sauce, spicy peanut salad dressing, etc.  

What Else Could I Add To Chili Peanut Sauce?

• Sweetener: A small amount of sweetener can help to balance the acidic and spicy flavor in this easy peanut dipping sauce. You can use maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc. Use a sugar alternative if preferred.
• Coconut milk: For a creamier, Thai spicy peanut sauce, use coconut milk to thin the sauce instead of water.
• Ginger: This will add aromatic heat to the peanut dipping sauce.
• Hoisin sauce: It’s tricky to describe the flavor of hoisin, but it’s very salty and slightly sweet, packed with umami flavor, and can be added to this peanut sauce for extra depth. Start with a teaspoon and increase to taste.
• Red pepper flakes: To add more spice.

Adding a combination of coconut milk, ginger, and a small amount of sweetener (we recommend coconut sugar) will transform this into a Thai spicy peanut sauce. Boost it even further with a small amount of vegan Thai red curry paste.

How to Make Spicy Peanut Sauce?

Preparing this spicy peanut dipping sauce takes just two steps.

• 1) Combine all the ingredients (except the water) in a standard-sized bowl and mix well with a fork or spoon. If you want it thinner, add water, one spoonful at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

• 2) Give the spicy peanut sauce a taste and adjust any of the ingredients to your liking – enjoy!

Alternatively, you can throw everything in a mini food processor and have it ready in 30 seconds.

FAQs

Recipe Notes

• If the peanut butter is thick: Warming it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds can make it easier to mix.
• Add the water incrementally: Add just one tablespoon at a time, mixing it well until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Start with less soy sauce: As this is the peanut dipping sauce’s main ‘salty’ element, we recommend adding it just a little at a time to your desired flavor to avoid it being overly salty.
• Adjust the spiciness: You can omit it entirely or increase the amount to taste.
• Tweak the ingredients to taste: Like the spicy element, every ingredient in this spicy peanut sauce recipe is adjustable to your taste buds.

Storage Instructions

Store any leftover peanut butter sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. It may separate as it sits, so stir it between each use. Also, give it a taste and freshen it up with a little more lemon juice/garlic/hot sauce if needed.

You can also freeze the sauce for 2-3 months, then allow it to thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before using it.

Microwave it for 10-20 seconds to make it smooth and creamy again if needed.

Serving Suggestions

This spicy peanut sauce is very versatile. Here are just a few ways to enjoy this creamy condiment.

• As a dip for fresh spring rolls/ summer rolls
• Dipping sauce for dumplings and potstickers
• Drizzle into lettuce wraps
• Use it as spicy peanut dressing for rice, noodles, and buddha bowls
• Stir it into a veggie noodle stir fry and other stir-fried dishes
• Toss it into grains or a grain salad (like a quinoa salad etc.)
• Drizzled over or to dip grilled or roasted vegetables — like crispy cauliflower.
• Stir it into peanut coleslaw
• As a marinade or sauce for tofu, like this Spinach and Tofu dish or tofu skewers/ meat alternative skewers (like vegan chicken satay)
• Serve with crudites (fresh, crunchy veggies) as a dipping sauce

What is your favorite way to enjoy this peanut butter sauce? Let us know in the comments below.

More Sauce Recipes You’ll Love:

• Easy Avocado Spread
• Basil Salad Dressing (with peanuts)
• Lemon Dressing
• Slaw Dressing- with a Kick!
• Cilantro and Green Chili Dressing
• Japanese Carrot-Ginger Salad Dressing

Photos by Alfonso Revilla