With creamy, salty peanut butter being the star of the show, this simple to prepare Vegan Peanut Satay Sauce is the perfect sauce to serve with vegan satay, spring rolls, rice or noodles!
We love anything involving peanut butter in my house.
As expats who are currently living in Malaysia, we especially adore vegan peanut sauce or satay sauce!
I'm pretty sure one of my favorite meals is fresh spring rolls dipped in this satay sauce.
Wait, maybe my favorite meal is a big bowl of rice or noodles coated in peanut satay sauce?!
Basically, anything involving peanut satay sauce is my favorite!
Today I'm sharing a super simple peanut sauce recipe that is a great staple sauce to have on hand!
Let me show you how to make it!
What is Satay Sauce?
Satay is a meat dish where cubes of meat are marinated and then grilled, roasted or broiled over an open fire.
Satay sauce is a sauce that is served with the satay skewers once they are cooked.
Traditionally, satay sauce is made with a variety of spices, brown sugar, soy sauce and oil.
Sometimes satay is served with a few different sauces, including peanut sauce!
Is Satay Sauce the Same as Peanut Sauce?
Peanut sauce originated in Indonesia, although it is often associated with Thai cuisine.
Americans often call this sauce "peanut sauce", even though in Indonesia it is often referred to as "Satay Sauce" or "bumbu kacang." The reason it is often called satay sauce is because it is usually served with satay, or meat skewers.
What is in Peanut Satay Sauce?
There are a variety of ways to prepare peanut sauce.
Traditional satay sauces consist of ground peanuts, lemon grass stalks, galangal and other ingredients which are harder to find in America.
The recipe I'm sharing today isn't traditional, but it is super easy and delicious!
I've simplified a traditional satay sauce recipe to make it easy for most people to prepare in under 10 minutes!
To make this satay sauce, you'll need the following 7 ingredients:
- Natural peanut butter
- Dark soy sauce (or regular or reduced sodium soy sauce)
- Rice vinegar (or lime juice)
- Maple syrup (agave or honey work as well!)
- Garlic (or garlic powder in a pinch)
- Fresh ginger (or ground ginger in a pinch)
- Water to thin
As you can see, this recipe is fairly basic and adaptable incase you don't have all of the ingredients on hand.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Satay Sauce
To make this vegan peanut sauce recipe, simply follow the instructions below:
- Place all of the ingredients into a bowl (except for the water) and whisk until a thick paste forms.
- Add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time, whisking after each addition, until you get the consistency you desire.
- Use the sauce as a dipping sauce or drizzle it over your favorite noodle and rice bowls!
Is Peanut Satay Sauce Vegan?
Yes! In general, peanut satay sauce is vegan.
Today's recipe is fully vegan, unless you use honey instead of the maple syrup.
Traditional peanut satay sauce is also generally vegan as it contains the following ingredients:
- Peanuts
- Lemongrass stalks
- Galangal
- Garlic
- Chili peppers
- Shallots
- Oil
- Water
- Salt
- Palm sugar
- Tamarind Paste
Yay for delicious, vegan sauces!
Is Satay Sauce Healthy?
Everyone has a different opinion on what consists of healthy.
I personally think that peanut satay sauce can be a part of a healthy diet.
Peanuts contain protein and a good source of plant-based fats.
Yes, there is a some salt and sugar in satay sauce, but everything in moderation, right?
What to Eat with Peanut Sauce?
I think the questions should be, what NOT to eat with peanut sauce?!
Our family is obsessed with all things peanut butter, so we think this peanut satay sauce goes with pretty much everything.
Okay, maybe not chocolate pudding, but you get what I mean.
There are so many ways to enjoy vegan peanut satay sauce. I'll list out some ideas below:
- As a dipping sauce for vegan satay (tofu, tempeh, soy meat skewers)
- As a dipping sauce for spring rolls
- Drizzled over Asian inspired buddha bowls
- As a sauce for rice noodles
- Drizzled over roasted vegetables
- As a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables
- As a condiment for sandwiches or burgers
📖 Recipe
Vegan Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce* or Tamari if gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup agave or honey, if not vegan
- 2 small cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- Water to thin
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients, except for the water, until a thick paste forms.
- Next whisk in water a tablespoon or two at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Use this peanut sauce as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or vegan satay skewers or drizzle it over rice and noodles for a delicious, flavorful meal!
Belinda Boisson says
Hi Faith!
Can this sauce be cooked? I find e
raw garlic to be strong and have a bit of a bite.
Ty!
Faith VanderMolen says
You can also use garlic powder instead of raw garlic...or cook the garlic separately and stir it in. I've never tried cooking the sauce, but you could try. I just might get super thick so I would stir it constantly and add a little water.