Healthy Peanut Sauce Recipe

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This healthy peanut sauce recipe is so easy to make! It’s a savory sauce that is creamy flavorful and perfect for dipping, stir fry sauces and so much more!

peanut sauce on a plate with limes and peppers

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This flavorful sauce is becoming our new favorite sauce for quick stir-fries. The peanut butter flavor adds a nice touch! I like to mix a little bit with homemade stir-fry sauce for a tasty twist.

What you will love about this recipe

It’s a flavorful and versatile sauce!
It’s an easy recipe to make, with simple ingredients.
It’s healthy and made with natural ingredients.

Here is what you will need

This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to see a printable recipe card with exact measurements and complete cooking instructions.

Ingredient List

Natural peanut butter
Low sodium tamari or soy sauce
Honey
Fresh Ginger root
Fresh Garlic
Lime juice
Red pepper flakes
Water

Equipment

Hand-held citrus juicer
Small mixing bowl
Microplane grater (to grate ginger and garlic)

How to make peanut sauce

Prepare the ingredients: grate the ginger and garlic. Squeeze the lime juice, and measure the remaining ingredients.

peanut sauce ingredients in a bowl not mixed yet

Step 1.

Place all of the ingredients into a small mixing bowl.

Step 2.

Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon or a whisk until creamy. Adjust the consistency with water.

Note: You can also use a food processor or blender to make the sauce. Add the ingredients to the food processor and blend together.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The complete list of ingredients to make this recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients, along with ideas for substitutes.

Peanut Butter – Look for natural peanut butter without added sugar. This type of peanut butter is thinner than traditional creamy peanut butter.

Give the peanut butter a quick stir to combine the oil with the peanut butter before using it to make the sauce.

Tamari sauce can be substituted with coconut aminos for soy-free alternative.

Honey can be swapped with an equal amount of maple syrup for vegan peanut sauce.

overhead view of peanut sauce in a white plate with red and green peppers

How to use peanut sauce

This healthy peanut sauce recipe has so many uses! Try it in stir fry, rice bowls, veggie bowls, salad dressing, lettuce wraps, coleslaw, or marinades.

It also makes a fantastic dipping sauce for raw or roasted veggies, spring rolls, or grilled meat.

Peanut sauce variations

Extra spicy peanut sauce – Red pepper flakes add a little heat. If you like extra spicy, add sriracha sauce or chili garlic sauce to taste.
Mild peanut sauce – leave out the red pepper flakes.
Change up the nut butter – replace peanut butter with cashew butter, sunflower butter or almond butter.
Sesame – a few teaspoons to a tablespoon (to taste) of sesame oil.
Zesty peanut sauce – add a teaspoon or two of rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar to the sauce.
Change up the citrus – change the flavor by replacing the lime juice with fresh lemon juice or orange juice.

peanut sauce on a plate with peppers and limes

How to store peanut sauce

Peanut sauce will last in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. I like to store it in a small mason jar, but any airtight container will work.

Freeze peanut sauce for up to three months. Defrost it in the refrigerator

Tips

If your sauce is too thick, gradually add water or coconut milk to a consistency that you like.
If the sauce is too thin, gradually add more peanut butter.
For best results for a smooth sauce, a microplane works excellent to shred the garlic and ginger. If you don’t have a microplane, chop the garlic and ginger as small as you possibly can.

Can you use chunky-style peanut butter to make peanut sauce?

Yes, you can. The pieces of peanuts add a nice texture to the peanut sauce, especially when you plan to use the sauce on a salad or coleslaw.