Simple Peanut Satay Sauce
Updated: 2 days ago
By Chef Jon Ashton | Published February 9, 2025
Why you'll love it: ready in 10 minutes · perfectly balanced · endlessly useful · make-ahead friendly.
Nutty, tangy, a little sweet and gently spicy: a peanut sauce you can blend in minutes and use all week.
Tested in my kitchen · As seen on TODAY and The Tonight Show · Parade magazine's chef for 10 years · About Chef Jon →
Simple Peanut Satay Sauce
Makes about 1 cup (serves 4)
Total: 10 minutes
Level: Easy
Equipment: Sauce Pan, Blender, Glass Measuring Cup. Also useful: Food Processor.
Ingredients
½ cup low-sodium peanut butter (or almond or cashew butter)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha, or to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce, to taste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons neutral oil
Instructions
Blend: Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. You'll know it's right when the sauce is completely smooth, with no flecks of garlic or ginger left.
Taste and Adjust: Adjust to your taste: more honey for sweetness, soy sauce for saltiness, or sriracha for heat. Loosen with a splash of warm water if you’d like a thinner sauce. You'll know it's right when it tastes balanced, nutty, sweet, salty and tangy with a gentle warmth, and no one flavor shouts over the others. If it tastes flat, it usually needs more lime. If it's too salty, add a little more honey and lime rather than more peanut butter.
Store: Transfer to a jar and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Stir before serving, as it may separate.
How to Store
Fridge: keep in an airtight jar for up to 5 days.
Re-mix: stir well or add a splash of warm water if it thickens in the fridge.
Key Ingredients
Peanut Butter: Low-sodium peanut butter brings the nutty richness at the heart of the sauce; almond or cashew butter work too.
Fresh Garlic and Ginger: Blended until silky smooth, they give the sauce its backbone and a lovely fresh warmth.
Honey: Honey adds sweetness to balance the salty soy and sharp lime.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime brings brightness, and without it the sauce tastes flat.
Soy Sauce: Soy adds salt and savouriness; start with less and add more to taste.
Rice Vinegar: A splash of rice vinegar adds a gentle tang alongside the lime.
Toasted Sesame Oil: Just a tablespoon gives the sauce a rich, toasty finish.
Sriracha: A teaspoon adds gentle heat, and you can add more if you like it hotter.
Why This Sauce Works
A good satay sauce is all about balance. Peanut butter brings richness, honey sweetness, soy sauce salt and savoriness, lime juice and rice vinegar brightness, and sriracha a gentle heat. Fresh garlic and ginger give it backbone, and a little sesame oil adds a toasty finish.
Because everything goes into a blender, the garlic and ginger turn silky smooth, and you can taste and tweak until it’s exactly how you like it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Adding all the soy at once: start with 1 tablespoon and taste
Using sweetened peanut butter without adjusting: cut back on the honey
Skipping the lime: the sauce tastes flat without acid
How to Use Peanut Satay Sauce
Drizzled over salads and grain bowls
As a dip for fresh vegetables or spring rolls
With grilled chicken, beef or tofu skewers
Tossed with noodles and crunchy vegetables
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make it without peanuts?
Yes. Almond or cashew butter both work well.
Is peanut satay sauce gluten-free?
Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make it gluten-free.
Can I make it without a blender?
Yes. Finely grate the garlic and ginger and whisk everything together in a bowl.
How spicy is it?
Mild. 1 teaspoon of sriracha adds gentle warmth; add more if you like it hotter.
You Might Also Like
Try my Spiced Fried Chicken Sandwiches, Beef Rendang, and Mushroom Mapo Tofu.
Made it? I'd love to see it
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Tips for Success
Taste as You Go
Peanut butters vary in sweetness and salt, so adjust the honey and soy at the end.
Thin It for Dressing
Whisk in warm water a tablespoon at a time for a pourable salad dressing.
Warm It for Satay
Gently warm in a small pan for serving with grilled skewers.
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