Peanut Dipping Sauce

This peanut dipping sauce is proof that simple pantry staples can pull off something great. Peanut butter, lime, soy sauce, and a touch of sweetness come together in a sauce that’s balanced, flexible, and ready in five minutes!
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A bowl of peanut dipping sauce with chopped scallions.
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Some sauces play backup, and others earn a permanent spot in your recipe rotation. This one? Total keeper. This peanut dipping sauce is a simple blend of peanut butter, soy sauce, lime, a little sweetness, and a touch of spice. It manages to pull off bold, balanced flavor with just a few pantry staples. No heat or special equipment is needed here—just a quick whisk and you’re done. It’s lush, creamy, and built to elevate everything it touches.

We love serving it with spring rolls, but this sauce can also do so much more! Spoon it over soba noodles, drizzle it onto tofu, or thin it out for a quick salad dressing. However you use it, this sauce delivers flavor, flexibility, and that effortless ease you’ll want to come back to again and again.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Big flavor, tiny effort. A quick whisk is all it takes to create bold, balanced flavor with pantry ingredients you probably already have. Here are more reasons to love it:

  • It’s flexible and forgiving. The recipe is easy to adjust—add more lime for brightness, a splash of water to thin, or extra heat if you like it spicy.
  • Pairs with everything. Dunk spring rolls, drizzle over noodles, or spoon onto crispy tofu. It makes pretty much anything instantly better.
  • Meal prep friendly. It keeps well in the fridge and gets even better after a day. Stir, pour, and you’re ready to go.
  • Totally customizable. Swap peanut butter for almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter if needed. The flavor shifts slightly, but it still works beautifully.

Key Ingredients

This peanut dipping sauce comes together with just a few pantry staples. Each one plays a role in hitting that perfect balance of creamy, salty, tangy, sweet, and spicy. Here’s what you’ll need:

Smooth peanut butter in a ceramic bowl—used as the base for peanut dipping sauce.
  • Peanut butter: Creamy, rich, and savory. This is your base—use smooth peanut butter for the best texture.
  • Soy sauce & rice vinegar: These bring salty, umami depth and a gentle tang. Tamari works great as a gluten-free swap.
  • Lime juice & sugar: Fresh lime brightens things up; a little sugar keeps it balanced. Maple syrup works too.
  • Garlic powder & ground ginger: Dried spices add warmth and complexity with zero prep.
  • Red pepper flakes: For a subtle kick. Add more or skip entirely based on your heat preference. Add a squeeze of sriracha for another layer of heat.
  • Water: Just enough to thin the sauce to your ideal creamy, pourable consistency.

How To Make

This peanut dipping sauce comes together fast—no cooking, no chopping, no blender required. Just a bowl, a whisk, and a few pantry staples. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Step 1: Add everything to a bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar (or maple syrup), garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes.
  • Step 2: Whisk until smooth. Stir vigorously until the mixture is fully combined and creamy. The sauce will look thick at first—just keep whisking until it comes together.
  • Step 3. Adjust the texture. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches your ideal dipping consistency. Some like it thicker for spring rolls, others prefer it pourable for noodles.

That’s it. Sauce = done. Use it right away, or stash it in the fridge—it keeps beautifully and gets even better with time.

Creamy peanut dipping sauce served with fresh rainbow spring rolls.

How to Serve

This sauce may have been born for spring rolls, but it’s not a one-dish wonder. It’s creamy and wildly versatile, so don’t be surprised if you want to start putting it on everything! Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Tossed with soba noodles: Warm or cold, this peanut sauce turns a bowl of soba noodles into something magical. Bonus points for adding scallions and crispy tofu.
  • Drizzled over a cold noodle salad: If you’ve got our cold noodle salad in the fridge, this sauce is what pulls it all together—creamy meets crunchy in the best way.
  • Use it as a satay-style dipping sauce: Try it with homemade seitan skewers or tofu recipes.
  • Twirled into a Thai tofu salad: Our Thai tofu salad is already bright and fresh—this sauce just adds depth. Thin it out slightly for dressing vibes, or leave it thick for dolloping.
  • Serve it with anything you’d dip: Fresh spring rolls, raw veggies, leftover grains, or random fridge finds. This is the default sauce that makes all of it taste better.
Cold noodle salad with tofu, cabbage, and sesame peanut sauce.

FAQs

What is peanut dipping sauce made of?

This savory peanut sauce is usually made with peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and a little sweetener like sugar or maple syrup. Some versions also include vinegar, garlic, ginger, or chili flakes for added depth and heat.

Can I make this dipping sauce without soy sauce?

Yes! You can swap soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos for a soy-free or gluten-free option. The flavor will still be salty and umami-rich.

How long does homemade peanut dipping sauce last?

This creamy dipping sauce will keep for about 4–5 days in the fridge. Store it in a sealed container, and if it thickens, just stir in a splash of water to loosen it back up.

Peanut sauce dressing in a small bowl with a spoon—perfect for salads or grain bowls.

If you make this peanut dipping sauce recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments! 

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Peanut Dipping Sauce

5 from 7 votes
This easy peanut dipping sauce is creamy, savory, a little sweet, and just spicy enough. It’s perfect for fresh spring rolls, noodles, tofu, and anything else that needs a flavor upgrade. No blender, no cooking—just a quick whisk and you’re good to go!
A bowl of peanut dipping sauce with chopped scallions.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • ½ cup peanut butter 
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 5 tablespoons water, use more or less to get the perfect desired consistency

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes and whisk until well combined.
  • Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the perfect creamy, dippable peanut sauce consistency is achieved. 
  • Serve with our rainbow spring rolls or drizzled over tofu or rice and veggies or with cooked rice noodles!

Video

Notes

  • Storage: Store leftover dipping sauce in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It may thicken slightly as it chills.
  • Freezing: You can freeze it, but it may separate when thawed. If you do freeze, whisk well after defrosting and add a splash of warm water to bring it back to life.
  • Heating (optional): No need to heat it unless you’d prefer it that way. Gently warm in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
  • Meal Prep Tip: Double the recipe and keep extra on hand to use throughout the week—drizzle it over bowls, salads, or roasted veggies.
  • Peanut Butter Swaps: You can swap the peanut butter for almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter—each one brings a slightly different flavor, but still gives you that creamy, balanced result.
  • Adjusting Consistency: Thin it out with water for drizzling, or keep it thick for dipping spring rolls and tofu skewers.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Course — Appetizer, Sauce
Cuisine — Thai
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Leave a Comment

5 from 7 votes

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Recipe Rating




7 comments
  1. Andrea White says:

    5 stars
    You can never have too many go-to sauces!! This one is such a tasty one!

  2. 5 stars
    Peanut sauce is always a staple sauce to make, this recipe looks great!

  3. Beatriz Buono-Core says:

    5 stars
    This peanut sauce makes EVERYTHING taste amazing! I’ll be making these very soon!

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve tried so many peanut dipping sauce recipes, but this one is truly the best. Just the right amount of savory, sweet and salty. I love adding this to any stir fry or dipping my veggies in it for a super snack. Highly recommended.

  5. 5 stars
    This sauce is so good on cold pasta, rice and grains, or even drizzled over a salad. Very versatile and delicious…actually addicting!

  6. 5 stars
    This sauce is so good! Perfect for spring rolls and also making a peanutty rice and veggie dish!

  7. 5 stars
    I need to have this one hand all the time, it makes me want to eat veggies and tofu an all the healthy foods!!

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