This easy, spicy peanut sauce is a kitchen staple—creamy, tangy, savory, and just the right amount of heat. Made with natural peanut butter, fresh lime juice, and chili garlic sauce, it’s a flavor-packed companion to countless dishes. We love it as a dip for crunchy vegetables or chicken satay, drizzled over rice bowls, or tossed with cold noodles for a quick and satisfying meal. The natural peanut butter gives it a perfectly pourable texture, making it easy to whisk together and even easier to love. Keep a jar in your fridge and watch it disappear!
How to Make Easy, Spicy Peanut Sauce
To make this easy, spicy peanut sauce, start by whisking together 1 cup of natural crunchy peanut butter and 1/2 cup of hot water in a mixing bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Natural peanut butter is ideal here because it’s runnier than conventional kinds, making it easier to blend and perfect for achieving a silky texture. Once the peanut butter is fully loosened, add 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/3 cup chili garlic sauce (like Sambal Oelek), and 2 finely minced garlic cloves. Whisk everything together until smooth and fully incorporated.
Taste the sauce and adjust to your liking—you can add more lime juice for brightness, soy sauce for depth, or chili garlic sauce for extra heat. If the sauce turns out too thin, simply whisk in a bit more peanut butter until you reach your desired consistency. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s perfect for drizzling over grilled meats or vegetables, tossing with noodles, or serving as a dip for spring rolls and fresh veggies.
Easy, Spicy Peanut Sauce: A Little History + Fresh Ideas
While we tend to think of peanut sauce as something to toss with noodles or dip spring rolls into, this flavor-packed staple actually has deep roots in Southeast Asian cuisine—especially in Indonesia, where it’s known as sambal kacang or bumbu kacang. Traditionally made with roasted peanuts ground by hand, it’s a key component of satay, gado-gado (an Indonesian vegetable salad), and countless regional dishes across Java and Bali. From there, peanut sauce made its way around the globe, with each culture adding its own spin—think Thai-style versions with coconut milk, or American interpretations like this one, featuring lime juice and chili garlic sauce for a bold, zesty kick.
So how can you use it today? Of course, it’s fantastic with noodles or grilled meats, but try it drizzled over roasted veggies, tossed in a grain bowl, or as a punchy salad dressing. Stir a spoonful into cooked rice, spread it on wraps or sandwiches, or serve it as a dip for everything from sweet potato fries to crunchy cucumbers. However you serve it, this sauce adds instant depth and craveable flavor—and it all starts with a humble peanut.
More Recipes from Rustic Joyful Food
If you loved this Easy Spicy Peanut Sauce recipe, you’ll love any of these equally delicious options!
- California Avocado & Shrimp Fresh Spring Rolls
- Taste the “Grain-bow”
- Thai-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Cups, or Chicken “Larb”
Purchase Books by Danielle Kartes of Rustic Joyful Food from these booksellers:
Easy, Spicy Peanut Sauce
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy natural peanut butter*
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup chili garlic sauce such as Sambal Oelek
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the peanut butter and hot water together until smooth and creamy.
- Add soy sauce, honey, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, and minced garlic. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning—add more soy sauce, honey, lime juice, or chili garlic sauce as desired. We love ours extra limey!
- If the sauce is too thin, add a little more peanut butter and continue whisking until smooth.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Perfect as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, or tossed with noodles!