Vietnamese peanut sauce is the perfect pairing for Vietnamese spring rolls, chicken satay, or even as a salad dressing. The creamy umami flavored Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe is savory, filled with garlic and is finger-licking good.
Vietnamese peanut sauce is the perfect pairing for Vietnamese spring rolls, chicken satay, or even as a salad dressing. The creamy umami-flavored Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce recipe is savory, filled with garlic, and finger-licking good.
Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce is one of my all-time favorite sauces and is incredibly versatile. This creamy, savory, umami-flavored peanut sauce pairs wonderfully with goi cuon (Vietnamese spring rolls), nem nuong (grilled pork spring rolls), chicken satay, chicken wings, or if thinned out as a salad dressing!
This Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe is made with creamy peanut butter, freshly sauteed garlic, hoisin sauce, and nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce). Once you taste this Vietnamese peanut sauce you’ll never need another peanut sauce recipe ever again. It’s that good.
You can make this easy Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe with only a handful of ingredients in less than 10 minutes!
This peanut sauce pairs deliciously with Vietnamese spring rolls.
This Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce recipe provides step-by-step instructions with tips and tricks and FAQ sections.
Kitchen Equipment
You do not need any special equipment for this Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe.
Small saucepan: you will need a small saucepan to saute the garlic and thicken the sauce.
Wooden spoon: you will need a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir the peanut sauce.
Ingredients
You can find all of these ingredients for this Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe at your local grocery store, Asian grocery store, or online.
Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe to yield a rich, creamy velvety texture. But you can see below for substitutions.
Garlic: make sure to use freshly minced garlic and not store prepared minced garlic for the richest flavor.
Hoisin Sauce: hoisin sauce is made of fermented soybean, five-spice garlic, red chili peppers, and sugar. It has a delicious umami flavor that pairs wonderfully with peanut butter. You can find hoisin sauce online or at your local Asian grocery store.
Cornstarch: cornstarch thickens up the sauce so that it is less runny. This is entirely optional if you prefer a runnier sauce.
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (nuoc cham): a staple Vietnamese dipping sauce that is made up of freshly minced garlic, fish sauce, water, sugar, chili sauce, and lime juice. You can find my recipe for Vietnamese dipping sauce here.
Crushed Peanuts: used as a garnish and an additional crunch.
Additions and Substitutions
Nut Butter: for an alternative to creamy peanut butter, you can always use chunky peanut butter or almond butter.
Red Thai Chili Peppers: for an additional spicy kick, you can add minced red Thai chili peppers to the peanut sauce.
How to Make Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
You can make this Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe very easily with only a few simple steps!
Sauté garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a small saucepan and sauté the minced garlic on medium-high heat until browned and fragrant.
Add cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until combined. Then add the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce is combined and thickened. Top with crushed peanuts and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
Make the Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc cham) in advance. Nuoc cham uses fresh minced garlic which will seep into the sauce and taste better over time. But you can always use freshly made Vietnamese dipping sauce as well.
Use a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the sauce. When we add the fish sauce into the mixture, it will thin out the peanut butter, cooking the cornstarch slurry into the sauce will thicken the Vietnamese peanut sauce back up.
Storage Instructions
You can store this Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
What is peanut sauce made of?
Peanut sauce or tương đậu phộng is traditionally made with creamy peanut butter, hoisin sauce, garlic, hot chili peppers, fish sauce, and water.
Is peanut sauce healthy?
Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce contains nutrient-packed ingredients such as peanuts, fish sauce, and lime but they also contain high calories and fat making them healthy in moderation.
Vietnamese peanut sauce is the perfect pairing for Vietnamese spring rolls, chicken satay, or even as a salad dressing. The creamy umami flavored Vietnamese peanut sauce recipe is savory, filled with garlic and is finger-licking good.
Sauté garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a small saucepan and sauté the minced garlic on medium-high heat until browned and fragrant.
Mix the sauces. Next, add the peanut butter, hoisin sauce, water, and Vietnamese dipping sauce (nuoc cham) and mix until thoroughly combined.
Add cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until combined. Then add the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce is combined and thickened. Top with crushed peanuts and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Make the Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc cham) in advance. Nuoc cham uses fresh minced garlic which will seep into the sauce and taste better over time. But you can always use freshly made Vietnamese dipping sauce as well.
Use a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the sauce. When we add the fish sauce into the mixture, it will thin out the peanut butter, cooking the cornstarch slurry into the sauce will thicken the Vietnamese peanut sauce back up.
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