Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe

A white bowl full of Vietnamese peanut sauce with a bowl of peanuts, half a lime, and a wooden spoon on the side.

5 from 1 vote

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Recipe

A quick, creamy, no-cook peanut sauce with just the right balance of sweet and heat, ready in about 10 minutes and perfect for dipping, drizzling, or tossing with noodles.

Prep Time0

Total Time10

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings: Servings (2 Tablespoons per Serving)

Calories: 101kcal

Author: Jessica

Equipment

Immersion Blender
Tall Jar or Container

Ingredients

½ cup Peanut Butter
¼ cup Hoisin Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
½ teaspoon Sambal Oelek
¼ - ½ cup Water
1-2 teaspoons Lime Juice optional

Instructions

Add the peanut butter, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger powder, sambal oelek, and water to a tall, narrow cup or jar (the kind that came with your immersion blender works well).
Insert the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the cup. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds, moving the blender slightly up and down, until the sauce is completely smooth with no streaks of peanut butter remaining.
Check the consistency. For a thinner sauce, blend in a little additional water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
If using, stir in the fresh lime juice to your taste.
Taste and adjust, adding more sambal oelek for heat or more hoisin for sweetness, blending briefly to combine after each addition.
Transfer to a jar or airtight container and use immediately, or store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Peanut Butter: Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter for this recipe. Sweetened peanut butter will cause the sauce to be overly sweet.
Hoisin Sauce: Can be subbed for a mixture of soy sauce and honey if you're out.
Rice Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice can be subbed in if needed.
Ginger Powder: If using fresh ginger, use two to three times the amount and make sure it is finely grated.
Soy Sauce: Can be swapped for Tamari if you need a gluten-free peanut sauce or coconut aminos if you're avoiding soy products.
Lime Juice: Is completely optional and not required because of the rice vinegar, but it adds a nice brightness to finish the sauce.

Different nut butters like almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter can be used. Just ensure they are unsweetened.
I recommend using an immersion blender over a regular blender. During testing, the immersion blender produced a way smoother sauce every time.
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving to let all the flavors settle and the ingredients fully hydrate.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. I do not recommend freezing peanut sauce.

Nutrition