The savory peanut sauce is a perfect companion for spring rolls. It has a balanced flavor of all ingredients, which creates a contrast to the crisp spring rolls.
The origin of this peanut sauce for spring rolls is Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand. Though the flavors are familiar, yet exotic. Therefore, people admire this sauce worldwide. We also suggest preparing this delicious spring roll dipping sauce at home, it can be a vital kitchen essential, we guess.
Therefore, we are here to present an easy Thai peanut sauce recipe. You have to follow our ingredient list and processing steps to get the authentic taste. Besides, we have attached some pro tips from our experts to make the whole process effortless. So, read this article carefully from the beginning to the end.
What Ingredients are in Peanut Sauce for Spring Rolls?
The main 3 ingredients of homemade peanut sauce are peanut butter, hoisin sauce, and hot water. Here, we have come up with the classic peanut sauce recipe. Thus, the classic peanut sauce ingredients are as follows.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – ½ cup
- Soy Sauce – 2 tablespoons
- Hoisin Sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Rice Vinegar – 1 tablespoon
- Lime Juice – 1 tablespoon
- Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup – 1 to 2 teaspoons
- Warm Water – ½ cup (Use as needed to adjust the consistency)
- Minced Garlic – 1 clove (Optional; for extra flavors)
- Grated Ginger – 1 teaspoon (optional; to enhance flavor)
- Sriracha or Hot Sauce – 1 to 2 teaspoons (optional; for heat)
How to Make Peanut Sauce at Home: 6 Easy Steps
Preparing the creamy peanut dipping sauce is simple. You can just use a food processor to blend all the ingredients to get the sauce easily and quickly.
But we are going to learn how to prepare the authentic Vietnamese peanut sauce here. Thus, you need to follow the following 6 simple steps.
Step 1: Collect and Measure All the Required Ingredients
First, read the ingredient list to know what ingredients you will need to prepare the Southeast Asian peanut dressing.
- Now, collect all the required ingredients. If all the ingredients are not available, you should postpone the recipe.
- You can buy all the ingredients from your local market. After collecting all the required ingredients, you can start the preparation process of the savory peanut sauce.
- Then, measure those ingredients using specific measuring cups and spoons.
- Put them into the specific bowl.
- Pro Tip 1: You can directly combine the ingredients to avoid using many bowls. It will assist to do the process easily.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
After the measurement is done. You have to combine the wet ingredients except the hot water.
- Take a large bowl.
- Combine the measured peanut butter, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, and sriracha into the bowl.
- Now, it’s time to mix. So, take a whisk and mix the mixture nicely.
- Pro Tip 2: If you have no whisk, you can use a fork to mix the mixture of peanut butter. A fork will help to mix easily.
- Pro Tip 3: You can add only the liquid sweetening agents in this step. If you are using any dry sweetening agents, then you have to skip adding it during this step. Then, you will get a perfect mixture.
Step 3: Add Flavor Booster
The base of the simple peanut sauce for appetizers is ready. Now, if you want, you can add some seasoning ingredients to enhance the flavors.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger to boost the flavors.
- If you are using a dry sweetening agent like sugar, you should use that in this step.
- Again, give a nice mixture.
Pro Tip 4: To get a spicy peanut sauce, you can skip using any sweetening ingredients and increase the amount of hot sauce.
Step 4: Adjust the Consistency
This is the most crucial step in making sauce for rice paper rolls. We cannot help but require perfect consistency to use the sauce as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.
- To get the desired consistency, you have to thin the sauce.
- Add warm water to the peanut butter mixture and mix thoroughly.
- After getting your desired consistency, the vegan peanut dipping sauce is ready.
Pro Tip 5: Do not use all the warm water at a time. Add water a little at a time. Then mix and again add water. Continue mixing until you get a smooth dipping sauce.
Step 5: Taste and Tweak
Now, taste the sauce and adjust it according to your taste preferences.
- For a tangier flavor, you can add some extra lime juice.
- Add more sriracha or hot sauce for spicy peanut sauce.
- To balance all the flavors, you can add a pinch of salt.
Step 6: Serve or Store
The best sauce for Vietnamese rolls is ready.
- Serve the sauce in a bowl.
- Dip the rolls into the sauce and enjoy the spring rolls that seem to come from heaven.
- You can also store fresh spring roll sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for future use.
How to Adjust Peanut Sauce for Dietary Needs: 3 Special Versions
Many people are allergic to peanuts, gluten, or want 100% vegan. So we have come up with 3 special versions that will give you similar flavors but with alternative ingredients.
Nut Free Option
If you are allergic to peanuts, then you can use sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter instead of peanut butter.
Gluten Free Peanut Sauce
Gluten is dangerous for people who have celiac disease. To prepare gluten-free peanut sauce, you have to ensure that you use gluten-free soy sauce and hoisin sauce.
Vegan Peanut Sauce
It is very difficult to ensure a vegan diet. Therefore, if you want 100% vegan peanut sauce, you have to check that the hoisin sauce is vegan. Some brands of hoisin sauce may use fish to produce the sauce.
Peanut Sauce for Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
- 1-2 Tsp Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Cup Warm Water
- 1 Clove Minced Garlic Optional
- 1 Tsp Grated Ginger Optional
- 1-2 Tsp Sriracha or Hot Sauce Optional
Instructions
- First collect and measure all the required ingredients precisely.
- Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl.
- Add flavor booster such as minced garlic and grated ginger.
- Add warm water to make peanut butter thin. In this step, mix the mixture nicely until you get a smooth sauce.
- Taste the sauce and adjust if required.
- Finally, serve the sauce or store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Conclusion
Vietnamese peanut sauce is a special sauce to elevate the normal taste of spring rolls. The creamy texture of this sauce makes it appropriate as a dipping sauce. Whether you want traditional Asian peanut sauce, a vegan, gluten-free, or nut-free version of this sauce, our easy peanut sauce recipe is enough to satisfy all your doubts.
Hence, try to make the peanut sauce for spring rolls according to our recipe. Follow pro tips from our experts and enjoy the best spring rolls. Be with us to enrich your culinary experience.
FAQs
Can I make peanut sauce without hoisin?
Though hoisin sauce is a key ingredient for peanut sauce, you can make peanut sauce without hoisin. There is a substitute for hoisin sauce.
Mix 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, a splash of vinegar, and a pinch of Chinese five spice. This mixture can be used as a substitute for hoisin sauce for any dietary reasons.
How to store and reheat leftover peanut sauce?
Storage
- Put leftover sauce in an airtight container.
- Store the container in the refrigerator.
- You can store the sauce for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Reuse
- Thaw the sauce at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Heat the sauce gently on the stove or in the microwave.
- Stir nicely to make it smooth like fresh sauce.
- You can add some warm water if required to make the sauce thin.
What dishes besides spring rolls can use peanut sauce?
You can serve various types of dishes with the peanut sauce, including the spring rolls. Let us give you a list of dishes that will go perfectly with the peanut sauce.
- Grilled meat or tofu
- Noodles
- Salads
- Satay skewers
- Vegetable bowls
- Grain Bowls
