Vegan Peanut Sauce
This vegan peanut sauce is a savory sauce to serve with vegan spring rolls, vegan sushi, and more. Make it in minutes with only a few ingredients!
I love peanut butter smeared on bananas or baked into my vegan peanut butter cake. But it’s more than that. It can also be an ingredient in savory dishes, such as this vegan peanut sauce.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using ground ginger adds subtle hints of mild ginger flavor
- A touch of agave adds subtle sweetness, making it a savory-sweet combination of flavors
- Adding soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free option) creates authentic umami tastes, making it the perfect dip for your Asian-themed plant-based recipes
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Peanut butter — I use creamy peanut butter.
- Ginger — I use dried ginger because it’s easier and it adds a hint of mild ginger flavor.
- Garlic — I use garlic powder, again because it’s easy and I prefer the mild flavor it offers. You could also use the mellow and tender cloves from a garlic confit.
- Lime juice — You can use either fresh or bottled lime juice.
- Soy sauce/tamari — I use tamari for gluten-free, but you can use soy sauce.
- Sriracha — This is my go-to hot sauce for just about everything. We’re using just a bit here, but if you prefer minimal to no heat, you can leave this out.
- Sweetener — I use agave nectar or maple syrup. You can also add a little bit of date paste (see this post on date caramel sauce to see how to make it). You can also add a packet of stevia or monkfruit.
What Peanut Butter is Best?
There are three basic types of peanut butter: 1) Natural (the kind that has to be stirred, 2) Creamy, and 3) Crunchy. Some types of peanut butter work better for different recipes. I prefer natural peanut butter because it doesn’t have added hydrogenated oils or sugar. For this recipe, you can use whatever kind of peanut butter you like best.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Sauce
- Combine the ingredients except for water in a small bowl.
- Stir vigorously until a thick paste develops.
- Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s a spreadable consistency.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What can I use peanut sauce for?
Use this vegan peanut sauce for dipping your favorite appetizers, such as air-fried tofu, veggie rolls, sushi, and more. You can make it thinner and serve it for drizzling. For example, drizzling it over some veggie lettuce wraps is amazing! It can also be served as a condiment. Slather some over these vegan black bean burgers and you’ll love the flavor this sauce adds!
Can you use chunky peanut butter for this sauce?
I prefer creamy peanut butter because I love that creamy consistency. However, it’s perfectly fine to use crunchy peanut butter because a bit of texture and crunch can be delicious when served with certain foods, like tofu.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tasty sauce with your favorite vegan recipes, such as:
Storage Tips
Transfer this sauce to an airtight container and store it in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 10 days.
Vegan Meals for Dipping
These recipes are perfect for serving along with this savory peanut sauce:
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Vegan Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or maple syrup)
- 4 – 6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- To make the peanut sauce, combine the ingredients except for water in a small bowl. Stir until a thick paste develops.
- Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time, until it's a spreadable consistency.
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made this sauce for my vegan sushi and it was so good!
I’m so glad you liked it!