This Asian-inspired peanut butter salad dressing works on everything from greens and grain bowls, to noodles and tofu. Made with pantry staples – ready in just 5 minutes.
Meal-prepping sauces and dressings is a gift to your future self. Whether you’re making salads, grain bowls, noodles, or roasted veg throughout the week, with a pre-made sauce waiting for you in the fridge, you’re halfway there.
It goes without saying that homemade sauces are exponentially better and healthier than store-bought, since you can control the quality of the ingredients and forgo any unnecessary oils, sugar, salt, and preservatives.
Best of all, they are always fresher and taste better, too. This peanut butter salad dressing – inspired by those served in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants – doesn’t require any special equipment (no blender/food processor) and comes together in just 5 minutes.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Peanut Butter: I strongly encourage using natural peanut butter (the only ingredient should be peanuts and maybe salt). Yes, it does require a good stir when you first open the jar but the effort is 100% worth it. It creates a rich-textured, extra-delicious sauce. Conventional peanut butter (like Jif, etc.) has added oils that are terrible for you, as well as chemical stabilizers and unnecessary sugar. I personally prefer crunchy versus smooth because it adds a nice texture.
- Lime Juice: Lemon juice works too.
- Rice Vinegar: This calls for seasoned rice vinegar, which has some salt and sugar added to it. You can sub with regular rice vinegar, if needed, and make up for the sweetness with a splash (~1/2 teaspoon) of maple syrup or honey.
- Soy Sauce: Adds salt and umami.
- Thai Curry Paste: This red chili paste is spicy, floral, and packed with flavor. If you don’t have any, sub with a squirt of Sriracha or a drizzle of chili oil – or skip altogether.
- Garlic and Ginger: Do not substitute with dried. Use a microplane to grate these, if you have one – or mince finely.
How to Make Peanut Dressing (Step-by-Step Photos)
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the Sauce Ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients with a sauce whisk; if you don’t have one, use a dinner fork instead of a full-size whisk. The sauce will seem lumpy at first, but keep stirring and it’ll eventually come together into a thick paste.
Step 2: Add Water
Measure out your water in a measuring cup and add about half. Whisk until the water is incorporated and gradually add more until your desired consistency is reached. (If using as a dip, aim for the thicker side; if using as salad dressing, add a bit more water.)
Ways to Use This Peanut Dressing
This homemade sauce is incredibly versatile and lasts for up to 7 days in the fridge. Use it on…
- Coleslaw + other fresh salads
- Air fried tofu
- Thai tofu salad
- Soba noodles
- Udon noodles
- Zucchini noodles
- Edamame quinoa salad
- Grain bowls
FAQs
When stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge, this dressing will keep for about 7 days.
You may substitute the peanut butter with almond or cashew butter, or tahini.
More Sauce Recipes to Try
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag @thenewbaguette on Instagram with your creation.
The Full Recipe
Peanut Butter Salad Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A Thai-inspired peanut butter dressing for salads, grain bowls, noodles, etc.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, stirred well
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar* (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 to 4 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, to taste (optional)*
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, and grated or minced
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed, grated, or minced
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients from peanut butter through garlic, and mix with a sauce whisk or fork. The sauce will seem lumpy at first, but keep stirring and eventually it’ll come together into a thick paste.
- Add about 3 tablespoons of the water and whisk until incorporated. Gradually add more water as needed until your desired consistency is reached. (If using as a dip, aim for the thicker side; if using as a dressing, use a bit more water.)
- Transfer to an airtight container, store in the fridge, and use within 7 days.
Notes
- Seasoned rice vinegar has some salt and sugar added to it. If you only have regular rice vinegar, compensate for the sweetness with a splash (~1/2 teaspoon) of maple syrup or honey.
- Curry paste can be pretty spicy so adjust the amount to your own tolerance level. If you don’t have curry paste, sub with a squirt of Sriracha, a drizzle of chili oil, or skip altogether.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 105
- Sodium: 116 mg
- Fat: 8.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5.1 g
Anonymous says
Rachel says
My mom made this and I tried it and really liked it.
It really does go well with everything. I had a major cooking disaster and was trying to figure out what to do with some failed Indian food.
I put the Indian food in a pan with brown rice and heated it up. Dumped it in a bowl and added an avocado, some pickles, and this sauce. Tastes great!
Alexandra says
Good save, haha! I’m glad this worked out for you and your mom. Thank you for the feedback đŸ™‚