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!

A spoon holds Vega peanut sauce hovering over a bowl of it. There are veggie rolls in the background.

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.

Ingredients are arranged on a white counter. The text reads, "lime juice, ground ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic powder, sriracha, and agave.

Key Ingredients

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.

  • 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.
A small, white bowl holds creamy peanut butter inside.

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 has no added hydrogenated oils or sugar. For this recipe, you can use whatever kind of peanut butter you like best.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • 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

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.
A bowl of vegan peanut sauce has chopped peanuts on top. There's a plate of veggie spring rolls in the background.

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.

Reader Reviews

★★★★★
I made this sauce for my vegan sushi and it was so good!

Sheena

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.

A hand holds a spoon hovering over a bowl of peanut sauce. A plate sits nearby holding veggie spring rolls.

Vegan Meals for Dipping

These recipes are perfect for serving along with this savory peanut sauce:

A spoon holds Vega peanut sauce hovering over a bowl of it. There are veggie rolls in the background.

Vegan Peanut Sauce

This vegan peanut sauce is so creamy, it's the perfect dipping sauce for spring rolls. You can also serve it with noodles and tofu. It's a great all-around sauce.
5 from 3 votes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 116kcal

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

Tofu: Press tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and placing something heavy over the top, such as a pan. Or use a tofu press. For flavored tofu, use marinated tofu or miso tofu. Then slice it into thin strips.
Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

2 Responses to Vegan Peanut Sauce

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySheena Reply

    5 stars
    I made this sauce for my vegan sushi and it was so good!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I’m so glad you liked it!

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