Satay sauce is a slightly spicy peanut sauce. While it's popularly associated with Thai cuisine, it's enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia and has Indonesian roots. It's best known as the sauce for satay, a tasty appetizer of marinated meat (often chicken, pork, or beef) grilled on a skewer.
Making a delicious satay sauce from scratch is quick and easy. There's no cooking involved with this recipe; you'll simply mix all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, adjust the seasoning, and you're done.
Most Western versions of satay sauce are made with peanut butter. This one starts with dry roasted, unsalted peanuts—and you'll taste the difference. Peanut butter often contains salt, sugar, and/or oil. By using whole peanuts, you avoid those additives and have complete control of all the ingredients.
The fish sauce adds an umami saltiness, brown sugar makes it sweet, tamarind paste brings in a sour aspect, and cayenne gives it that signature spiciness. These flavors come together to create a spicy, salty, tangy peanut sauce that's customized to your taste and useful in many ways.
"This satay sauce tastes just like a sauce you'd get in a Thai restaurant. It is delicious tossed with noodles and would be great as a dip or with chicken skewers. It took me less than 15 minutes to prepare the sauce, start to finish!" —Danielle Centoni
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Blend or process until the sauce is smooth. If you prefer a runnier peanut sauce, add a little more water or coconut milk. Taste and then adjust as needed.
Serve warm or at room temperature withchicken, pork, beef, or vegetarian satay, or your favorite recipe. Enjoy.
Finding the balance in this sauce is key. To adjust the flavor, blend in one of the recipe's ingredients until it's to your liking:
Add more fish sauce or soy sauce if not salty enough.
Make it spicier with more cayenne.
When it's too salty, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
If you'd prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar.
To make it vegetarian, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
This sauce tends to thicken as it sits; add a little water or coconut milk to thin it out as needed.
What Do You Serve Peanut Sauce With?
The peanut sauce can be used for all kinds of things beyond satay. Satay sauce is excellent as an all-purpose Asian salad dressing and a dip for fresh spring rolls. Use it to make a delicious cold noodle salad or as a marinade for grilled chicken or tofu. It's also a great dip for a snack of fresh raw veggies.
How to Store and Freeze Satay Sauce
This satay stores well if kept covered in the refrigerator for two weeks. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays, then transferred to a freezer-safe storage bag or container and kept in the freezer for up to six months.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
201
Calories
16g
Fat
10g
Carbs
7g
Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories
201
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g
21%
Saturated Fat 4g
22%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 502mg
22%
Total Carbohydrate 10g
4%
Dietary Fiber 2g
9%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg
3%
Calcium 28mg
2%
Iron 1mg
6%
Potassium 222mg
5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Although commonly associated with Thai cuisine, peanut sauce actually originated in Indonesia (source). What Americans know as peanut sauce is more commonly referred to as satay sauce (or bumbu kacang) in Indonesia, because it's most often served with the popular Indonesian dish, satay (skewered, grilled meats).
The Chinese take out version of Chicken in Satay Sauce is quite different from Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian Satay Sauce. It's less coconut-y and less peanut-y (are they real words??), doesn't have bits of crushed peanuts in the sauce, and has a stronger flavour from satay seasoning.
Satay sauce, also known as Peanut Sauce, Bumbu Kacang or Sambal Kacang is an Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in cuisines worldwide.
Carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, red peppers, and snow peas are just some of the vegetables that taste great when paired with Thai Peanut Sauce. Try a unique twist with your veggies and dip Summer Rolls into the rich, peanut flavor!
Peanut sauce will keep for up to a week in a refrigerated airtight container. But remember to take the sauce out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to let it come to room temperature — you know how stubborn peanut butter can be.
A true Malaysian satay sauce is sweet, savory, spicy, acidic, aromatic, and nutty all at the same time. Its depth of flavor comes from a strong core of Southeast Asian ingredients: shallots, chilis, garlic, lemongrass, and galangal.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning to your desired taste. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little water to loosen it down.
This happens when there's too much fat or liquid in the mixture. This can happen when there are not enough emulsifiers (which help keep your ingredients together). Sauces are usually made from multiple ingredients that include both oil and water. Oils and water will naturally separate.
If the oil is separating from the sauce a bit (this can happen from the oil in the coconut milk and the peanut butter, but it's easy to fix!), add water a few drops at a time and whisk until it comes smoothly back together.
Thai food is often healthier than Chinese food. Thai food puts a focus on balance and variety. They are often light and the aromas are just as important as the taste of the food. Thai food uses less heavy sauces and oils than Chinese food uses that are healthier for you, if any oil at all.
Satays are commonly served with peanut sauce. However, satay does not actually mean peanut sauce – Southeast Asia's favourite street food snack is a dish of skewered, grilled meat with infinite variations.
The whole sauce is finished off with a squeeze of citrusy lime. The classic Asian flavours of sweet, salty, sour and spicy all appear in this simple satay sauce recipe that happens to be vegan too. Out of fresh chilli? Swap it for sambal oelek or hot chilli sauce to make this a complete store cupboard recipe.
Mix the lime juice, honey, soy sauce, curry powder and peanut butter in a small bowl. Add a splash of water if it's too stiff. Transfer to a small pan with the coconut milk, and heat gently for 5 mins stirring continually, until combined.
This sauce is made using peanut butter, sauces like hot sauce, vinegar and soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free), garlic and seasoning. It can be seasoned as you like.
Resembling a kebab, these grilled meat skewers trace their origins to Arabian culture, but have since evolved into a unique dish. Bamboo skewers are used instead of metal ones, and satay is commonly served with a variety of dipping sauces. Chicken, beef and mutton are the most common meats employed in this dish.
Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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