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      Home » Thai Appetizers

      5 Minute Authentic Thai Satay Sauce

      Published: Jul 13, 2022 · Modified: Aug 15, 2022 by Suwanee · This post may contain affiliate links.

      Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

      This 5-minute authentic Thai satay sauce is a must for your Thai satay recipes. It’s the perfect creamy, sweet, salty, and tangy sauce dipping sauce that you can whip up in no time!

      For the complete Thai satay experience, these 3 recipes are a must; easy chicken satay recipe, Thai cucumber salad for satay, and of course, this delicious peanut sauce I'm about to share with you!

      skewers dipped in peanut sauce

      What is Thai Satay Sauce?

      Authentic Thai peanut satay sauce is a popular sauce for dipping Thai satay. The sauce is creamy and rich in flavors from peanut butter and coconut milk with a distinct taste of Thai red curry paste and seasoned to perfection with sugar, salt, and sour flavor. 

      What Goes Into 5 Minute Authentic Thai Satay Sauce

      ingredients for satay sauce

      • Peanut butter. You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. You can also use crushed peanuts rather than pre-made peanut butter. The recipe is flexible, and you use what you have. The only thing to adjust is the final seasoning at the end, as each brand of peanut butter is different. 
      • Red curry paste. Use store-bought or homemade red curry paste. If you don’t have red curry paste, try the prik khing curry paste, homemade or store-bought. 
      • Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk. You can use coconut cream, too. You just need to dilute it with water if it gets too thick. 
      • Fish sauce. Each brand of fish sauce has a different level of saltiness. Adjust as necessary with more or less for your final taste. Use salt if you don’t have fish sauce. 
      • Vinegar. You can substitute tamarind concentrate, lime/lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar. 
      • Sugar. Use honey, agave, syrup, palm, or monk fruit sugar. All work great. 

      How To Make Your 5 Minute Authentic Thai Satay Sauce

      This satay sauce is so simple. It's almost unbelievable. The most challenging part is gathering all the ingredients together to make the sauce. Here are the simple steps below.

      Step One. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat.

      Step Two. Breakup the chunks of peanut butter and stir well. Keep a close eye on the sauce so it's not burnt or gets too thick and brown. Scrape down the sauce on the side of the pan to mix it all well.Peanut sauce in a sauce pan

      Step Three. Let the sauce bubble, and it will soon thicken. Turn the heat off, remove it from the pan and let cool slightly before serving. The sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

      Helpful Kitchen Notes 

      • You can use peanut butter to make the sauce for a quick satay sauce. You must modify the taste with sugar, fish sauce, or lime juice.
      • When making the sauce, watch the saucepan carefully and stir often, or the peanut sauce will get burnt, especially around the edges of the pot. 
      • Red curry paste. Add more or less as desires. More for spiciness and bold taste or milder with less. Adjust the final flavors at the end to get a balanced flavor you are happy with. Try this authentic homemade Thai red curry paste for a fresh and bold flavor. 
      • Water. Add more water if your sauce gets too thick, and you’d like less of a thick creamy sauce. 
      • The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days and in the freezer for 2 months.
      • You can use the sauce for dipping vegetables, as a salad dressing, or slater over other grilled food. So good!

      FAQs 

      What is Thai Peanut Sauce Made of?

      Thai peanut sauce is made with peanuts, red curry paste, and coconut milk and seasoned with sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, vinegar, or lime juice. 

      What is Satay Sauce Made of?

      Typically, Thai satay sauce is made with peanuts, coconut milk, and red curry paste, seasoned for sweet, salty, and tangy flavors used for dipping satay meat. 

      Is Peanut Sauce and Satay the Same?

      Satay sauce is sometimes called Thai peanut sauce. It is essentially the same thing. Each chef uses different ingredients to make their unique sauce, but one common ingredient is the peanuts used to make the sauce. 

      How do You Thicken Satay Sauce?

      To thicken the satay sauce, add creamy peanut butter or coconut milk. Also, cook turn up the heat a bit to help reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency. Just be sure not to cook too long, or it will quickly burn and turn your satay sauce bitter. 

      Is Satay Sauce Good for You?

      Besides the sugar in the sauce, Satay sauce is good for you if you use all-natural, unsweetened peanut butter. 

      chicken skewer dipped in satay sauce

      Related Recipes

      • Authentic homemade Thai red curry paste
      • Easy chicken satay recipe
      • Thai cucumber salad for satay
      • Thai glass noodle salad with shrimp
      • Thai grilled pork
      • Easy beef salad recipe
      • Nam Tok beef waterfall salad
      • The best crying tiger recipe

      ** Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star ?rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram! **

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      skewers dipped in peanut sauce

      5 Minute Authentic Thai Satay Sauce


      ★★★★★

      5 from 10 reviews

      • Author: Suwanee
      • Total Time: 10
      • Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
      • Diet: Gluten Free
      Print Recipe
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      Description

      This 5-minute authentic Thai peanut satay sauce is a must for your Thai satay recipes. It’s the perfect creamy, sweet, salty, and tangy sauce dipping sauce that you can whip up in no time!


      Ingredients

      Scale

      ⅓ cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky

      ½ cup coconut milk

      1-2 tablesp0on red curry paste. Adjust as needed.

      1 ½ tablespoon sugar

      1-2 teaspoon fish sauce. Adjust as needed.

      1 ½ teaspoon vinegar, lime juice, or tamarind concentrate. Adjust as needed.


      Instructions

      1. Add all the ingredients together in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat.
      2. Breakup the chunks of peanut butter and stir well. Keep a close eye on the sauce, so it's not burnt or gets too thick and brown. Scrape down the sauce on the side of the pan to mix it all well. 
      3. Let the sauce bubble, and it will soon thicken. Turn the heat off, remove it from the pan and let cool slightly before serving. The sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

      Notes

      • You can use any peanut butter to make the sauce for a quick satay sauce. Modify the taste with sugar, fish sauce, or lime juice.
      • When making the sauce, oversee the saucepan and stir often, or the peanut sauce will get burnt, especially around the edges of the pot. 
      • Red curry paste. Add more or less as desires. More for spiciness and bold taste or milder with less. Adjust the final flavors at the end to get a balanced flavor you are happy with. Try this authentic homemade Thai red curry paste for a fresh and bold flavor. 
      • Water. Add more water if your sauce gets too thick, and you’d like less of a thick creamy sauce. 
      • The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days and in the freezer for 2 months.
      • You can use the sauce for dipping vegetables, as a salad dressing, or slater over other grilled food. So good!
      • Prep Time: 5
      • Cook Time: 5
      • Category: Sauce
      • Method: Stove top
      • Cuisine: Thai

      Keywords: 5 Minute Authentic Thai Satay Sauce, satay sauce, Thai peanut sauce, Thai satay recipe

      Did you make this recipe?

      Please rate and review this recipe in the comment section below so I can improve and make it a better experience for you!

      ** Thank you so much for visiting my blog! This is truly a passion for me. If you have enjoyed these recipes and appreciate the hard work I put into them, I would love it if you would share them with your friends! Your recommendation is the highest review I could hope for, and I’d appreciate it! **

      More Thai & Asian Appetizer Recipes

      • Kanom Jeeb Thai dumplings on a platter with sauces.
        Kanom Jeeb (Thai Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)
      • Beef Laab on a plate with lettuce, lime and cucumber slices.
        Authentic Thai Beef Larb Recipe
      • Moo Yang grilled pork slices on a platter.
        Moo Yang Recipe (Thai Grilled Pork Neck) 
      • Sticky Asian ribs on a plate on the table.
        Sticky Asian Ribs 

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Suwanee

        August 15, 2023 at 8:34 pm

        I'm so happy to hear this, Adam. We don't always have the time with our busy lives so this recipe was created for busy people like you and me! Well done!

      2. Adam

        August 15, 2023 at 4:27 pm

        Absolutely love the idea of a quick recipe. I used to toil for hours at the stove, stirring my grandma's satay sauce, and as a result, have always associated making satay sauce as a day's long project. This is a lifesaver! Love dipping the sauce in bread.

        ★★★★★

      3. Victoria

        June 14, 2023 at 12:30 pm

        This Satay Sauce is so good! thanks for the recipe!

        ★★★★★

      4. Emily Graham

        June 14, 2023 at 12:28 pm

        My family loves this Thai satay Recipe. Don't skip the dipping sauce.

        ★★★★★

      5. Jim Johnson

        June 14, 2023 at 12:27 pm

        Excellent Recipe!

        ★★★★★

      6. Sarah B

        June 14, 2023 at 12:25 pm

        This is the BEST satay sauce I've ever had! We've been making it repeatedly. Love the Dipping Sauce!

        ★★★★★

      7. Suwanee

        May 05, 2023 at 12:10 pm

        It's so tasty and easy, you'll love it!

      8. Warapond

        May 04, 2023 at 6:29 am

        Wow look delicious 👍😊

        ★★★★★

      9. Suwanee

        January 23, 2023 at 9:10 am

        I'm so happy to hear, Jason! It's hard to sample a few bites before serving! (: I love this easy satay sauce too.

      10. Jason

        January 22, 2023 at 12:09 am

        Hi, I have to thank you for posting up this recipe.

        There was a local Thai restaurant that we used to get Satay chicken frequently from, it was our little treat for time away from the kids. But they recently closed down.

        I went on the hunt for some Thai Satay recipes and tried one that didn't work out, then found yours.

        This tastes almost exactly like the Thai restaurant Satay we used to have.

        So a big thank you from me, so easy to make and so delicious. I could eat it straight from the pot, and did a little.

        ★★★★★

      11. Suwanee

        December 05, 2022 at 7:03 am

        Thank you so much, Cherie! So glad you loved it. I love that you customized it to your liking too. (:

      12. Cherie

        December 05, 2022 at 1:28 am

        This was awesome. Very authentic and so easy. Instead of sugar I used honey. Definitely used lime.. love lime.

        ★★★★★

      13. Suwanee

        September 05, 2022 at 8:24 pm

        So wonderful to hear this worked out so well for you!

      14. Suwanee

        September 05, 2022 at 8:23 pm

        I'm so glad!!

      15. Cassie T.

        August 19, 2022 at 2:33 pm

        This sauce is so delicious--my kids were asking if they could eat it with a spoon! I made it along with the chicken satay and cucumber salad recipes, and my kids were literally licking their plates. This is a new favorite that has earned a place in our regular meal plan rotation! Thank you Suwanee!!

        ★★★★★

      16. Kim Buckley

        August 10, 2022 at 7:33 pm

        This sauce is delicious and SO easy to make. I used 1 Tbsp of store bought red curry paste to save time and it was just spicy enough for my family. I love that I can customize the level of spice and flavor to our liking. This will be a staple in my fridge. I made it to go with Suwanee's Easy Chicken Satay recipe. Just takes 5 minutes!

        ★★★★★

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      Hi there, I’m Suwanee! I'm the person behind this Thai food blog. I spent thirteen years of childhood in Thailand, where I was first introduced to the flavors of Thai cooking. You are in the right place if you: Love to cook Thai food. Come by often, and let's get cooking! Read More…

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