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An easy Vietnamese peanut sauce that’s versatile & ready in under 5 minutes! Made with smooth, creamy peanut butter, coconut milk & fresh lime juice. Perfect for dipping spring rolls!

Vietnamese peanut sauce with crushed peanuts in a glass bowl

This Vietnamese peanut sauce is smooth, creamy and perfect as a spring roll or summer roll dipping sauce! It’s made with smooth peanut butter, lite coconut milk, hoisin sauce, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

If you love the peanut sauce that’s served at Vietnamese restaurants, you’ll love this recipe. It’s exactly the same flavors you get at the restaurant and you can make it at home in under 5 minutes.

Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce next to a plate of fresh spring rolls

Why you’ll love this recipe

Vietnamese peanut sauce with crushed peanuts in a glass bowl

You’ll love this recipe because it’s a perfect balance of flavors and it’s super versatile!

  • Rich and creamy flavors from the peanut butter and coconut milk
  • It has a touch of sweetness from brown sugar and coconut milk
  • Just the right amount of acidity and brightness from the lime juice
  • It’s a simple recipe that’s ready in under 5 minutes!

Ingredients you’ll need

ingredients for Vietnamese peanut sauce
  • Peanut butter – I used creamy, all natural peanut butter but you can use any you have on hand.
    • Note: if your peanut butter has added sugar, you may not need to add more. I recommend tasting first before adding additional sugar.
  • Coconut milk – I used lite coconut milk but you can use other varieties of coconut milk.
    • Note: Full fat coconut milk will make the sauce thicker so you may need to thin it out with water. If you don’t have coconut milk, feel free to substitute with water.
  • Lime juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice. For juicy limes, look for ones that are soft with a thin peel.

Instructions

Set aside the chopped peanuts. Mix all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl then garnish with chopped peanuts.

Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce dripping off a spoon

If you like a little spice, add a tablespoon of chili garlic sauce on top. It cuts through the richness of the peanut butter and adds a little bit of heat.

Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce with red chili sauce and crushed peanuts

Serving suggestions

Vietnamese peanut sauce next to a plate of fresh summer rolls

This is excellent for dipping spring rolls or summer rolls!

You can also serve it with the follow dishes:

  • satay
  • crispy, fried tofu
  • buddha bowls
  • dip for fresh vegetable platter
Fresh spring roll dipped into peanut dipping sauce

More Sauces and Dips:

Vietnamese peanut sauce with crushed peanuts in a glass bowl
5 from 100 votes
Servings: 4

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce

An easy Vietnamese peanut sauce that's versatile and ready in under 5 minutes! Made with smooth, creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, and fresh lime juice. Perfect for dipping spring rolls!
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, – see Recipe Note 1
  • ¼ cup lite coconut milk, – see Recipe Note 2; can substitute with water
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped peanuts, – for garnish
  • 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce, – (optional)

Instructions 

  • Combine all the ingredients (except for the chopped peanuts) in a medium size bowl and mix it together until the peanut sauce is smooth and creamy. Depending on how thick your peanut butter is, you may need to add more coconut milk or water to get the desired consistency.
  • Garnish with chopped peanuts and chili garlic sauce if desired. Makes about ¾ cup of sauce.

Notes

  1. I used all natural peanut butter for this recipe. If your peanut butter has added sugar, you may not need to add more sugar. I recommend tasting first before adding additional sugar.
  2. You can use any variety of coconut milk but full fat coconut milk will make the sauce thicker so you may need to thin it out with water. If you don’t have coconut milk, feel free to substitute with water.
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  4. Serve with fresh vegetarian summer rolls. 
  5. This recipe is featured in 3 Classic Spring Roll Dipping Sauces. 

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 182mg, Potassium: 105mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Jamie from Drive Me Hungry

Jamie

Hi there! I’m Jamie, enthusiastic eater and determined cook! I make is quick and easy recipes that still look amazing and taste delicious. Most of my recipes are perfect for weeknight meals as they're simple and easy to follow.

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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. Dennis says:

    5 stars
    This is really tasty! My wife is a fan of this with spring rolls.

  2. Addie says:

    5 stars
    This sauce was so delicious in my stir fry! Highly recommend for chicken!

  3. Raquel says:

    5 stars
    This peanut sauce goes with so many dishes! Love how easy it is too!

  4. Jeannie says:

    5 stars
    If you’re a fan of peanut butter, you’re going to love this sauce. Really delicious!

  5. Jeri says:

    5 stars
    This was perfect for dipping spring rolls in, yum!

  6. Izzy says:

    would it be possible to use sambal oelek instead of chili garlic sauce?

    1. Jamie says:

      Hi Izzy! Absolutely you can use sambal. Hope you like it!

  7. Emma says:

    5 stars
    This sauce is really tasty. We love grilling chicken, and usually, just use something from a jar, but I decided to make a peanut sauce from scratch, and it is so worthwhile. I really noticed how much more fresh the taste was, and it is great to be able to adjust the flavours to your liking.

  8. Toni says:

    5 stars
    We love making cold summer rolls, and I am always after new sauce variations to serve them with. i didn’t have coconut milk, so I just used water and the sauce was lovely. Will try next time with the coconut to see what I prefer.

    1. Jamie says:

      Thanks Toni! I love serving cold summer rolls with this peanut sauce too!

  9. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    I really enjoyed this peanut sauce. It was really simple to make, and I can see this being in my regular homemade condiment recipe rotation. It’s so versatile.

  10. Bhawana says:

    5 stars
    I’m in love with this peanut sauce recipe. It’s just like how they serve at Vietnamese restaurants and it’s so easy to make!

  11. Sharon says:

    5 stars
    This Peanut Sauce was so flavorful and creamy! I put them on a vietnamese salad bowl and it went perfectly on it!

  12. Alison says:

    5 stars
    I love this peanut sauce. This recipe was delicious and easy! Will make again! I can’t believe I’ve never made one at home until now.

  13. Rika says:

    5 stars
    This sauce is so smooth and creamy! I love making my own peanut sauce because I can adjust the flavorings how I like. This one was just right!

  14. Alex says:

    5 stars
    I had been looking for a delicious peanut sauce recipe for so long, and I am so glad I came along yours. It is smooth and creamy and SO tasty. I can’t wait to make it again soon!