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This easy, delicious Thai Peanut Dressing is made from mostly pantry ingredients and is delicious on salads, grilled chicken, or for dipping your favorite appetizers.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Peanut butter: I love Crazy Richard’s brand peanut butter because it is made with only peanuts (no added sugars or palm oil) and they support American peanut farmers, using only 100% US-grown peanuts. If you’re ambitious, you can certainly make homemade peanut butter which might be even better.
- Rice vinegar: Or substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Honey: For a vegan version, substitute agave nectar or maple syrup (the flavor will change).
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). If the dressing is too thick, thin with water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cup dressing, enough for 8 servings (2 tablespoons each). 1 recipe of dressing will dress 8-10 cups salad.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
- Make the dressing your own: Substitute almond butter for the peanut butter, make it creamier with a splash of coconut milk, or dial up the heat with more red chili flakes.
- Rainbow Thai Salad: This Thai Peanut Dressing is divine on this Rainbow Thai Salad made with colorful vegetables, fresh herbs, sweet mango, and crunchy peanuts.
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls: Thai Peanut Dressing makes the most delicious dipping sauce for Vietnamese Spring Rolls. These fresh, summery rolls have lettuce, carrots, cucumber, cellophane noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, mint, and cilantro rolled inside paper-thin rice paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a vegan Thai peanut dressing?
For a vegan version, substitute agave nectar or maple syrup for the honey (the flavor will change).
Can I use a different nut butter instead of peanut butter?
Feel free to substitute almond butter, cashew butter, or any other nut butter as you see fit. Just know the flavor will change.
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Thai Peanut Dressing
This easy, delicious Thai Peanut Dressing is made from mostly pantry ingredients and is delicious on salads, grilled chicken, or for dipping your favorite appetizers.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (see note 1)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (see note 2)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). If the dressing is too thick, thin with water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Peanut butter: I love Crazy Richard’s brand peanut butter because it is made with only peanuts (no added sugars or palm oil) and they support American peanut farmers, using only 100% US-grown peanuts. If you’re ambitious, you can certainly make homemade peanut butter which might be even better.
- Rice vinegar: Or substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Honey: For a vegan version, substitute agave nectar or maple syrup (the flavor will change).
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cup dressing, enough for 8 servings (2 tablespoons each). 1 recipe of dressing will dress 8-10 cups salad.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 tbspCalories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 290mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
awesome recipe!! i make this every week for salad tofu salad wraps for lunches
Yum! Thanks for your comment, Miche! I’m happy you love it! – Meggan
Spot on for salty sweet peanutty yumminess
I’m so happy you loved it, CG! Take care! – Meggan
This is the third peanut dressing I have made in a week, and it is my favorite. There is more vinegar than I am used to, and I like it. I added some sriracha and decreased the lime juice by half. Still acidic enough. I will make this again for company.
I’m so happy you loved it, Gail! I hope your guests love it as well! – Meggan
I just made this for one of my mason jar salads and it was fantastic! This will be my go-to peanut salad dressing from now on. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Debbi! I’m so glad you loved it! – Meggan
This makes a great dipping sauce but this is not the standard traditional Thai salad dressing.
Thai salad dressing is peanut butter and coconut milk with a little soy sauce and rice vinegar.
Hi CP, thanks for sharing! – Meggan
I just made this and it’s perfect! So much flavor, and in all the right proportions. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Beth! I’m glad you loved it! – Meggan
My entire family loved this dressing! I first made it for a deconstructed spring roll salad and it was delicious! I dreamed about it for days until I made it again. :)
Thank you so much for your comment, Jodi! I’m dream about this dressing, too! I’m glad you loved it! – Meggan
Yum delicious salad sauce, maybe a touch too much rice vinegar for me but still so good
Hi Angel, so glad you loved it! You can always reduce the rice vinegar, and add more to taste! Take care! – Meggan