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.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Peanut butter: To make homemade peanut butter:
  1. Add 4 cups roasted peanuts to a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse the peanuts until they are finely chopped.
  2. Process or blend on a low speed for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. The peanut butter will be dry and gritty.
  3. Process or blend on a low speed a second time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The peanut butter will start to form a clumpy paste. 
  4. Process or blend on a low speed a third time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The peanut butter will be thick and grainy at this point.
  5. Process or blend on a medium speed fourth time for 1 to 2 minutes longer. The peanut butter should be creamy, smooth, and warm.

• 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

1. In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

2. 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.

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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.

4.99 from 55 votes

ReviewPrint

Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Servings 8 servings (2 tbsp each)

Course Pantry, Salad

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Calories 74

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 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

1. Peanut butter: To make homemade peanut butter, add 4 cups roasted peanuts to a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse the peanuts until they are finely chopped. Process or blend on a low speed for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. The peanut butter will be dry and gritty. Process or blend on a low speed a second time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The peanut butter will start to form a clumpy paste. Process or blend on a low speed a third time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The peanut butter will be thick and grainy at this point. Process or blend on a medium speed fourth time for 1 to 2 minutes longer. The peanut butter should be creamy, smooth, and warm.
2. Rice vinegar: Or substitute apple cider vinegar.
3. Honey: For a vegan version, substitute agave nectar or maple syrup (the flavor will change).
4. Yield: This recipe makes 1 cup dressing, enough for 8 servings (2 tablespoons each). 1 recipe of dressing will dress 8-10 cups salad.
5. Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
6. 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbspCalories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 290mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

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