This peanut sauce for spring rolls is everything a good peanut sauce should be – creamy, savory, & slightly sweet. Whip it up in just 5 minutes total time.

This foolproof peanut sauce for spring rolls recipe only requires 5 minutes of prep time to whip up and a handful of simple ingredients you likely already have hanging out in the kitchen. Pair it with our tasty spring rolls with salmon recipe for a light and healthy lunch or as an appetizer for your next party.
Note: This recipe makes the perfect amount of sauce for about 12 spring rolls. Depending on how many people you are serving, batch this recipe up accordingly.
What Exactly is Peanut Sauce?
Peanut sauce is an Indonesian-style dip that’s eaten all throughout Southeast Asia. Delicious, creamy, and unexpected, it has taken off worldwide and is used as everything from a dip to traditional shrimp or pork spring rolls to a tasty salad dressing.
- Texture: The texture of peanut sauce is silky smooth and creamy. However, depending on your preference, you can make it as thin or as thick as you want.
- Flavor: The flavor of peanut sauce is a combination of savory umami flavor and sweet brown sugar. If you like, you can add a kick of sriracha for heat, but it’s not necessary.
- Time: From bowl to table, this sauce takes 5 quick minutes of total time to make.
Making Peanut Sauce for Spring Rolls from Scratch
All you need to make peanut sauce is a bowl and a whisk – absolutely no heat or chopping is required.
- Whisk the Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the soy sauce, peanut butter, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together. If you’d like the spice, add in sriracha, red pepper flakes, or any other chili garlic sauce you like best.
- Thin the Sauce Out: Next, add in water 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking until smooth in between. Keep adding cold water in 2 tablespoon increments until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve the Sauce: Serve the sauce with fresh spring rolls stuffed with matchsticks of english cucumber, carrots, and red bell pepper, as well as fresh herbs (fresh cilantro, mint, and Thai basil), avocado tofu, and your favorite protein.


Tips for the Best Peanut Sauce for Spring Rolls
- Thin the sauce out incrementally. The texture of the sauce will depend on your preference. You can add up to 6 tablespoons of water in 2 tablespoon increments without watering down the taste.
- Add more sriracha depending on your heat tolerance. If you like it extra spicy, feel free to add as much sriracha as your heart desires.
- Swap the brown sugar out for honey. If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, use equal parts of honey instead. To make it easier to incorporate into the sauce, you can nuke it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Opt for low-sodium soy sauce. Opt for low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the salt level. If it’s not salty enough, simply add salt to taste until the flavor is to your liking.
Gluten-Free Hack: If you can’t have gluten, swap the soy sauce out for equal parts tamari instead.
Ways to Use Peanut Sauce Besides Spring Rolls
Yes, spring rolls are a natural option, but your peanut dipping sauce can be used in so many other ways. Swap it in for the dressing in an Asian chicken salad (it goes so well with lettuce and cabbage based salads) or use it as a dip for grilled chicken thighs. You can also serve it on a veggie appetizer tray with carrots, cucumbers, and peppers for dipping for a snack that’s low in calories and high in fiber.
Quick Kid-Friendly Meal: Boil or soak some rice noodles, drain them, and toss them in the peanut sauce for a quick, protein-filled noodle dish your kids will love.
Storage Best Practices
To keep the peanut sauce on hand for up to 5 days, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will prevent it from soaking up any lingering smells in your refrigerator. As it sits in the fridge, the sauce will thicken up again. To thin it out, you can pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
FAQ
Is the peanut sauce for spring rolls good for you?
Yes, the peanut sauce for spring rolls is good for you. It’s packed with protein and you can control the salt level by opting to use low-sodium soy sauce over standard soy sauce.
Is peanut satay sauce the same as peanut sauce for spring rolls?
Peanut satay sauce and peanut sauce have very similar foundational ingredients, although they aren’t exactly the same. Typically, satay sauces contain lime juice, hoisin sauce, and a ton of fresh garlic. That said, everyones recipes is a little different so don’t be surprised to find these ingredients in peanut sauce as well.
Should you use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for peanut sauce for spring rolls?
You can use either creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for peanut sauce for spring rolls. It all comes down to how much texture and crunch you want – either one works great.
Can you freeze peanut sauce for spring rolls?
Yes, you can freeze peanut sauce for later. To do so, store it in a plastic container with a lid and keep it on hand for up to 3 months. To thaw the sauce, place it in the fridge overnight and give it a good stir before serving.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes to Try
- 5-Minute Marinara Sauce – Rich and tangy tomato sauce
- Adjika Recipe – Spicy Slavic tomato and pepper sauce
- Creamy Tomatillo Dressing – A buttermilk based dressing with cilantro, jalapeno and tomatillos.
- Quick Tzatziki Sauce – Greek yogurt and cucumber dip
- Chimichurri Sauce Recipe – Jalapeno and herb sauce
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sriracha optional
- 6 tbsp water lukewarm
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all the ingredients together except for the water. If you want a spicier peanut sauce, add in the sriracha.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water at the time, whisking to combine each time. Once you reach your desired consistency, stop adding water.
- Serve the sauce with your favorite recipe for spring rolls and dip your heart away.
My favorite Thai restaurant serves chicken satay appetizers that are my favorite. They serve them with peanut sauce and another sauce to dip together. The other sauce tastes like maybe it's just vinegar, sugar, and diced cucumbers. Any idea how to make it as well? Thanks!
Hi Tami, I'm not sure what sauce you're referring to. Sorry I'm not much help here.
It's an awesome recipe, can't believe how fast and easy the process is! We loved this sauce so much, I'll be using it often for my family.
Hi Natasha, I am thrilled that you love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with me. Enjoy it, dear!!
I love spring rolls and I love a peanut dipping sauce for them. This sauce is perfect and super easy to make.
Hi Matt, I am pleased to hear that you love this recipe! Thank you for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!
We love this peanut sauce and it's so easy to make!
Hi Jenn, I am so glad to hear that! Enjoy!