This creamy peanut dressing for salads comes together in under 5 minutes with one bowl and a whisk. Made with natural peanut butter, tamari, lime, ginger, and garlic, it’s bold, tangy, and delicious. No coconut milk, no blender, no fuss. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
If you’ve made my Thai Peanut Dense Bean Salad, you already know this dressing. It’s pretty much always the sauce or dressing that takes a salad from a pile of veggies into an irresistible meal, and this peanut sauce is one of the most craveable dressings I’ve made in a while. After making it on repeat I figured it deserved its own post.
I’ve been making some version of this peanut dressing for years. I am a peanut sauce LOVER. Give me all the springs rolls to dunk in it at Thai restaurants, because we all know they’re just vehicles for the sauce, right? Thankfully, this amazing peanut sauce dressing takes less than five minutes, and it is delicious on pretty much everything: salads, noodles, grain bowls, wraps, and roasted vegetables. The ginger and garlic give it depth, the lime keeps it bright, and a little maple syrup ties everything together without making it taste sweet.
The best part: no coconut milk needed, and no blender. Just a bowl, a whisk, and ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Why you’ll love this peanut dressing
- Ready in 5 minutes with one bowl and a whisk
- No coconut milk, no blender, no special equipment
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free, using tamari instead of soy sauce
- Works as a salad dressing, noodle sauce, dipping sauce, and grain bowl drizzle
- Stores in the fridge for up to a week, making it the ultimate meal prep sauce
- Easily customizable: adjust the heat, sweetness, and thickness to your taste
What you’ll need
- Natural peanut butter — creamy works best for a smooth dressing. Crunchy works too if you want a little extra texture. I love a little crunch, so I usually do crunchy if I have it.
- Tamari — keeps it gluten-free. Regular soy sauce works if GF isn’t a concern.
- Rice vinegar — adds a gentle acidity that balances the richness of the peanut butter.
- Toasted sesame oil — just a tablespoon, but it adds a deep, nutty aroma that makes the whole dressing taste more complex.
- Maple syrup — a small amount to round out the flavors without making it sweet.
- Fresh lime juice — essential for brightness. Bottled lime juice won’t give you the same result here.
- Fresh ginger and garlic — finely grated is best, not minced. Grating gives you a smoother dressing with more evenly distributed flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce, chili crisp, or sambal oelek — for heat. Start with one teaspoon and adjust from there.
How to use peanut dressing
This is genuinely one of the most versatile sauces I keep in my fridge. Here are the ways I use it most:
- As a salad dressing: it was born for this. Drizzle it over my Thai Peanut Dense Bean Salad for the full experience, or use it over any simple green salad with cabbage, carrots, and cucumber.
- Over noodles: toss it with rice noodles and whatever vegetables you have on hand for a quick cold noodle bowl. My Cold Sesame Noodle Bowl uses a very similar dressing and is one of my favorite summer meals.
- As a dipping sauce: thin it slightly less than you would for a dressing and serve alongside spring rolls, lettuce wraps, or crispy tofu.
- Over grain bowls: drizzle it over rice, quinoa, or any grain bowl situation.
- On roasted vegetables: roasted broccoli, sweet potato, and cauliflower are all incredible with this drizzled on top after roasting.
How to get the consistency right
This dressing thickens considerably in the fridge, so the consistency you’re going for depends on how you’re using it. For a pourable salad dressing, add warm water one tablespoon at a time until it’s thin enough to drizzle easily. For a dipping sauce, keep it thicker. A good rule of thumb: if it falls off a spoon in a slow, thick ribbon, it’s perfect for salads. If it holds a shape, thin it a little more.
Storage
Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. It will thicken as it sits. Just add a splash of warm water and whisk or shake to loosen it back up before using. This dressing is not suitable for freezing as it can separate and become grainy when thawed.
Want more delicious salad dressings?
The Best Lemon Vinaigrette
This lemon olive oil dressing comes together in five minutes with just a handful of ingredients: fresh lemon, garlic, dijon or tahini, and good olive oil. Bright, tangy, and versatile enough to use on salads, grain bowls, roasted veggies, and more. Vegan, gluten-free, and Whole30.
Creamy Vegan Caesar Dressing
This creamy Vegan Caesar Dressing is made without any dairy, yet it maintains the creaminess you love from caesar dressing thanks to soaked cashews. The dressing is briny, salty, tart, and so delicious as a salad dressing, a dip, or spread on sandwiches and wraps.
Creamy Miso Sesame Dressing
This Creamy Miso Sesame Dressing is a rich, savory tahini-based dressing with miso, ginger, and lime that comes together in five minutes and makes everything it touches taste better.
Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter, creamy for a smooth sauce, or crunchy for a little extra crunchiness
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, keeps it GF
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1-2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, chili crisp, or sambal oelek (adjust to heat preference)
- 1-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin, add a tablespoon at a time
Instructions
- Whisk peanut butter, tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and chili garlic sauce together in a bowl or jar. The mixture will look thick and clumpy.1/3 cup natural peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, Juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the dressing is smooth and pourable but still has body. Taste and adjust: more lime for brightness, more tamari for saltiness, more maple for sweetness, more chili for heat.1-3 tablespoons warm water
- Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will thicken as it sits. Add a splash of warm water and whisk or shake to loosen it back up before using. This dressing is not suitable for freezing as it can separate and become grainy when thawed.
