The reason we say that this very easy, vegan spicy Asian peanut sauce is versatile is because you can use it for so many things! Toss baked, steamed, or fried tofu with it, put it over rice, or use it over noodles to make dan dan mian. Or thin it out a bit and use it as a dipping sauce for potstickers, spring rolls, or vegan egg rolls!

Of course, you don’t have to make this peanut sauce very spicy or, in fact, spicy at all. That’s the great thing about making your own at home – you can make it to your own taste! So while this recipe calls for 1-3 tablespoons of sriracha, you can use as much or as little as you like. You can also either sub or augment it with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Really, we look at recipes as guidelines and suggestions; one should always feel free and inspired to make a recipe one’s own!

While many people associate peanut sauce with Chinese food because of dishes like dan dan noodles appearing on the menu at Chinese restaurants, most sources identify the sort of peanut sauce with which we are familiar as originating in Indonesia, by way of Mexico. According to Wikipedia, peanut sauce was “[i]ntroduced from Mexico by Portuguese and Spanish merchants in the 16th century, peanuts found a place within Indonesian cuisine as a popular sauce. Peanuts thrived in the tropical environment of Southeast Asia, and today, they can be found roasted and chopped finely, topping a variety of dishes and in marinades and dipping sauces.”

That said, noted Thai food and recipe expert Kasma Loha-unchit points out that the “peanut is really a New World native originating in South America, possibly in northern Argentina or southern Bolivia. European explorers spread the nut across the oceans and continents – first to Africa and Brazil, and then to the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, China. Indonesia and India. They reached North America in the 1600s, probably via Africa. The top growers of peanuts in the world today are (in order) China, India, Nigeria and the United States. In every country but the United States, the vast majority of peanuts are used to make oil. Most of the peanuts in America are consumed as peanut butter, a form which is eaten very little by the rest of the world. So when a restaurant makes a peanut sauce using peanut butter, it is really an American sauce and the furthest thing away from Thai or other Asian foods.”

Kasma adds that “To me, a peanut sauce made from peanut butter always will taste like peanut butter. Back in Southeast Asia, when we make a peanut sauce, we always start with whole, freshly roasted peanuts, which we grind and then simmer with other ingredients to give the sauce a fresh taste of roasted peanuts. A peanut sauce made this way tastes lighter than when peanut butter is used and the flavor of the peanuts blends in more intricately with the spice flavors.” (Kasma’s Peanut Sauce Recipe.)

While ours uses, yes, peanut butter, we still stand by it as a super easy, versatile, and delicious version!

Super Easy, Versatile and Delicious Vegan Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce

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