INDONESIAN PEANUT SAUCE

Toss this sauce with noodles, or serve as a dip for grilled tofu or tempeh skewers or fresh vegetables—you can even thin it with water for a salad dressing. The sauce will keep up to a week in the fridge.
YIELD: MAKES 1½ CUPS
2 tsp. (10 ml) peanut oil
1 large shallot, minced (¼ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp. (5 ml))
¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup light coconut milk
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. (10 ml) dark brown sugar
2 tsp. (10 ml) fresh lime juice
Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Sauté shallot in oil 2 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté 1 minute more, or until just fragrant. Whisk in peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ½ cup water until smooth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Serve hot, or at room temperature.
VEGAN
30 MINUTES OR LESS

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 169
Protein: 6 g
Total Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 251 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 4 g

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Indonesian peanut sauce is a glossy, savory-sweet sauce that comes together in one saucepan in under ten minutes. Shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes build the base, then creamy peanut butter and coconut milk whisk in for that signature silky body. Lime juice at the end keeps it bright enough to pour over everything.

Pro Tips

• Sauté the shallot and garlic only until fragrant — garlic turns bitter fast at medium-low heat, and a single extra minute can spoil the whole pan.
• Whisk the peanut butter in gradually with the coconut milk. Dumped in all at once it seizes into clumps that take forever to smooth out.
• The sauce thickens as it cools. Loosen leftovers with a splash of water or coconut milk while reheating to get back to pouring consistency.
• Brown sugar melts into the sauce better than white, giving it that deep molasses note that makes the flavor taste long-simmered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Indonesian peanut sauce vegan?

It already is. Every ingredient — peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime — is plant-based, so it suits a vegan table as written.

What can I use instead of soy sauce?

Coconut aminos keep the sauce paleo-friendly in the same quantity, with a slightly sweeter finish. Tamari is another good option if you only need it gluten-free.

How long does the sauce keep?

Up to a week in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. It will separate slightly as it sits — a vigorous whisk or a spin in the saucepan brings it right back.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

INDONESIAN PEANUT SAUCE

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Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 169

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 tsp . peanut oil
• 1 large shallot, minced (¼ cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• ¾ tsp . red pepper flakes, or to taste
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup light coconut milk
• 1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp . dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp . fresh lime juice

Method

 

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Sauté shallot in oil 2 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
3. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté 1 minute more, or until just fragrant.
4. Whisk in peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ½ cup water until smooth, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Stir in lime juice.
7. Serve hot, or at room temperature. VEGAN
8. 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 6gFat: 14g

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