This Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce is delicious whether you serve it hot or cold. It’s my go-to dipping sauce for grilled chicken satay, over a Soba noodle salad topped with fresh vegetables, lettuce wraps, or with vegetable kabobs over jasmine rice. So good!
Light coconut milk and peanut butter provide a silky base for this Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce. Ginger, lemon grass, fresh scallions and lime juice brighten it, while a touch of soy and fish sauce deliver big, umami flavor. I like to use a chunky peanut butter to give this peanut sauce recipe a little added texture.
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A balanced approach to better nutrition
If you’re looking to make some sustainable changes to your daily nutrition, a healthy, well-balanced power bowl can be a great recipe for success. So, what goes into a balanced power bowl? There are four elements that go into building the perfect power bowl every time – whole grains, veggies, lean proteins and fats.
GRAINS – A 1/2 cup serving of whole grains is all you need to begin building your perfect power bowl. If I’m meal prepping at home, I usually cook up farro and quinoa or a blend of quinoa and other grains for a little variety. If you prefer barley, brown rice or some other grain use them instead. However, in this recipe, we’re using another great alternative – Soba noodles made from buckwheat. Choose your favorites and you’ll be more likely to stick to your nutrition goals.
VEGGIES – Veggies should make up approximately 50% of your power bowl. Fresh veggies deliver that satisfying crunch and texture we all crave in our food. They also provide lots of flavor, fiber and the nutrients our bodies need.
LEAN PROTEIN – If you’re already physically active or have just begun a new exercise program, your body needs protein to rebuild muscle. A general rule for a serving of plant-based protein such as beans is 3/4 cup and 4-6 ounces for animal-based proteins such as eggs, chicken or fish.
FATS – You need a little fat in your diet. Fat helps our bodies absorb important vitamins such as A, D and E. Nuts, seeds, avocados and flavor-packed sauces round out a good power bowl. Aim for 1 Tbsp. of oils and 1/4 cup for solid items like nuts or avocados.
If you’re looking for more delicious ideas to add to your power bowl rotation, check out my recipe for Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls. And don’t forget the pickled onions and avocado buttermilk dressing. They really make this bowl sing.
Ingredients Used in this Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce
This Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce is a great dipping sauce for grilled chicken or vegetables. However, my absolute favorite way to enjoy this sauce is on a Healthy 4-Element Soba Noodle Salad. I like the juxtaposition of the warm noodles and warm sauce over a cool, crisp salad, but it’s also good served completely chilled. One recipe will easily dress 4 – 6 salads.
Traditional Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. Because buckwheat is a gluten free whole grain, it can make the noodles more difficult to work with. For this reason, many Soba noodles contain some percentage of wheat flour (80 percent buckwheat to 20 percent wheat flour is a common ratio) to make the dough more easy to work with. I recommend reading the ingredients list carefully so you know exactly what you’re getting – especially if you’re looking for a completely gluten free option.
It may surprise you to find that one key ingredient in this Thai peanut sauce recipe is fish sauce. I prefer Red Boat Fish Sauce. This fermented sauce adds significant depth and flavor to this condiment. So, don’t be tempted to skip it.
Another important ingredient in this peanut sauce recipe is soy sauce. I prefer the Japanese Tamari Soy Sauce by San-J. I find it has a smoother, more complex flavor. However, while developing this recipe I tried different soy sauces and found all acceptable. Use what you have in a pinch, but do try Tamari when you get a chance.
Let’s Get Social!
I hope you give this Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce and my recipe for Healthy 4-Element Soba Noodle Salad a try. They both come together in no time, and are as flexible as they are delicious! Blessings and enjoy!
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Easy 15-Minute Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce
Course: SidesCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy2.5
cups5
minutes10
minutesThis delicious and creamy sauce is delicious served over soba noodles or for dipping grilled chicken.
Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
One 13.5-ounce can of light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. lemon grass paste
2 Tbsp. scallions, sliced thin
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Directions
- In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, ginger paste, lemon grass paste and scallions. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until combined. Reduce the temperature to a simmer and allow to reduce for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice and serve.
- Sauce can be served warm or cold. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.
