This Vietnamese Peanut Sauce is sweet, savory, and deeply umami-packed, and it comes together in just 5 minutes. If you love summer rolls, cold noodle bowls, or crispy tofu, this simple hoisin-based peanut sauce is one of those refrigerator staples that instantly makes dinner better. It's tested, balanced, and easy enough for weeknights.
What Makes This Version Different
Vietnamese-style peanut sauce is typically cooked, which gives it a smoother, more cohesive texture than raw peanut dipping sauces. Simmering the hoisin and peanut butter together helps emulsify the mixture and creates that glossy, velvety finish. It's the style most commonly served alongside fresh spring rolls and sometimes offered as a dipping sauce with pho.
Unlike some Thai peanut sauces, this version doesn't rely on coconut milk or lime juice. It's simpler, built on hoisin, garlic, and peanut butter for a sweet-savory balance that's deeply nutty and just slightly tangy.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 5 minutes in just one small saucepan.
- Uses pantry ingredients.
- Vegetarian and easily made vegan.
- Better than store-bought versions.
Jump to:
Ingredients that Matter
This peanut sauce features a handful of simple pantry ingredients. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Peanut Butter. Natural peanut butter creates a looser, silkier sauce. If using conventional peanut butter (with added sugar and stabilizers), reduce the hoisin slightly to keep the sweetness balanced.
- Hoisin. This thick, sweet, tangy and salty condiment is a staple in Cantonese cooking. It is now widely used outside of Chinese cuisine and is one of the most popular Chinese condiments sold in America. In Vietnamese cooking, it's also widely used in pho in addition to this style of peanut sauce. Not all hoisin sauces are gluten-free. If needed, look for certified gluten-free hoisin sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Garlic. Use a few cloves of garlic (about 1 tablespoon minced) simmered in a bit of neutral oil to flavor the peanut sauce.
- Neutral Oil. Fry the minced garlic in a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, peanut or even olive oil.
- Water. The water thins the sauce while it simmers. Add it gradually if you prefer a thicker dipping sauce versus a pourable dressing for noodle bowls.
- Peanuts (optional). You can garnish the sauce with roasted, slightly salted chopped peanuts. It's an optional garnish, but one I always use when I have peanuts in my pantry.
- Sambal Oelek or Rice Vinegar (optional). Add 1-2 teaspoons of sambal for a kick of heat and/or 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar for extra tang.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vietnamese-Style Peanut Sauce
This recipe comes together in about 5 minutes and requires just one pan to make. Here is how this recipe comes together:
- Start by heating the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently. You are looking for lightly golden garlic, not brown. Burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
- Add the hoisin and peanut butter and stir to combine, then slowly pour in the water while whisking.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes. The sauce may look separated at first but keep whisking. As it simmers, the peanut butter and hoisin will fully emulsify into a smooth, glossy sauce. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Cool slightly (the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools) and garnish with chopped peanuts, if using.
Adam's Pro Tip
Don't skip the simmer. Heating the peanut butter with hoisin helps stabilize the sauce and prevents oil separation after refrigeration.
Substitutions
This recipe uses only a handful of ingredients, but there are some substitutions you can make based on your dietary restrictions or flavor preferences. Consider these substitutions:
- Peanut Butter - I always recommend using natural creamy peanut butter for this recipe, but you could use chunky peanut butter if you aren't looking for a smooth sauce. You can even use the sweetened, palm oil style of peanut butter if that's what you have.
- Garlic - Instead of using fresh minced garlic, you can also use store-bought fried garlic. You can find it in the Asian section of your local grocery store or at a specialty or international market. If using store-bought fried garlic, simply combine all the ingredients to a saucepan and simmer until thickened.
- Heat - If you want to add some heat to this sauce, try stirring in about 1 tablespoon of sriracha (note that this is not traditional to this recipe) or even a sambal chili garlic sauce. Start small as the spice intensifies as the sauce reduces.
- Vegan/Gluten-Free - Double check your hoisin sauce is vegan and gluten-free (it should be, but just read the label to confirm). Most hoisin sauces are soy-based and contain wheat, which is why checking the label matters if you're gluten-free.
- Hoisin alternative - If you don't have hoisin sauce, you can try substituting 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon rice vinegar. It's not the same, but will have similar sweet and salty notes.
- Nut-Free Option - It won't be peanut sauce without the peanut butter, but if you are nut-free, you can swap in sunflower seed butter.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for some great ways to use homemade peanut sauce? Give this a try:
- Serve as a dipping sauce for Red Lentil Patties or Tofu Satay recipe
- Spoon over grilled chicken skewers
- Toss with rice noodles for a quick peanut noodle bowl
- Drizzle over vegan Chickpea Patties
- Pair with Air Fryer Steak Fries
- Use as a sauce for Summer Roll and Peanut Tofu Bowls
- Use as a dressing for a salad topped with Roasted Black Beans
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, which is normal. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of warm water to loosen before serving.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat or microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each. Stir well before serving, especially if it has been refrigerated overnight.
Do not freeze as the sauce may separate.
Tasting Notes
This sauce leans slightly sweeter than many Thai peanut sauces due to the hoisin. For a more savory profile, increase the peanut butter slightly. For more tang, add a small splash of rice vinegar. The finished sauce should be thick but spoonable, smooth enough to drizzle, thick enough to cling to spring rolls.
FAQ
Vietnamese-style peanut sauce is typically cooked and built around hoisin, peanut butter, and garlic. The simmering process creates a smoother, more cohesive texture compared to raw peanut dipping sauces.
Store leftover homemade peanut sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Use homemade peanut sauce on a cold noodle bowl, a dressing for salad, a dip for crispy tofu or grilled chicken, or a dip for summer rolls.
No. Thai peanut sauce often includes coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce. Vietnamese-style versions are typically simpler and often built around hoisin.
Yes, use certified gluten-free hoisin sauce.
Yes. It actually improves after resting for a few hours.
Most versions of hoisin are vegan, just check the label.
It thickens as it cools. Stir in warm water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
More Sauce
Looking for more sauce recipes like this? Try these:
Vegetarian Recipes
If you want more vegetarian recipes, gives these a try:
Print
Recipe
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 ¼ cups 1x
Description
This Vietnamese Peanut Sauce is sweet, savory, and deeply umami-packed, and it comes together in just 5 minutes. If you love summer rolls, cold noodle bowls, or crispy tofu, this simple hoisin-based peanut sauce is one of those refrigerator staples that instantly makes dinner better. It's tested, balanced, and easy enough for weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, peanut or olive
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)
- 5 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. roughly chopped roasted, lightly salted peanuts
- chili garlic sauce or sriracha, if desired
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic just turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the hoisin and peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens and becomes velvety smooth, about 4 minutes.
- Remove sauce from heat and transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. Add chili garlic sauce or sriracha, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- I recommend using creamy natural peanut butter, but you can also use chunky peanut butter, if desired. In addition, you can use peanut butter with added sugar and palm oil if that's what you prefer.
- The sauce may appear thin as it cooks, but be sure to let it simmer until it tightens up. And note that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools off the heat.
- In addition, the sauce will further thicken as it sits in the refrigerator so you may want to thin it out with a splash of water.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: sauces
- Method: simmering
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Leave a Reply