Quick and Easy Thai Peanut Dressing Recipe

This Quick and Easy Thai Peanut Dressing recipe is so versatile. It’s a great dressing for Asian style salads as well as a dipping sauce or tossing into many different Asian style dishes.

An Easy and Versatile Thai Dressing

While I’m a fan of certain recipes that are more complicated and may use some exotic ingredients, some of my favorite recipes are those that are easy to make and use ingredients easily found at your local grocery store. This delicious Thai peanut dressing is a wonderful recipe that definitely falls into the easy category. It uses simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand and only takes a few minutes to prepare.

And, I love the versatility of this recipe. It’s not just a homemade salad dressing. Ways I’ve used this dressing:

• A dipping sauce for fresh spring rolls
• As a dressing for a Thai crunch salad
• A sauce for Thai noodle dishes
• Tossed with crispy baked tofu
• As a chicken satay sauce

As you can see, there are so many different ways to use this dressing based on your personal preference. It’s something you definitely want to keep on hand in your fridge.

Preparing the Thai Peanut Dressing

First of all, I wanted this to be a creamy peanut dressing. You can add in crunch in so many other ways. From topping dishes with crushed peanuts to adding crunchy vegetables to your dish / salad.

So, I start with a creamy peanut butter. The rest of the ingredients are made to enhance the dressing and not let the peanut flavor to be overpowering.

The fresh lime juice brings in a wonderfully citrusy and tangy flavor that really compliments the peanut butter. The soy sauce and sesame oil brings in the different Asian flavor profiles we are used to tasting in Asian dishes.

And, most Thai peanut dressings have a little kick and spiciness associated with them. In this case, I’m using a combination of fresh garlic, black pepper and one of my favorites, sriracha sauce to add a little heat. If you’re a fan of more heat and spiciness, you can certainly add more sriracha sauce to your particular taste.

Finally, there is the fresh cilantro. I love the flavor of cilantro as well as the freshness and brightness it brings to any recipe I use it in. I know a number of people do not like cilantro (The most common complaint? Tastes like soap!), so my go-to substitute is fresh parsley.

​Once you whisk this all together, you end up with a wonderfully creamy, citrusy, spicy, peanut-y dressing that you can use in so many ways. So much so, that I often make a double batch so I have enough on hand.

Can I Use a Different Nut Butter?

Since this is a peanut dressing, I do use peanut butter to get that peanut taste profile. Substituting an almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter would definitely change that taste profile. So, for this recipe, I would stick with a regular or natural peanut butter.

How Long Does This Keep in the Fridge?

As long as the dressing is in an airtight container, the dressing should be good for a week in the fridge. I would not suggest freezing. It’s easy enough to make, so just keep the fresh dressing on hand!

Tips and Tricks

• Since peanut butter is so thick, for best results, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. That is preferred over shaking in a covered mason jar.
• The dressing is also great to drizzle over grilled beef, pork or chicken, such as these Thai Peanut Chicken Skewers with Crunchy Slaw Salad or drizzled over this 15 Minute Egg Roll in a Bowl .
• Thai peanut dressing can also be used as a stir-fry sauce with your favorite stir fries of which a favorite of mine is this Thai Peanut Pork Stir Fry.
• If you a not a fan of cilantro, fresh parsley is an excellent substitute ingredient.

Ingredients Needed to Make This Quick and Easy Thai Peanut Dressing Recipe

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Creamy peanut butter
• Fresh lime juice
• Soy sauce
• Sriracha sauce
• Fresh garlic
• Black pepper
• Sesame oil
• Honey
• Fresh cilantro

How to Make Thai Peanut Dressing

• Whisk together all ingredients, except for the cilantro.
• Once ingredients are completely incorporated, stir in minced cilantro.
• Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.