Recipe

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Follow this Thai peanut dressing recipe for a creamy, savory-sweet dressing you can drizzle over salads, bowls, and more.

This homemade Thai peanut dressing is rich, smooth, and packed with flavor, making anything you drizzle it on taste better.

bottle filled with homemade thai peanut dressing being poured over a salad

Simple Thai Peanut Dressing

There was a Thai restaurant by my old house with the best peanut dressing. When I moved, I resorted to making my own using this simple recipe. You’ll soon be using an old dressing jar like me to have a batch on standby in the fridge; it’s so good.

Ingredients

Smooth peanut butter is the base of this recipe, although crunchy works too! A little maple syrup (or honey) to balance out the savory from the soy sauce. Fresh garlic and ginger are the aromatics used in many Thai recipes, along with fresh lime juice to brighten the flavor. A little chili paste adds a hint of heat, and hot water helps thin everything into a silky, pourable dressing.

homemade thai peanut dressing mixed in a bowl with a wire whisk

How to Make Thai Peanut Dressing

Mix to make the dressing
I like to mix all the ingredients, except the water, in a bowl. Then slowly add the hot water until I reach a consistency I like.
Drizzle it or store it for later
You’ll find this Thai peanut dressing stored in my fridge inside an old dressing bottle (I wash and reuse it). It can stay there for up to a week!

As the dressing chills in the fridge, it thickens. Let it sit at room temperature, then give it a quick shake or stir to bring it back to the perfect consistency.

How to Serve Thai Peanut Dressing

This is the magic drizzle over my Thai lettuce cups, the secret that makes my Thai pasta salad disappear, a dipping sauce for pan-seared chicken or air fryer chicken bites, and the hero of my favorite Thai chicken bowls.

Thai Peanut Dressing (Easy 2-Minute Recipe)

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Follow this Thai peanut dressing recipe for a creamy, savory-sweet dressing you can drizzle over salads, bowls, and more.

5 from 18 votes

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Ingredients

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or honey
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon chili paste, or sriracha
¼ cup hot water

Instructions

Make it:

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the water. Add 2 tablespoons of the hot water, and whisk to combine. The texture will be thick. Now add the remaining 2 tablespoons of water, one at a time, until you reach the dressing consistency you like. If using as a dipping sauce, thicker is usually better.

Storage:

Transfer the dressing to a reusable dressing bottle or lidded jar and refrigerate. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week. To use, give it a shake or stir, and pour over your favorite salads or bowls.