Spicy Peanut Sauce for Grain Bowls

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This spicy sriracha peanut butter sauce is the perfect blend of creamy, spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty. Use this spicy peanut sauce for grain bowls, salads, noodles, or as a dip.

Peanut butter sauce in a jar with a wooden spoon of sauce resting across the top.

I am all about a sauce. Just see my sauce recipe category. But a spicy peanut sauce holds a special place in my meal prep plan because it’s just so savory, salty, creamy, and delicious!

Not only does this sauce hit all the flavor notes, but it’s super versatile too. You can use it as a sauce for grain bowls, a noodle sauce, a salad dressing, or as a dip.

This sriracha peanut sauce requires just 8 pantry ingredients and takes only a few minutes to make.

I recommend using a mini blender like a smoothie cup attachment, or a mini food processor to achieve a super smooth sauce.

You can also whisk this sauce, it just takes a bit longer to get all of the peanut butter flecks smoothed out.

Ingredients

This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe followed by substitution ideas. Read the recipe card for measurements.

peanut butter: for creaminess and flavor.
Sriracha hot sauce: for a vinegary tangy heat.
rice vinegar: for acidity.
soy sauce: for salt and flavor. I use light soy sauce, or half the amount of dark soy sauce plus water.
sesame oil: for nutty flavor.
spices: garlic powder and ginger powder for flavor, for ease instead of using fresh ginger and garlic.

Substitutions

peanut butter: try almond butter instead.
Sriracha hot sauce: try sambal oelek.
rice vinegar: use fresh lemon juice or lime juice.
soy sauce: use Tamari if you need to stay gluten free.
spices: use 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic and 1/2 inch of grated ginger instead of the powder versions.

Instructions

Prep Tips

Appliance: I use a mini food processor to make this sauce super smooth. You can use a small blender cup also.

This sauce comes together in minutes in a blender or food processor. There is no cooking or chopping.

Adding garlic powder to a mini food processor with peanut butter sauce ingredients in it.

Add everything to a mini food processor.

Peanut sauce blending in a mini food processor.

Blend until smooth.

Meal Prep it!

This sauce lasts a week in the fridge, perfect for weekly meal prep of salads, grain bowls, or noodles.

Peanut butter sauce in a jar with a wooden spoon in it.

Tips for making Sriracha peanut sauce

Use more or less Sriracha to adjust the spice level.
This sauce has a bold flavor. Add a splash of water to thin it out a little. This sauce thickens in the fridge.
This sauce lasts about a week in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prepping.
Using ground spices eliminates the need for using fresh ingredients and chopping them. Simply combine and blend.

What to serve with spicy peanut sauce

Try this sauce on rice noodles or sweet potato and quinoa bowls. Use it as a salad dressing like in a cabbage crunch salad.

Use this sauce as a burger sauce or as a dip for fries, breaded tofu, or meatballs.

Storage

Store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.

FAQ

How long does peanut sauce last?

This sauce keeps for about a week in the fridge.