This easy peanut sauce recipe is made with only 5 simple ingredients you probably have on hand! The perfect healthy, vegan, and gluten free condiment for peanut butter lovers!

This post was originally published in 2018, but has since been updated.
I am capital A-wful at making my own dressings. Even ones that require minimal effort. For the amount of salads I eat (aka at least one a day), you would think I would have this whole dressing thing down to a science, but I'm still in the dump salsa, squirt with mustard, or buy store-bought stage.
That is, unless peanut butter is involved.
What makes this peanut sauce delicious and healthy
- peanut butter
- tamari
- lime juice
- garlic
- white vinegar
- water
How to make this easy peanut sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup creamy, natural (the runny kind) peanut butter, 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free), 4 tablespoons lime juice, 4 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Serve immediately, or transfer to a jar with a lid, and store in refrigerator for up to a week.

Pro Tips:
- Add a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- Use a chunky peanut butter if you want some added texture.
- Add more or less water depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce to be.
FAQs
Does this peanut sauce need to be refrigerated?
Since it contains lime juice and fresh garlic, I would recommend refrigerating the sauce for storage for up to 1 week.
Is it gluten-free?
As long as you are using tamari, or a gluten-free soy sauce, this recipe is gluten-free, and is also vegan-friendly.
Can you freeze this peanut sauce?
This sauce can be frozen, and I recommend freezing portions into ice cube trays for convenience. This way, you can thaw as much as you want to use at a time, instead of having to use all of it at once.

Money-Saving Tips for this Easy Peanut Sauce Recipe:
- Buy whole garlic. While the pre-chopped or peeled stuff can be convenient, it comes at a price too. Buy the whole bulb, and spend a little extra time chopping to save a little extra dough.
- Look for store-brand. Natural peanut butter can be a little more expensive than the regular kind, which is where store brands can come in handy. Just check the ingredient label to make sure peanuts, and (maybe) salt are the only ingredients listed. Some of my other favorite brands are Teddie's and Krema/Crazy Richard's.
- Buy a bigger bottle. It may be more expensive upfront, but buyer a larger bottle of soy sauce, (or tamari if gluten-free) can cost less per serving than smaller bottles.
More dressing recipes:
Greek Yogurt Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
Pin this to your Dressings board!
Did you make this recipe? Rate it & leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!


5 Ingredient Easy Peanut Sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
This easy peanut sauce recipe is made with only 5 simple ingredients you probably have on hand! The perfect healthy, vegan, and gluten free condiment for peanut butter lovers!
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural peanut butter (the runny kind)
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari*
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to jar with tight fitting lid.
- Replace lid, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
*soy sauce can be used if not strictly gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 107
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 298
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: peanut butter, sauce, dressing, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
Brynn at The Domestic Dietitian
I love this simple recipe! Peanut Sauce is one of my favorites but they usually require so many ingredients. Can't wait to give this a whirl.
Andy Bishop
I love peanut sauce. Thanks for sharing this!
★★★★★
Emily Cooper
My pleasure. 🙂 Always love spreading that peanut butter love far and wide!