This is such a good, easy Peanut Sauce for stir fries and noodles. Anything you make with it is so tasty! Use with stir fry ingredients of choice using my “formula” – chicken, beef, prawns/shrimp, tofu or vegetarian.
I’m a big fan of peanut sauces, so there’s a few to choose from here! If you’re after a Peanut Sauce for dipping, use the sauce in this Thai Chicken Satay recipe. For a peanut salad dressing, use this Asian Peanut Salad Dressing. If you want a creamy Sesame Peanut Sauce, use the sauce in this Sesame Peanut Noodles recipe.
Peanut Sauce for Stir Fries
This Peanut Sauce for stir fries is one of those gems that belies the short list of simple ingredients. It has depth of flavour and complexity that you find in restaurant peanut sauces yet is much more straight forward to make.
The satay and peanut sauce spectrum is broad – very broad – with variations all across the world, not just from Asia. In Australia, the most well known is probably Thai peanut sauce that are served with Thai satay skewers.
This one is not from any particular cuisine, though Australians will recognise it as similar to the Satay Peanut Sauce flavour served in Chinese restaurants, owing to the hint of curry flavour. It’s adapted from this Quick Satay Stir Fry, a gem of a recipe from a reader that I’ve made dozens of times since receiving it!
This is just a really great, simple Peanut Sauce that will make any stir fry or noodles really tasty!
The secret to really tasty Peanut Sauce
Contrary to popular believe, you do not need tons of peanut butter for a great peanut sauce for stir fries! In fact, a tasty peanut sauce comes down to the combination of other seasonings that makes this extra tasty:
Fish Sauce – more depth of flavour than soy sauce or salt. Don’t worry, once cooked it doesn’t taste fishy!
Soy sauce – I use dark soy for colour but light or all purpose is fine too.
Peanut butter – commercial sweetened spread or natural unsweetened is fine here
Curry powder – the secret ingredient in peanut satay sauces!
Garlic and ginger – fresh is best!
Cornflour/cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
Sugar – for a touch of extra sweet
Use this peanut sauce for stir fries – or use it to make this stir fried Peanut Sauce Noodles!
This is the curry powder I use – Clive of India which is widely available in Australia at supermarkets. Yes, this is an Indian curry. It doesn’t really matter what type of curry powder you use because it’s just a subtle background flavour. I promise!
How to use this Peanut Sauce
To make a stir fry, you will need:
1 batch of Peanut Sauce
200g/7oz of chicken or other protein
4 cups of vegetables
Here’s the written recipe for the Peanut Stir Fry, if you would like a step by step and also there is a recipe video.
To make a NOODLE stir fry, you will need:
DOUBLE batch of Peanut Sauce
The stir fry ingredients above
100g/4 oz dried noodles OR 180g/6 oz fresh noodles (your choice what type – egg, rice, thin, thick)
Here’s the written recipe for the Peanut Noodle Stir Fry, if you would like a step by step and recipe video – pictured below.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
For Peanut and Satay Sauce Fans!
I’m a big fan of peanut sauces and satay. Choose the one you’re after!
Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce – use the sauce in this Thai Chicken Satay Skewers
Indo / Bali Peanut Sauce – use the sauce in this Bali Chicken Satay
Peanut Satay Curry Sauce – deep, complex flavours or a Malaysian satay sauce, see this Chicken Satay Curry. It’s basically Malaysian Satay chicken, in curry form rather than on skewers. ie loads and loads of satay sauce!!
Asian Peanut Dressing for Salads – use the dressing in this Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Peanut Salad Dressing or the Satay Peanut Dressing in this Satay Chicken Noodle Salad.
Creamy Sesame Peanut Sauce for noodles and noodle salads (warm and room temp) – use the sauce in this Sesame Peanut Noodles or this Noodle Salad with Creamy Sesame Peanut Dressing
Peanut Sauce for Stir Fries
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Peanut Sauce for Stir Fries
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (Note 1)
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp curry powder (any type)
- 1 1/2 tbsp / 30 g crunchy peanut butter, regular (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp water
TO USE THE SAUCE:
Stir Fry
- 1 SINGLE batch Peanut Sauce (above)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1 – 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
- 180- 200g / 6 – 7 oz protein of choice, sliced
- 3 – 4 cups vegetables of choice, chopped / sliced as required and grouped by cooking time (Note 4)
Noodle Stir Fry – you will need
- DOUBLE batch Peanut Sauce (tap Servings & slide)
- Stir fry ingredients above
- 100g / 3.5 oz dried rice noodles OR 180g/6 oz fresh noodles of choice , prepared per packet
Garnish (optional):
- Finely chopped coriander / cilantro, crushed peanuts
Instructions
Peanut Sauce:
- Place all ingredients other than water in a bowl. Mix to combine. Then add water and mix again.
For STIR FRY:
- Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add garlic and 1/2 sliced onion. Cook 1 minute.
- Add protein of choice or sliced tofu. Cook 2 minutes until just cooked.
- Add vegetables in order of time to cook, starting with the veggies that take the longer. Cook briefly until just cooked but still crisp.
- Add delicate veggies (eg bean sprouts, spinach and other leafy greens) and Sauce. Toss until Sauce thickens (add extra water if needed).
- Garnish with peanuts and coriander / cilantro, if using. Serve over rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
For NOODLES:
- Follow Stir Fry directions. Add NOODLES with the Sauce in step 4.
- Toss for 1 – 2 minutes until Sauce thickens and coats noodles. Remove from heat, garnish and serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Dozer’s golden retriever boarder continued to send me daily updates even when I was off the grid. This is the first one I saw when I returned to civilisation. He looks like he’s behaving……. he respects her a whole lot more than me!!
So funny that you are in NZ, my adopted country, while I am here in Victoria in Phillip Island for the classic car racing before going on to the Yarra Valley for some serious wine tasting.
I am so happy that you enjoyed NZ. I would not return to my native UK to live!!
That’s a co-incidence!!! NZ is a stunning country 🙂 And so easy to get to. I can’t wait to go back! N x
I have had great fun perusing the shelves in Aldi, Coles and Woolies. You have a much bigger variety of European foods, unsurprisingly with the old pattern of migration to the Melbourne area. The range of natural yogurts is amazing, as well as the size of some containers!!! Some food is way cheaper than NZ but other things are dearer, so swings and roundabouts 🙂
Cheers
Kiwi Carol x
Yum, Nagi, awesome sauce. I tossed it (in my new Wok I got for Christmas — first use!) with chunks of chicken breast, red and green peppers, onion, snow peas, 5-spice and Udon noodles (just soaked in hot water). The ginger really shines! A little water to widen it. Came out F-tabulous. Thanks! A good satay is a great addition to so many scrumptious meals.
LOVE hearing that Martin!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x PS What a great Christmas present!!
Is there anything you could use in place of fish sauce for vegetarians?
Thanks!
Becca
I would give mushroom soy sauce a go 🙂 It’s not so much that it tastes mushroomy, but the earthy mushroom flavour has umami that will replace what fish sauce brings to this 🙂 Hope that helps!
Great, thanks! It’s on the menu for this Saturday. I’ll post how it turns out.
Cheers,
Becca
Do you always make this per recipe, or do you make up a big jar of it like you do your Chinese Brown Sauce, Charlie?
Do you use the same stir0fry formula as when you use the brown-sauce? If so, that gives us two sauce alternatives that we can keep in jars in our fridge.
Hi Drew! For this one I make it fresh but if you want to make a jar of it, just skip the garlic and ginger and add them fresh just before using. That’s a great question actually, I will add it into the notes! 🙂
I am in love with this peanut sauce. I never thought of using curry powder in my peanut sauce, I love it. And I always love fish sauce. I’ll put that stuff on pretty much anything.
I love the wilderness, but no way you could have gotten me on that bridge…I would have died from a heart attack right these. I almost did just looking at the picture…
Those bridges were pretty scary…. they call them Swing Bridges for a reason!!! And the big sign that says “ONLY 1 PERSON AT A TIME” makes it even more terrifying!!!
Hi Nagi, my husband has peanut butter on toast every morning. Yeh, you guessed it , he loves peanut butter! This recipe is sure to put a huge smile on his face and my youngest and her hubby love satay chicken but use the bottle version as it’s easier for them being workers. So I’ll just have to make this dish and know they will all love it!
Dozer is so cute and I am sure he misses you terribly even though he is behaving himself. NZ is a beautiful part of the world, been there twice over the years, just lovely!
Mustn’t deprive your husband of having peanut butter for DINNER! 😂 NZ certainly is beautiful, I can’t wait to go back! N x
Two thumbs up from my crew!
🙌🏻
Thank you for beautiful photos. Enjoy Mother Nature and recharge your batteries.
Not sure how much battery recharging was done being with a group of NINE GIRLFRIENDS……..🤣
Thank you Milady!! You may have wandered a bit over the Asian continent for this but since I work fulltime, eat mostly Asian, cook stirfries more than any other variation thereof and have not often reached for peanut butter – this is a welcome addition to the fold! I can see one word in Dozer’s eyes: ‘When?’ . . . .
Really! I didn’t think this one would appeal to you Eha!!! You’re full of surprises 😇
I’m going to make this sauce…and spend lots of time discovering all the things it will take from “meh”…to…”O.M.G!”
I’m thinking, almost anything it touches. 😀
Dozer might respect her more (questionable)….but he Loves you the most! (Undoubtable!)
Oh believe me, if you saw how he behaves in front of his boarder, you’d know there is no question!!! He absolutely sucks up to her, there is no other way to describe it! 🤣
Can’t WAIT to try this Nagi .. I have already tried your Satay Chicken with Peanut sauce and it was a HUGE SUCCESS with my family.. Another great recipe from you– Wonderful!
BTW, could you do a quick cooking tip blog– my husband made the beef and rice recipe again last night .. and didn’t cook the rice long enough … if you get me drift … cough, cough … But it’s a wonderful recipe.
You mean a rice cooking post?? If so – HOW DID YOU KNOW I’M WORKING ON ONE??!! (If not, I need more hints!)
Such gorgeous photos…New Zealand looks beautiful…Love the recipe and Dozer looks like he’s behaving…I hope he isn’t too bored away from you and all the good food:)
Bored? Never! He has an absolute BLAST when he’s away from me, he’s playing with a whole hoard of retrievers!! 😂
Do you have any suggestions for a non fish alternative to the fish sauce? The recipe looks delicious!
I have had this recipe for quite a while now, but haven’t tried it yet It should be OK: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-vegan-fish-sauce-130535
Thanks so much for sharing that Marina!
Thanks once again for a super easy delicious recipe..What a breath taking photo you sent .👍up for daring the plank bridge walk I would have probably fallen off with jittery nerves!
Dozer looks obedient but I think he misses you 🐕
You have nerves of steel!
Just to let you know I using your satay peanut sauce for a party I having soon and will use the sauce as a dipper for your thai chickem meatballs that I make all the time
Tks👍
I was absolutely convinced that bridge was going to swing right around and flip upside down!!!