This easy 10-minute Satay Sauce Recipe makes a great dip for chicken, pork or vegetable skewers. Smooth and creamy with a little chilli kick!
A decent satay sauce, made from store cupboard ingredients is a great recipe to have on standby. It's a simple way to pep up a rotisserie chicken, drizzle over a salad or to use as a dip for veggies.
Of course it also goes perfectly with satay chicken skewers- which is a recipe we all love at home. Not forgetting beef satay skewers too (I must get a recipe up for that one on the blog).
What do we need?
I prefer to use shop-bought smooth peanut butter for the sake of simplicity, but you can whizz up your own peanuts for this if you prefer. Or you could use chunky peanut butter. A traditional Indonesian Satay (where satay originates) would use roasted peanuts that have been ground by hand.
How to make Satay Sauce
In a small saucepan mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli flakes, fish sauce, coconut milk, light brown sugar and ground coriander whilst heating over a medium heat.
It will thicken as it approaches boiling point. Turn off the heat just before it comes to the boil and stir in fresh lime juice. You can serve it warm or cold. If serving it warm, reheat right before serving.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes! The sauce can be made ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2-3 days. Place in a pan and reheat whilst stirring if you want to serve it warm.
What Type Of Peanut butter
Either crunchy or smooth is fine. Alternatively you can whizz up your own dry-roasted peanuts in a food processor to a chunky or smooth texture.
Don't want the heat?
You can leave the chilli flakes out entirely if you prefer. I like it a little spicy, but it's completely up to you.
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1tbspfish sauce - (sub with vegetarian fish sauce if you want it vegetarian)
7oz(200ml) coconut milk - from a tin
1tbsplight brown sugar
½tspground coriander
Juice of 1 lime - (about 2 tbsp)
Toppings (optional):
½tspsesame seeds
1tbsproasted peanuts - finely chopped
pinchchilli flakes
1tbspfresh coriander - cilantro leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all of the satay sauce ingredients EXCEPT for the lime juice into a small pan
Heat over medium heat whilst stirring with a wooden spoon. The sauce will look thin at first, then as it comes close to boiling point, it will start to thicken. Don't let the sauce boil, just turn down the heat as it approaches boiling point and stir until thickened, then turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Transfer the sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, chilli flakes and fresh coriander before serving.
Video
✎ Notes
Reheating:
The sauce can be served cool or warm, or you can reheat if you wish (the oil will separate a little from the peanut butter and coconut milk as it cools, but a good mix with a wooden spoon will bring it back together again).Nutritional information is per serving. This recipe contains 8 servings.
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Hi I’m Nicky
I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.
This was a hit! I made as per ingredients but added a touch of garlic and kids loved it. I was so time/stove space poor that I ashamedly put it in the microwave 🤦♂️ for 2mins, however it still turned out a treat!
Thank you for this super delicious super quick recipe!!! I added double quantity of the peanut butter, but stuck to the rest of the quantities. It shall be my ‘go to’ forever!! 😋😋😋
Hi Shaun, the fish sauce adds a bit of salty, umami flavour. You can leave it out if you prefer and it will still be tasty. Or you could add a splash more soy sauce.
Den says
Great satay sauce, smooth, silky & tasty
Tammy White says
This is easy and super tasty. The best satay I’ve ever made……and I’ve tried a few.
SW says
This was a hit! I made as per ingredients but added a touch of garlic and kids loved it. I was so time/stove space poor that I ashamedly put it in the microwave 🤦♂️ for 2mins, however it still turned out a treat!
Jo says
Am I missing something? All I could taste was the dark soy. Really disappointing result
Mandy says
If I don’t have corriander powder what can I substitute it with please
Jill Dunn says
Thank you for this super delicious super quick recipe!!! I added double quantity of the peanut butter, but stuck to the rest of the quantities. It shall be my ‘go to’ forever!! 😋😋😋
Bev Titterton says
Love kitchen Sanctuary recipes. Not over complicated but always tasty.
Shaun McC says
Hi this looks lovely...would it make much difference if i didn't add the fish sauce?
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Shaun, the fish sauce adds a bit of salty, umami flavour. You can leave it out if you prefer and it will still be tasty. Or you could add a splash more soy sauce.
Maggie says
Love all your recipes, keep them coming!
Jai says
Can I use lemon instead of lime?
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Jai, lime juice is definitely preferable, but lemon juice should work if you don't have any limes.
Kerrie Storer says
So easy to make and very tasty. I will be making it again.
Rachel Cartwright says
This sounds yummy, going to give it a go. Have you tried freezing it to keep small portions ready to go?
Thanks
Christine says
Made this yesterday to go with our bbq pork kebabs, so tasty. I will definitely be making this again.