This simple peanut sauce comes together in five minutes and adds a kid-friendly drizzle to veggies, rice bowls, and noodles.
Reader Review
This is the first peanut sauce recipe that we have LOVED! Thank you!
I had big ambitions for last night’s dinner: Tempeh Bowls.
Tempeh was a pretty new food for my kids, so I was half-expecting they’d leave the table hungry. Then I burned the roasted veggies and singed the pan-fried kale.
“Tonight’s dinner may not be the best meal you’ve ever had,” I quietly warned my husband.
But he and the kids lined up, scooped up brown rice from the Instant Pot and piled it with triangles of tempeh and said they didn’t care that the veggies were slightly blackened.
Everyone ate a good helping and chatted about their days (and by “their days”, I mean Fortnite).
I give all the credit to the peanut sauce.
This Easy Peanut Sauce is a cinch to make and can be drizzled onto rice bowls, mixed with noodles, or used as a dip for veggies.
And think about it this way: If this sauce can rescue my Tempeh and Burnt Vegetable Rice Bowls, imagine what it can do for you!
Ingredients You Need For Kid-Friendly Peanut Sauce
- Peanut Butter: I like using natural peanut butter, which is simply ground peanuts or ground peanuts and salt. It tends to be thinner and “drippier” than regular peanut butter, which works well for this sauce. If you use regular peanut butter, simply add more water to thin out the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Choose reduced-sodium soy sauce.
- Maple Syrup: Go for pure maple syrup (check ingredient lists).
- Rice Vinegar: Find this with the regular vinegars.
- Sesame Oil: You can omit this if you don’t generally keep this in your pantry (we use it for stir-fries!).
- Garlic: Mince or press the clove.
- Water: The water is optional. Whisk some in, a teaspoon at a time, until you get a consistency you like. Keep in mind that the sauce thickens the longer it rests.
How to Make This Easy Peanut Sauce
Simply whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. If it’s too thick, just drizzle in the water, about a teaspoon at a time, until you get the texture you like.
Questions about Easy Peanut Sauce
What does peanut sauce go with?
You can serve this sauce with cooked or raw veggies, with noodles, over rice, or with anything kids like. Sauces are a great “bridge” to trying new or less familiar foods, so let your kids explore.
Can I use regular peanut butter instead of natural in this sauce?
Yes. This recipe calls for natural peanut butter, which only contains peanuts (or peanuts and salt). If you use regular peanut butter, the sauce will be thicker and may require more water.
How do you store peanut sauce?
Keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container such as a jar with a lid. After it’s been refrigerated, let it rest at room temperature for a half hour or so, give it a good shake, then whisk in a little water as needed before using again.
How long does this peanut sauce last?
I’ve kept mine for about a week.
Is this sauce spicy?
Not at all. This sauce s very mild. If you want some heat, add a squirt of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Get More Kid-Friendly Recipes and Tips
This recipe is from my book The 101 Healthiest Foods For Kids, which is a guide to the best foods to fuel your child’s body and mind, with 26 easy recipes you can make with your kids, and answers to some of the most common kid-feeding questions.
Easy Peanut Sauce
In our house, we drizzle this simple sauce on rice and veggie bowls. It's a sweet way to encourage kids to eat their veggies.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, (or tamari for gluten-free sauce)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon water, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, maple syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, and garlic until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, drizzle in water slowly, one teaspoon at a time, while whisking, until you get the texture you like.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1/5 of recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 363mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 4g
More Recipes For You
Kid-Approved Tofu Bowls
Kid-Approved Roasted Broccoli
Homemade Mild Taco Seasoning Mix
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
This is the first peanut sauce recipe that we have LOVED! Thank you!
Hooray!
Does it have to be rice vinegar?
Hi Amanda–I think rice vinegar gives it a good flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit the vinegar.
Can apple cider vinegar replace the rice vinegar?
Hi Courtney–if you don’t have rice vinegar, I would simply skip the vinegar.