Authentic Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe (Nam Jim Satay)
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This authentic Thai peanut sauce (nam jim satay) is creamy, gently sweet, and full of real peanut flavor, the kind that makes you want to lick the spoon. You can use it as a dipping sauce for satay, toss it with noodles, drizzle it on salads, and much more.
If you’ve ever tried making peanut sauce at home and wondered, “Why doesn’t this taste like the one in Thailand?” I want you to know: you aren’t doing anything wrong.
The truth is, most Western recipes don’t use the ingredients we actually use in Thai kitchens. So, let me walk you through the traditional version I learned from my grandmother.
What is Thai peanut sauce
Thai peanut sauce, also called nam jim satay (น้ำจิ้มสะเต๊ะ), is a creamy dipping sauce made from real peanuts, coconut milk, curry paste, and palm sugar. It tastes creamy, nutty, lightly sweet, and deeply savory.
“Nam jim” means dipping sauce, and “satay” refers to the grilled skewers (usually chicken satay) it’s traditionally served with.
It’s just one of many nam jim sauces we use in Thailand, alongside nam jim jaew for grilled meats and nam jim seafood for shrimp and fish. Each nam jim has its own unique flavor profile, specifically designed to bring out the best in the dish it’s paired with.
The difference is in the details
I’ve tasted a lot of peanut sauces outside Thailand. Some were too salty. Some too sour. Many relied on peanut butter. A few even added vinegar or butter.
Every time, I had the same thought:
This isn’t how we make nam jim satay in Thailand.
In Thailand, we grind roasted peanuts instead of using peanut butter. It gives the sauce a deeper, nuttier flavor and a texture that’s hard to replicate from a jar. We also use palm sugar instead of white sugar, which adds a more mellow, caramel-like sweetness.
My grandmother always added Massaman curry paste. It brings a gentle warmth with hints of cinnamon, star anise, and lemongrass, without overpowering the sauce.
Once you taste it this way, it’s hard to go back to store-bought.
PS. I also have a recipe for Thai spicy peanut sauce.
Praew ♡
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. See the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- Curry paste: Use my recipe for massaman curry paste or a high-quality brand like Mae Ploy.
- Dry roasted peanuts: We’ll grind whole peanuts ourselves for a nutty flavor and texture that jarred peanut butter cannot replicate.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Essential for a rich, velvety consistency; Aroy-D is the brand I used in my Thai restaurant.
- Palm sugar: Palm sugar gives a caramel-like sweetness you can’t replace with white sugar.
- Rosdee seasoning powder: A Thai kitchen staple that acts as a flavor enhancer; can be substituted with Knorr bouillon powder.
- Tamarind paste: Provides the necessary tangy undertone; look for “seedless tamarind paste” specifically from Thailand.
- Shallots: Finely minced shallots melt into the sauce to provide a delicate, natural sweetness and depth.
- Garlic: Adds a sharp, aromatic pungency.
- Salt: A small amount is used to sharpen all the other flavors and highlight the nuttiness.
How to make Thai satay sauce
- Roast and crush the peanuts. Dry roast the peanuts in a pan until golden, then use a mortar and pestle to crush them into a coarse texture.
- Purée the aromatics. Use a blender or food processor to pulse the garlic and shallots into a smooth paste.
- Sauté garlic and shallots. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the puréed mixture until it becomes fragrant and translucent.
- Fry curry paste. Add the curry paste to the pan and let it sizzle for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to release the oils and spices.
- Simmer with coconut milk and seasonings. Pour in the coconut milk and add the palm sugar, tamarind paste, salt, and Rosdee powder, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce begins to bubble.
- Add peanuts and thicken. Stir in the crushed peanuts and let the sauce simmer briefly until it reaches your desired thickness before removing it from the heat.
How to use this sauce
In Thailand, nam jim satay is almost always served with grilled skewers alongside ajaad to provide a crisp, vinegary contrast to the rich peanut sauce.
I also like it with:
How to store & reheat leftovers
Refrigerate: Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and flavorful for up to one week.
Making ahead: This is the perfect meal prep sauce because the flavors actually deepen and meld together after a day in the fridge.
Reheating: The sauce will thicken once chilled. Gently reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or coconut milk if needed.
Authentic Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe (Nam Jim Satay)
Equipment
- Measuring spoons & cups
- Mortar & pestle
- Blender or mini food processor
- Small skillet or pan Used for dry-roasting the raw peanuts
- Small saucepan
- Spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup roasted peanuts
- 1 head garlic
- ⅔ cup small shallots
- 5 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp massaman curry paste
- 1¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 tbsp rosdee seasoning powder
- 2 tbsp Thai tamarind paste
- 2½ tbsp palm sugar
- ½ tbsp salt
Instructions
- Roast and crush the peanuts. Dry roast the peanuts in a skillet over low heat until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush into a coarse texture.
- Purée the aromatics. In a small blender or food processor, pulse the garlic and shallots until they form a smooth paste.
- Sauté the garlic and shallot base. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic-shallot purée until aromatic.
- Fry the Massaman curry paste. Add the Massaman curry paste to the pan. Sizzle for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to unlock the deep flavors and spices.
- Simmer the sauce. Stir in the coconut milk, palm sugar, tamarind paste, salt, and Rosdee powder. Simmer gently until the sugar dissolves and the sauce begins to bubble.
- Thicken and finish. Fold in the crushed peanuts and stir. Allow the sauce to simmer for another minute until it reaches your desired thickness, then remove from heat.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
What can I use instead of Rosdee? I am allergic to msg.
Hey Deborah! If you’re avoiding MSG, you can look for MSG-free bouillon brands. I believe Knorr has one! Rosdee is basically a chicken (or pork) bouillon just like Knorr.