Thai Peanut Dressing

Name: Thai Peanut Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: ½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter, well stirred, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (80 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, shaken well before measuring; 3 tablespoon (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes, strained of seeds; 2 tablespoon (30 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (16 g) Thai red curry paste, use 2 teaspoons for mild; 2 tablespoon (40 g) maple syrup or honey; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon (5 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 3 tablespoon (45 ml) warm water, plus more to thin as needed; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, pourable blender dressing with roasted peanut flavor, tangy lime, savory soy and a gentle kick from red curry paste. Perfect on crunchy slaws, noodle bowls, grilled chicken or as a dip for fresh spring rolls.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Wait: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Makes: About 1¼ cups (300 ml), eight 2-tablespoon servings

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Ingredients

8 servings

½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter, well stirred, at room temperature
⅓ cup (80 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, shaken well before measuring
3 tablespoon (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes, strained of seeds
2 tablespoon (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (16 g) Thai red curry paste, use 2 teaspoons for mild
2 tablespoon (40 g) maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 clove (4 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon (5 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoon (45 ml) warm water, plus more to thin as needed
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil (optional)

Equipment (7)

Blender or small food processor (a 3-4 cup / 750 ml-1 L capacity is fine)
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Rubber spatula
Microplane or fine grater
Citrus juicer
Airtight jar or container (12 oz / 350 ml or larger)

Steps

Before you start

Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening so the cream and liquid are evenly combined.
Use a creamy, well-stirred peanut butter (natural or conventional); stiff, dry jar-bottom peanut butter will blend poorly.
Red curry ppastes vary a lot in heat and saltiness: start with the lower amount given and adjust at the end.
Juice the limes fresh; bottled juice tastes flat and harsh here.

1
Prep the aromatics
- Juice the limes through a fine strainer to measure 3 tablespoons (45 ml).
- Peel and roughly chop the garlic clove, and peel and finely grate the ginger on a Microplane so no fibrous strands remain.
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Ready when: Ginger is a fine, wet pulp with no stringy pieces.
Tip: Freeze the ginger for 15 minutes before grating if it feels fibrous; it grates more finely.
2
Load the blender
- Add the peanut butter, shaken coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, red curry paste, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) warm water to the blender.
- Add the sesame oil if using.
- Put the peanut butter in first so it sits near the blades.
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Tip: Warm (not hot) water helps the peanut butter loosen and blend smoothly.
3
Blend until smooth
- Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides with a spatula, until the dressing is completely smooth, pale tan and no flecks of garlic or curry paste remain.
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Ready when: Silky, uniform and pourable, like thick heavy cream, with no visible specks.
Tip: If using a small food processor, run it for a full 90 seconds and scrape twice.
4
Taste and adjust
- Taste a spoonful on a piece of lettuce or cucumber.
- Add more lime juice (1 teaspoon at a time) if it tastes heavy, more soy sauce if it needs salt, a little more syrup if sharp, or another 1 teaspoon curry paste for heat.
- Blend 10 seconds after any addition.
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Ready when: Balanced: nutty and creamy first, then tangy, salty and a mild warmth at the finish.
Tip: Tasting on a vegetable, not off the spoon, shows how it will really taste in a salad.
5
Rest and thin
- Let the dressing sit 15 minutes so the garlic, ginger and curry paste flavors meld; it will thicken slightly as it sits.
- Stir in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until it falls from a spoon in a steady ribbon.
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Ready when: Dressing coats the back of a spoon and ribbons off in a steady stream.
Tip: Add water gradually; it is easy to thin but hard to thicken.

Good to know

Tips

Do not skip the acid: lime juice and rice vinegar cut through the richness of the peanut butter and coconut milk.
For a thicker dip for spring rolls or satay, reduce the added water to 1 tablespoon.
Check the labels on curry paste if cooking for guests: some brands contain shrimp paste, so it is not vegan or shellfish-free.
Whisk or shake the dressing right before serving, as it separates slightly on standing.

Make ahead

"Make up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight jar. It thickens when cold, so let it sit at room temperature 15 minutes and whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight jar. Freezer: up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container; thaw overnight in the fridge, then re-blend or whisk well and thin with warm water."

Substitutions

creamy peanut butter → Almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Flavor will be slightly different; sunflower butter makes a nut-free version.
soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari keeps it gluten-free; coconut aminos is sweeter and less salty, so you may need a pinch of salt.
Thai red curry paste → 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce. Gives heat but less herbal depth.
maple syrup or honey → Light brown sugar (2 tablespoons). Blend a little longer to dissolve completely.