Hoisin Peanut Sauce

Name: Hoisin Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup natural peanut butter; 1/2 cup hoisin sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar apple cider vinegar; 1 clove garlic, minced; 4-5 tablespoons water; 1-2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

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This simple hoisin peanut sauce recipe is packed with delicious sweet and salty flavour. Ready in under 5 minutes, it's the perfect dipping sauce for rice paper rolls, veggies or stir fries!

Hand shot dripping a red pepper into the sauce.

Looking for a stellar Vietnamese rice paper roll dipping sauce that goes with everything? This hoisin peanut sauce is super quick, easy to make, and tastes divine! While there are many different versions of this recipe out there, many turn out watery. Personally I like mine thick and creamy so the nuttiness smothers over every bite.

I love that you only need 4 key ingredients and can tweak the flavour to be just how you like it. This peanut sauce also makes a delicious veggie dip, is wonderful over noodles and served with spring rolls. You can also drizzle it on steamed or roasted vegetables for some extra punch.

Hoisin peanut sauce in a bowl with sliced veggies on the plate.

What is Hoisin Sauce?

Hoisin sauce is a dark and thick Chinese condiment, also used in Vietnamese cuisine. It's made from fermented soybeans, garlic, sugar, spices, red pepper flakes, and rice vinegar. It adds a sweet, salty, and intense flavor, almost smoky, to dishes. It's commonly used as a glaze for meat, in stir-fries, and as a base for dipping sauces.

Ingredients you’ll need

Hoisin sauce: Usually found in the Asian section at the grocery store.
Peanut butter: I used natural peanut butter that's unsweetened. Smooth or chunky both work!
Rice vinegar: Just a splash for a tangy flavour.
Garlic: I used one small clove of garlic, but feel free to add more or even omit.
Crushed peanuts: Optional, but it adds extra texture to the otherwise smooth sauce. Chunky peanut butter would also add more texture.
Water: to taste and to thin out the sauce to a desired consistency.

Ingredients shown to make the dipping sauce.

How to make hoisin peanut sauce

Combine: In a medium bowl, add the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk well into a super thick sauce.

Thin it out: Slowly whisk in the remaining water until desired consistency is reached. Add 1 tablespoon at a time, whisk and repeat until you like the texture. I added 3 tablespoons, but you could go up to 4 tablespoons for a loose and thinner consistency.

Serving suggestions

You can serve this sauce topped with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds to add more texture. Or, for a fresh touch, then sprinkle some chopped fresh mint or sliced green onions. Here are some ways to use it:

As a a classic dipping sauce for for rice paper rolls (summer rolls)
Noodle sauce
Over roasted tofu
In a vegetable stir fry
Over grilled chicken
As a salad dressing (add extra water to make it thinner)
On lettuce wraps

Substitutions and variations

This is such a simple dipping sauce, so you can easily be creative and make it yours. Here are a few ideas:

Allergic to nuts? You can substitute with tahini or sunflower seed butter which should give similar results.
Don’t have hoisin? Swap for oyster sauce instead.
Add sesame oil: A dash of sesame oil will boost the nutty flavour.
Make it spicy: Add a small amount of fresh minced chilli, sriracha or gochujang paste for a nice kick.
Ginger: Add a small amount of finely grated fresh ginger to the sauce for more fresh flavour.
No rice vinegar? You can swap for freshly squeeze lime juice or, white wine vinegar or use regular white vinegar if in a pinch.

Tips

Getting the right texture: SLOWLY add a small amount of water at a time. Add 1 tablespoon in between whisking.
Hoisin sauces can differ from brand to brand, with some being more or less sweet and tangy. So, you might have to adjust the ingredients to your liking. Add more rice vinegar for more tang or a splash of maple syrup if the hoisin sauce isn’t sweet enough.

How to store

Store leftover hoisin peanut sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You may need to whisk it again before serving or wake up the flavours with a little splash of vinegar.

Peanut butter hoisin sauce in a bowl with slices veggies around.

Recipe FAQ

What can be substituted for hoisin sauce?

For a similar sharp sweet and savoury flavour profile, oyster sauce, teriyaki or plum sauce come close. Otherwise, you can use 3 parts soy sauce to 1 part molasses and adjust according to your taste.

What can I substitute for peanut butter?

To get the nutty creaminess, you can try using cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.

Is hoisin sauce gluten-free?

Commercial hoisin sauce often contains wheat flour as a thickener and also soy sauce (which contains wheat). However, you can find some brands that are made without gluten, such as this Chang’s and Ayam.

Is hoisin sauce vegan?

Yes, most hoisin sauce are naturally vegan! But, it's important to check the ingredients list to be sure.

More sauce recipes to try

Peanut Butter Chickpea Curry

Air Fryer Cabbage with Peanut Sauce

Peanut Veggie Chickpea Tray Bake

15-Minute Peanut Chickpea Stir Fry

If you try this hoisin peanut sauce recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.