This hoisin peanut sauce delivers a rich umami hit balanced with sweet and savoury notes. It’s an ideal crowd-pleaser and pairs beautifully with Vietnamese spring rolls, dumplings, fried tofu and many other dishes.
This Vietnamese-style peanut sauce is quick to prepare — it takes just minutes and uses pantry staples like hoisin sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil and soy sauce. Small adjustments let you tailor the flavour to your liking.
Use the hoisin and peanut butter sauce as a dip, a drizzle over noodle bowls, or as a sauce for salads and stir-fries. It’s especially delicious with fresh spring rolls.
In this post:
- Why you’ll love hoisin peanut sauce
- What is hoisin peanut sauce?
- Ingredients and substitutes
- How to make hoisin peanut sauce
- Serving suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
- Hoisin peanut sauce recipe card
Why you’ll love hoisin peanut sauce
This versatile Vietnamese-style peanut dipping sauce works with rice paper rolls, air-fryer spring rolls, stir-fries and lettuce wraps. Key reasons to keep it in your repertoire:
- Quick and easy: Ready in about 10 minutes.
- Versatile: Use as a dip, dressing, marinade or stir-fry sauce.
- Savoury and sweet: Hoisin plus peanut butter creates a satisfying umami-sweet balance.
- Plant-based option: The basic recipe is vegan; swap in fish sauce if you prefer extra umami (this will no longer be vegan).
- Customizable: Brighten with lime or rice vinegar, add heat with sriracha or fresh chillies, or add crushed peanuts for texture.
What is hoisin peanut sauce?
Hoisin peanut sauce is an Asian-style dipping sauce that blends sweet, salty and nutty flavours. It’s commonly served with gỏi cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls) but works with a wide range of dishes.
The basic components are creamy peanut butter, hoisin sauce, soy or fish sauce, sesame oil, a touch of sugar or sweetener if needed, and a little water to reach the right consistency. Optional additions include fresh ginger, chilli, crushed peanuts or sesame seeds for extra depth.
Hoisin peanut sauce ingredients and substitutes
This simple peanut butter sauce uses a handful of common ingredients and can be adjusted based on what you have:
- Neutral cooking oil: Canola, vegetable, sunflower or avocado oil.
- Garlic: Freshly minced; you can use grated ginger instead for a brighter note.
- Hoisin sauce: The primary flavour base. If unavailable, a thick barbecue sauce can work in a pinch.
- Natural peanut butter: Smooth for a silky texture; use chunky plus crushed peanuts if you prefer texture. Chinese sesame paste is a good alternative for a different nutty profile.
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a warm nutty aroma.
- Soy sauce or fish sauce: Soy keeps it vegan; fish sauce adds extra umami if not avoiding animal products.
- Water: Adjusts consistency, adding a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and slightly loose.
- Rice vinegar or lime juice: Adds acidity to balance sweetness.
- Sriracha or chilli (optional): For heat—use chilli garlic sauce or sambal if preferred.
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How to make hoisin peanut sauce
This hoisin peanut sauce comes together in minutes. The key is gentle simmering until the mixture is glossy and slightly pourable, then tasting and adjusting the balance of hoisin and peanut butter.
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a small saucepan. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook over medium until fragrant and golden, about 2–3 minutes.
Step 2: Add 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or fish sauce) and 1/4 cup water. Stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated.
Step 3: Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in additional water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is glossy and slightly runny (usually 1–2 tablespoons more).
Step 4: Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon sriracha if you want heat. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a pinch of salt, more vinegar or extra sriracha to suit your preference. For a textured sauce, stir in 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts.
Storage: Refrigerate the hoisin peanut sauce in an airtight container for up to five days. It will thicken when cold; whisk in a tablespoon of hot water to loosen it and bring to room temperature before serving.
Serving suggestions
This easy hoisin peanut dipping sauce is a pantry-staple condiment for Vietnamese and Asian-inspired meals. A few serving ideas:
- Vietnamese rice paper rolls or fresh spring rolls
- Dumplings and fried wontons
- Steamed buns or fried tofu
- Sweet potato fries or as a dipping sauce for snacks
- As a dressing for salads, Asian slaws, noodle bowls or stir-fries
The sauce also pairs well with coconut milk to create an ultra-creamy noodle sauce. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.
Frequently asked questions
Traditional versions often use ground peanuts, fish sauce, garlic, sugar, lime juice and water. This hoisin peanut sauce simplifies the process by using hoisin and smooth peanut butter as convenient flavour boosters.
Hoisin is a thick, sweet and savoury condiment made from fermented soybeans, garlic, sugar, vinegar and spices. It adds depth and sweetness to the peanut sauce.
No, hoisin sauce typically does not contain peanuts, but it pairs very well with peanut butter or sesame paste to create a nutty sauce.
Hoisin is commonly used in stir-fries, marinades and as a dipping sauce for wontons, egg rolls and dumplings. Combined with peanut butter, it becomes a rich hoisin peanut dipping sauce.
Try more Asian sauce recipes
- Korean bibimbap sauce
- Japanese sukiyaki sauce
- Homemade okonomiyaki sauce
- All-purpose miso sauce
- Japanese white (yum yum) sauce
Hoisin Peanut Sauce
Equipment
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Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce , or fish sauce for extra umami
- ¼ cup water , or more as needed
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)
Instructions
-
Place the cooking oil and minced garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and golden but not browned, about 2–3 minutes.
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Add the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce (or fish sauce), and ¼ cup water. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 2 minutes, stirring often.
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Whisk in additional water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is glossy and slightly runny. It should coat a spring roll when dipped without being too thick; typically add 1–2 more tablespoons.
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Remove from heat and whisk in rice vinegar and sriracha (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, vinegar or chilli to suit your preference.
Notes
- Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The sauce will thicken when cold; whisk in a tablespoon of hot water to thin if needed.
- For texture, add 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts or use chunky peanut butter.
- Serve with spring rolls, dumplings, fried tofu or use as a stir-fry sauce for noodles and vegetables.
Try more Asian-inspired recipes:
- Roasted pink oyster mushrooms
- Easy avocado sushi rolls
- Spicy Korean gochujang noodles
- Korean braised tofu (dubu jorim)
- Chinese tomato egg stir fry