Indonesian Peanut Sauce

Indonesian Peanut Sauce

A rich, spiced peanut sauce balancing sweet, tangy, and savory notes in every spoonful.

Total 25 min Makes 16 oz Calories 145/serving

Dietary

Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy free, Halal, Kosher

Allergens

Peanuts, Soy

This Indonesian-style peanut sauce, known as sambal kacang, blends roasted peanuts with garlic, chile, tamarind, and palm sugar for a sauce that's creamy yet layered with heat and tang. It's the classic accompaniment to satay skewers, gado-gado salad, or steamed vegetables, and comes together in one saucepan in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely ground
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 red chile, seeded and minced (such as Thai or Fresno)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and chile, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

  2. Stir in the ground peanuts, coconut milk, and water, scraping the bottom of the pan to combine.

  3. Add the palm sugar, sweet soy sauce, tamarind concentrate, salt, and kaffir lime leaf if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

  4. Simmer, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the sauce thickens to a creamy, spoonable consistency, about 10 minutes.

  5. Remove the lime leaf if used, and taste the sauce, adjusting with more salt, sugar, or tamarind as needed.

  6. Let the sauce cool slightly before serving; it will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature with satay, gado-gado, or steamed vegetables.

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Indonesian Peanut Sauce

This Indonesian-style peanut sauce, known as sambal kacang, blends roasted peanuts with garlic, chile, tamarind, and palm sugar for a sauce that's creamy yet layered with heat and tang. It's the classic accompaniment to satay skewers, gado-gado salad, or steamed vegetables, and comes together in one saucepan in under 20 minutes.

25 min 16 oz 145 cal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely ground
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 red chile, seeded and minced (such as Thai or Fresno)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)

Method

  1. 1

    Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and chile, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

  2. 2

    Stir in the ground peanuts, coconut milk, and water, scraping the bottom of the pan to combine.

  3. 3

    Add the palm sugar, sweet soy sauce, tamarind concentrate, salt, and kaffir lime leaf if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

  4. 4

    Simmer, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the sauce thickens to a creamy, spoonable consistency, about 10 minutes.

  5. 5

    Remove the lime leaf if used, and taste the sauce, adjusting with more salt, sugar, or tamarind as needed.

  6. 6

    Let the sauce cool slightly before serving; it will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature with satay, gado-gado, or steamed vegetables.