Easy Keto Peanut Sauce-Just 5 Ingredients!

This recipe for keto peanut sauce is so quick and easy, that you can pull together a Thai-style meal in under 5 minutes with just 5 ingredients and only 3 net carbs per serving. The balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors make a great dipping sauce for chicken satay or low-carb salad dressing for an Asian-style cold noodle salad!

I love it when a recipe comes together fast, like this delicious keto peanut sauce. And especially when you need to break out of a rut of having the same-old Saturday night takeout!

Besides, the weekends are for spending quality time with family and trying new things in the kitchen for you and your family to enjoy, right? Next time your family feels like having takeout, try some healthier options like this keto tempura or The Cheesecake Factory copycat miso salmon recipes instead!

But for a delicious meal with a Southeast Asian flair, this low-carb peanut sauce is done in under five minutes and can be served with simple grilled chicken satay and salad – that’s less time than it takes for delivery! Plus it only takes five ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry! Here is the recipe for the 5 – Ingredient Thai chicken skewers.

What is Peanut Sauce?

Peanut sauce is also known as satay sauce and has its origins in Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia (the peanut being a Mexican crop introduced to the region by the Spanish and Portuguese merchants), however other countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and even China have their versions of satay. The authentic method for making a satay is by grinding up peanuts that have been roasted and salted and adding them to coconut milk, tamarind, soy sauce, galangal, garlic, and other spices. Sometimes sugar, chilis, and lemongrass are used in the sauce recipe. This sauce is often served with vegetables, meats, and chicken skewers called “satay.” The consistency (thickness) of the peanut sauce depends upon the amount of water added to the recipe, which is up to the discretion and a matter of one’s taste.

Is Peanut Sauce Keto-Friendly?

It depends on the recipe, however, peanut sauce is typically not keto-friendly – especially if it is pre-packaged. Ingredients like tamarind and brown sugar are very high in carbohydrates. The peanut butter and coconut milk may also have added sugars. Here is the breakdown of the authentic, high carb Thai peanut sauce ingredients:

Ingredient	Carbohydrates (grams)
coconut milk (sweetened)	6.5
brown sugar	18
tamarind paste	2.2

These ingredients add an additional 6.6 grams of carbohydrates per serving (not including the peanut butter).

Tamarind paste is a key ingredient in authentic Thai peanut sauce with a sour/citrus/molasses flavor. Equal parts lime juice and brown sugar (or golden erythritol, for a keto recipe) is a good substitute.

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What Does Keto Peanut Sauce Taste Like?

This low-carb peanut sauce tastes like the four main flavors in Thai cuisine: sweet, salty, sour, and spicy! Plus, all of this flavor is achieved with only five ingredients!

What You Need To Make A Quick Keto Peanut Sauce

Equipment

• Mixing bowl – or you can just mix the sauce directly in the serving bowl since no heavy-duty mixing is required: just whisk and serve!

• Measuring Set – to ensure the flavors are correctly balanced by measuring each ingredient

• Whisk – by properly mixing the ingredients, the texture of the sauce will be smooth and creamy

Ingredients

• Peanut butter – choose a creamy texture with only peanuts and salt listed in the ingredients
• Soy sauce – gives the peanut sauce its rich salty flavor (see below for gluten-free alternatives)
• Golden erythritol – this brown sugar substitute will give the sauce a sweet, deep molasses flavor without the carbs
• Lime juice – adds the acidic and sour element to this recipe: fresh or bottled works fine
• Chili flakes – the amount of heat may be adjusted according to taste
• Hot water* – add as much necessary to achieve the desired consistency for the peanut sauce

(*not counted as an ingredient)

How To Make A Quick Keto Peanut Sauce With Only 5 Ingredients

Step 1:

In a bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, golden erythritol, and chili flakes. Whisk the ingredients together until blended.

Step 2:

Add hot water to the mixture and continue to whisk until the desired consistency is reached (slide for before and after photos).

Step 3:

Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

What Kind Of Peanut Butter Is Keto-Friendly?

Only Packaged peanut butter that contains peanuts, and sometimes, salt, is keto-friendly. These brands are often labeled “all-natural” or “no added sugars,” however, you should always read the label to be sure. Peanuts are keto-friendly at 8.6 net carbs per cup and can be consumed in moderation on the keto diet.

Peanut Butter With Added Sugars	22 grams
Peanut Butter With No Added Sugar	14 grams

Of course, you can always make your own peanut butter by placing roasted peanuts into a food processor and blending until your desired consistency is achieved.

Is Keto Peanut Sauce Gluten-Free?

This keto peanut sauce recipe contains soy sauce, which also contains wheat, and therefore it contains gluten. However, substitutes like Tamari (100% soy) or coconut aminos made from coconut blossom nectar (both wheat and soy-free) may be used in place of regular soy sauce in this recipe to make it gluten-free.

Read more about both alternatives in this recipe for keto yum yum sauce, and how to make it gluten-free as well!

(QUICK KETO YUM YUM SAUCE WITH A TWIST)

How To Store The Low-Carb Peanut Sauce

If making this keto peanut sauce ahead of time or will store leftovers, refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to a week. The sauce will thicken in the cold temperature, you will need to “loosen” the sauce by reheating it on a stovetop or in a microwave-safe container on low heat, taking care not to boil the peanut sauce as it will have the opposite effect (thicken) through evaporation. Add more water or lime juice if needed to thin out the sauce.