For many people, peanut sauce is a go-to for dipping or as a sauce for other foods. It’s popular in many cultures, and you can find it on almost any restaurant menu. Because of its prevalence and variety of uses, creating your own homemade peanut sauce is important. A healthy version of peanut sauce is also important because the store-bought versions are often packed with fat and sugar that a lot of people don’t need to eat more of. Thankfully, it’s not hard to make your own healthy peanut sauce at home. Here are some tips on how to make a healthy peanut sauce that you can enjoy whenever you want!
What’s in Peanut Sauce?
The two main ingredients in a peanut sauce, of course, are peanuts and peanut butter. In addition, peanut sauce often includes coconut milk, vinegar, and other spices. The vinegar is often rice vinegar, while the spices are usually cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. The coconut milk is what often makes this a creamy sauce, though you can make it without it and it will still be creamy.
While healthy oils can go into the peanut sauce, peanut oil is often used in store-bought versions. While the peanut oil is healthy for you and has a neutral taste, it is generally better to use other oils when you are making your own peanut sauce at home.
Healthy oils for making peanut sauce
There are so many good healthy oils to choose from when making peanut sauce at home. Here are some of the best for healthy peanut sauce:
– Avocado Oil – This oil is a better option than peanut oil as it imparts no flavor. It is also high in heart-healthy fats.
– Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is an excellent healthy oil that you can use when making peanut sauce. It is also a good option for Thai recipes.
– Canola Oil – This is an excellent oil to use for healthy peanut sauce. It has a neutral flavor and is high in healthy fats.
– Flaxseed Oil – This is an extremely healthy oil that is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Easy Ways to Make Healthier Peanut Sauce
– Switch out the peanut butter – If you want to make healthier peanut sauce, then the peanut butter is an easy place to start. There are a lot of different types of peanut butter with different ingredients, so you can find one that is healthier than others. You can also make peanut butter from peanuts at home if you have the time.
– Switch out the coconut milk – If you want to make healthier peanut sauce, then you can also switch out the coconut milk for water or other liquids. This will make the peanut sauce less creamy, but it can still be a delicious sauce for many different types of meals or dishes.
– Add healthy fats – Healthy fats are good for your body, so you can add these to healthier peanut sauce by adding ingredients like avocado, flaxseed oil, or even some nuts.
– Reduce the vinegar – Vinegar can be used to get the right flavor, but you don’t need a lot. You can use less vinegar and still get a good flavor.
Ingredients for a Taste of Thai Peanut Sauce
– 1/2 cup natural peanut butter – This is the main ingredient in a peanut sauce. Many peanut sauces use peanut butter, while some use peanuts.
– 1 cup water – You can add water to make the peanut sauce more like a sauce than a thick paste. This can help you avoid adding too much vinegar or other liquids.
– 1/2 teaspoon salt – Adding salt helps to balance out the flavor.
Ingredient Additions for an Authentic Peanut Sauce
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – Garlic is a popular spice that often goes in with the peanut butter or the vinegar.
– 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder – Ginger is also a popular spice for this type of peanut sauce, so you can add it in if you like.
– 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper – This peppery spice is common in a lot of peanut sauces, so you can add it in to make it taste more authentic.
– 2 teaspoons soy sauce – This is an important ingredient in many peanut sauces.
– 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar – You can add in a bit of sugar to make the peanut sauce taste better.
Conclusion
Peanut sauce is a delicious and easy sauce to add to a variety of recipes. The main ingredients are peanuts and peanut butter, and then it is often spiced up with other ingredients. Creating homemade peanut sauce is a great way to make it healthier, and it’s easy to do using healthy oils and avoiding the coconut milk.
