Peanut Sauce Like the Asian Takeaway – Dip for Satay and Summer Rolls

The peanut sauce from the Asian takeaway comes from Indonesian cooking. There it is called bumbu kacang and goes with satay skewers and with gado-gado, the vegetable salad with egg and tofu. For the quick version, you stir peanut butter smooth with coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice and chili in a small pot.

By Laura Chen· October 27, 2026

10 Mintotal

6servings

195kcal

IndonesianCuisine ›

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The sauce goes with satay ayam, with gado-gado and as a dip for fresh summer rolls. It also tastes good with spring rolls.

If you roast and grind the peanuts yourself, the sauce gets more bite and a stronger roasted flavor. The amounts and times are in the note under Variation.

Peanut Sauce Like the Asian Takeaway – Dip for Satay and Summer Rolls

Name: Homemade Asian-Style Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 120 g peanut butter with no added sugar (crunchy or smooth); 200 ml coconut milk; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce) or 1 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime); 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 1 tsp freshly grated ginger; 1 tsp sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste) or 1 red chili, finely chopped; 50 to 100 ml water

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

5 minutes

Cook time

5 minutes

Calories

195

Cuisine

Indonesian

Ingredients

120 g peanut butter with no added sugar (crunchy or smooth)
200 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce) or 1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste) or 1 red chili, finely chopped
50 to 100 ml water

Instructions

Put the coconut milk, garlic and ginger in a small pot and warm over medium heat for 2 minutes, until steaming.
Stir in the peanut butter until it has melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the soy sauce, kecap manis and sambal oelek and simmer the sauce over low heat for 2 minutes. Keep stirring, otherwise it sticks to the bottom.
Thin the sauce with water until it runs thickly off the spoon. For summer rolls it can be thinner, for satay thicker.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Adjust with soy sauce, sugar or chili.

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Peanut Sauce Like the Asian Takeaway – Dip for Satay and Summer Rolls

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