The Original Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce Made from Scratch
Last updated: May 2026
Thailand's culinary heritage has been shaped by various cultures which is why it offers diverse, delicious flavors and textures. One of the most popular Thai dishes is “Moo-Satay” which has an Indonesian influence. It consists of marinated grilled pork on a bamboo skewer paired with a peanut dipping sauce.
Since this peanut dipping is one of my favorite Thai sauces, I wanted to try it with different types of meat skewers. I realized that you can pair the peanut dipping with almost any style of grilled meat. The secret to this recipe is to use your KROK mortar and pestle to gently grind the peanuts to get that chunky texture and extract all the aroma and taste from the natural oils of the peanuts.
Let’s explore this easy-to-make recipe that you can cook at home in under 10 minutes.
Why in the KROK
A food processor turns roasted peanuts into a uniform, mealy butter that sits heavy on the tongue. The KROK's unpolished Thai granite interior grips the oily nut pieces so the heavy pestle can crush them into a chunky, irregular paste where some bits remain whole and others break down. This variation in texture is what lets the sauce cling to grilled meat instead of sliding off. The 3-cup bowl also gives you the surface area to grind the full cup of peanuts in one batch without overflow, and the dense stone stays cool so the natural peanut oils don't overheat and turn bitter during grinding. Because the KROK is handsome enough to double as a serving bowl, you can take the finished sauce straight to the table.
This Thai Peanut Sauce is mostly served with Grilled Pork Skewers or Moo Satay in Thai. But, you can definitely try this with toasted bread or even salad! (I've tried and it's delicious!)
1. Use KROK to grind the roasted peanuts to a fine consistency. Set aside.
2. In a wok or a saucepan over medium heat, reduce 1/4 of the coconut milk by about half. Add the red curry paste and cook over medium-low heat, cook for a minute until it is very thick and fragrant.
3. Add the rest of the coconut milk, fish sauce, tamarind juice, palm sugar, and roasted peanuts. Stir to mix and simmer for a few more minutes until it has thickened into a dip consistency.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce, sugar, and/or tamarind juice as needed.
Recipe Note
The peanut dipping sauce will keep for at least a week in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make Thai peanut sauce in a food processor?
You can, but the texture will be wrong. A food processor blitzes peanuts into a smooth, heavy butter that lacks the rustic, chunky consistency of authentic satay sauce. The mortar and pestle crushes peanuts into varied sizes, which creates a sauce with body and cling. That irregular texture is what catches on grilled meat and delivers bursts of roasted peanut flavor.
Is the KROK mortar and pestle good for grinding peanuts into a dipping sauce?
Yes. The KROK's dense granite and unpolished interior grip oily roasted peanuts efficiently, preventing them from sliding around while you crush. The heavy pestle generates the focused force needed to break down a full cup of nuts into a chunky paste rather than a powder, and the 3-cup capacity handles the volume in a single batch. The cool stone also prevents the natural peanut oils from overheating during grinding.
How long does homemade Thai peanut dipping sauce last?
Fresh mortar-made peanut dipping sauce lasts up to 1 week refrigerated in an airtight container. Because the mortar method creates a chunkier, less processed texture than a food processor, the sauce may separate slightly as it sits, so just stir the sauce before serving. The high oil content from the crushed peanuts acts as a natural preservative. For longer storage, freeze in small portions for up to 2 months, though the texture will soften slightly upon thawing.
Leave a comment