Kid-Approved Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce

Back-to-school season is upon us and I have spent a good chunk of time over the past month mentally preparing myself to get back in the groove of packing lunch! In years past, I have literally burnt myself out by overcomplicating the task. That's why, this year, I've decided to take a much simpler approach to packing lunches without having to sacrifice diversity or flavor. Case in point, my easy, Kid-Approved Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce! One batch takes my family from Monday to Friday with ease, has virtually endless serving options, and is craved by even the pickiest eater in our house! 

{{ The recipe and post for this Kid-Approved Thai Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce was made in partnership with the National Peanut Board. We received product and compensation in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. Thanks for your continued support! }} 

It is no secret that I LOVE to pack lunch for my family! It may sound a bit corny, but I really do feel like lunch is a way for me to send a little hug to each of them in the middle of their day. I can't believe I am about to admit this, but I'm 14 years into this lunch packing gig. (YIKES!) Over the course of those years I have learned A WHOLE LOT about the subject. I've created recipes, written blog posts, shared more than 3 school years' worth of daily lunch box stories on Instagram, and I've seen just about every lunch fad/trend there is come and go. At the end of it all, I have a wealth of knowledge on the subject, a literal arsenal of gear, and a very real understanding of what my family will and will not be excited to see packed in their lunch.  

Want to know what my secret sauce is for fast and easy lunches for my entire family? 

It's simple really.... component cooking. Building 3 unique lunchboxes from scratch, every day is daunting, but if I start with a family favorite building block like this Kid-Approved Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce it takes the stress out of the process. This 1 sauce only takes about 5 minutes to whip up, but then it can be used in all sorts of ways throughout the week. 

What makes this silky, smooth Thai Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce so good?

It's creamy peanut butter! Peanut butter is truly the one ingredient that has stood the test of time in our pantry. There is always a jar stocked with a back up waiting in the wings for its time to shine. My family loves the taste while I love the fact that it is a super versatile ingredient that packs 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 12 grams of unsaturated fat in every 2 tablespoons worth that we devour. This sauce gets a little help in the flavor department from a few Asian inspired ingredients that I keep on hand as well like Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, Tamari and unseasoned rice wine vinegar.

BUT, HOW DOES IT TASTE?! 

I'm not even kidding, once you taste this sauce you will find yourself wandering around the kitchen looking for new things to dip in it. It is just that good! This Thai peanut butter dipping sauce is not cloyingly sweet like you might think, with the addition of the other ingredients the peanut butter takes on a more savory than sweet quality, allowing the coconut to subtly shine through with just a hint of curry at the finish. 

Want to turn up the heat and add a bit of excitement to this G rated sauce? That's easy! 

Maybe you don't have kids and you want a Thai Peanut Butter Sauce for your grown-up desk lunches. Or maybe your kid is are a bit older and their tastebuds have more sophisticated flavor palettes, whatever the case may be all you need to know is that this sauce is totally customizable. You can add in a tablespoon of grated ginger, sriracha or however many red pepper flakes your heart desires to achieve the ultimate level of scald your face off hot that you desire! 

How many different ways can you use Kid-Approved Thai Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce? 

Well friend, it's virtually endless.  Here is a list of all the ways we devour this sauce - ADD YOUR SERVING SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW &  I'LL ADD THEM TO MY LIST! 

DUNKED || grilled chicken tenders, veggie sushi, chicken nuggets, satay, celery, carrots and other varieties of crudite, spring rolls, pot stickers, dumplings, and meatballs with an Asian twist. My neighbor even dipped roasted Yukon Gold baby potatoes in it and loved it- NOT KIDDING! 

TOSSED  || rice noodle dishes, stir fry, Asian-inspired slaw.

DRIZZLED || Grain bowls, yogurt bowls, açaí bowls with tropical flare, salads, roasted sweet potatoes, it is also a major flavor saver drizzled over lack-luster takeout. 

Looking for lots of delicious ways to use peanut butter? Click here for more peanut butter recipes for every occasion!

If you’ve made this Kid-Approved Thai Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce or any of the other recipes on our site, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you thought in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and PINTEREST to see more.

Print