Satay is one of the most popular dishes in Southeast Asia: tasty grilled skewers of chicken or meat, dipped in a moreish peanut and coconut sauce. It's also surprisingly easy to make at home. You don't need any strange, exotic ingredients to bring a taste of the tropics to your kitchen. Here's how to make satay sauce and what to serve it with.
What is satay sauce and where is it from?
Satay sauce is a tasty sauce based around roasted peanuts and coconut milk, usually served with grilled skewers of meat or poultry. It originated in Java, Indonesia, and is a real example of fusion food. Local street vendors drew inspiration from Arab traders' habit of cooking meat on sticks, while the all-important peanuts were brought to Java by Portuguese sailors.
Given how tasty satay sauce is, it soon spread across Southeast Asia. Today, you'll find it commonly served as street food in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and beyond. All over the world, home cooks indulge in dishes like the ultimate chicken satay.
Ingredients for satay sauce
Unlike many of the most popular Southeast Asian and Thai recipes, satay sauce doesn't need any fancy or unusual ingredients. You can make a perfectly decent sauce using supermarket staples. You'll need coconut milk and peanut butter. Traditional satay sauce involves roasting and grinding peanuts, but a chunky, unsweetened peanut butter is a simple shortcut ingredient. A small amount of sugar, ideally palm sugar, is also essential.
Other ingredients are optional, depending on your preferences. For a deeper flavour, look for tamarind, which will add an irresistible sourness. Garlic, lemongrass, ginger and dried chilli can all provide aromatic richness, while soy sauce and fresh lime juice help loosen and brighten the thick sauce.
How to make satay sauce
- In a small pan, whisk together unsweetened, chunky peanut butter with coconut milk, dark soy sauce and brown or palm sugar. If you have fish sauce on hand, add a dash of that, too. You may also wish to add dried chillies and crushed garlic or ginger.
- Whisk until smooth, then turn on the heat to simmer gently, stirring until the mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat, then leave it to stand for five minutes. Squeeze over some fresh lime juice.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves if desired.
How to make satay sauce without peanut butter and coconut milk
If you're preparing peanut-free satay sauce for someone who suffers from allergies, check first. People who are allergic to peanuts are often also allergic to other nuts. If that's not the case, you can substitute peanut butter with almond or cashew butter. Otherwise, toasted tahini will also work and adds a unique sesame flavour. Try this version served over a tray of chickpeas and high-protein vegetables for a fun fusion of Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines.
You could forget the coconut milk altogether, thinning the peanut butter with water instead. This version won't be as rich and creamy, but it will have a more intense peanut flavour, making it a good choice if you're looking for high protein meals.
Making Southeast Asian chicken satay
In Thailand and Singapore, pork satay is common. In Indonesia and Malaysia, religious restrictions mean that beef is more commonly on the menu. In all four countries, though, satay is often seen as a chicken recipe.
Chicken satay involves serving satay sauce with grilled skewers of tender chicken. Preparation varies between countries. Many cooks like to marinate the chicken first, often in a peanut-based marinade that perfectly complements the satay sauce. If you'd rather not go to the fuss of marinating and threading chunks of chicken on skewers, this chicken satay bake is a simple but tasty alternative.
Storing and freezing satay sauce
Satay sauce freezes well and will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Because both coconut milk and peanut butter are high in fat, satay sauce will often separate when defrosted. Don't panic. Just give it a good stir, then reheat it gently until it comes together again.
Don't feel that you only have to use satay sauce with grilled meat. Try it as a stir-fry sauce, or use it as the base for a veggie curry like this sweet potato and sambal satay curry. It's an incredibly versatile ingredient, so feel free to experiment.
How to make satay sauce FAQs
What is satay sauce made of?
The main ingredients of satay sauce are peanuts or peanut butter and coconut milk. Extra flavour is added with spices, tamarind, palm sugar and other optional ingredients. Some recipes also include ingredients like garlic, chilli or soy sauce for extra depth.
What does Thai satay sauce taste like?
Thai satay sauce is a wonderful mixture of nutty, creamy, rich, sweet and savoury flavours. Some variations of Thai satay sauce also include a little chilli kick, but you can leave out the heat if you prefer. The balance of flavours makes it a popular accompaniment for grilled meats.
What's the difference between Thai and Malaysian satay?
Malaysian satay sauce is thicker, while Thai satay sauce is looser and sweeter. The choice of meat differs, too. In Thailand, chicken and pork are common, while in Malaysia, chicken or beef are more typical due to religious dietary preferences. Both versions are popular street foods with their own unique flavours.
Is Thai satay sauce spicy?
It can be. Some cooks add chilli to Thai satay sauce for a kick, and some people even add a dash of red curry sauce for more complexity. However, these are optional ingredients, so the sauce can easily be adapted to suit different tastes.
Is chicken satay a Thai food?
Chicken satay actually originated in Java, Indonesia. It became very popular and quickly spread across Southeast Asia. Today, it's a staple in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, with each country developing its own variations.