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Mix up your snack or party routine with this easy Spicy Peanut Dip! Ready in 10 minutes, it’s full of pantry staple ingredients like creamy coconut milk, nutty peanut butter, and spicy red curry paste. Perfect for coating spring rolls, raw veggies, tortilla chips, and more. Vegan and gluten-free!
Lately I’ve been in much more of a “snack” than “meal” place. Maybe it’s being stuck at home all of the time, with minimal distractions from the constantly churning news cycle? Making a full blown meal, while necessary, is not always what I’m in the mood for.
Snack plates, on the other hand, are the perfect solution for satisfying a variety of cravings. I love the ability to combine a selection of textures/flavors/colors on one dish. With fewer trips to the grocery store, flexibility has never been more useful!
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Peanut Dip
The spicy peanut dip is equally at home next to fresh spring rolls, crunchy crudités, or salty tortilla chips. Drawing from common Thai cuisine flavors like curry paste, coconut milk, and soy sauce, it is full of heat and with a satisfyingly creamy texture. It’s also of course loaded with plant-based protein and heathy fats to keep you full. It’s important to note that I am not at all an expert in Thai cuisine, and am learning as much as I can about it’s wonderful flavors.
Peanut butter, along with many of these ingredients, is a staple in our pantry at home. I think this dish would be equally delicious with almond butter so may try it that way next!
How to Make Spicy Peanut Dip
- First, you’ll add some coconut oil to hot skillet and bloom red curry paste until it becomes slightly browned and fragrant.
- Next, you’ll add some full-dat coconut milk and let the flavors melt. It will reduce a bit in the pan, which helps the texture of your final product.
- Following this step, you’ll remove the coconut milk mixture from the heat and stir in peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, tamari/soy sauce, maple syrup, and ginger. No worries if you do not have all of these on hand! We’re talking many substitutions in the recipe notes.
- Finally, let it chill! I know that it’s tempting to enjoy spicy peanut dip this recipe right away, but a bit of time in the fridge sets up the perfect texture for dipping.
I hope you enjoy this easy peanut dip! Hopefully soon enough we can serve it at a party, post social-distancing. Please let me know in the comments or on Instagram if you give it a try!
Spicy Peanut Dip
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Mix up your snack or party routine with this easy Spicy Peanut Dip! Ready in 10 minutes, it’s full of pantry staple ingredients like creamy coconut milk, nutty peanut butter, and spicy red curry paste. Perfect for coating spring rolls, raw veggies, tortilla chips, and more. Vegan and gluten-free!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 1 TBS canola, avocado, or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup red curry paste (from a jar)
- 1 15 oz can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (almond butter works also)
- 2 TBS rice vinegar (sub lime juice or apple cider vinegar if needed)
- 1 TBS lime juice (or more vinegar)
- 1 TBS tamari (or coconut aminos or soy sauce)
- 1 1/2 TBS maple syrup (or brown sugar or honey )
- 1 TBS grated ginger (optional)
- Kosher salt
- Fresh basil, cilantro, and crushed red pepper for serving (optional )
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet over medium. Add oil hot (it should glisten). Add red curry paste and cook for a few minutes, until nice and aromatic. This is called “blooming” the spices in the paste and will make them more flavorful. Stir so that the paste does not stick for about 3 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and bring mixture to a simmer. Let reduce over low heat until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter, vinegar, lime juice, tamari, maple syrup, and grated ginger. Add salt to taste, 1/2 – 2 tsp. Let cool in the fridge (or freezer if you’re in a rush) until mixture thickens. To serve, top with red pepper flakes and fresh basil. Plate with fresh vegetables and chips! Dip can be stored in the fridge for 4 days in a sealed container. Best served cold.
Notes
This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetit.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
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