No-Cook Asian Dipping Sauce With Almond Butter

Sauces are the secret weapon in any cook's kitchen, and this Asian dipping sauce is no exception. Made with creamy almond butter, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), rice vinegar, and ginger, it's a quick, no-cook sauce that brings bold, savory flavor with a touch of sweetness. Whether you use it as a dip, drizzle, or dressing, this versatile sauce transforms everything from spring rolls, noodle bowls, grilled chicken, and grain bowls into something delicious.

Using creamy almond butter, I created this quick Asian-style sauce with ginger, garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari (wheat-free soy sauce) and a little honey. It's thick and creamy. If you want it thinner add a little warm water and stir until smooth.

Why You'll Love Asian Dipping Sauce

• No cooking required - Just whisk or blend, ready in minutes.
• Versatile flavor - Great with spring rolls, noodle bowls, grilled meats, or roasted veggies.
• Wholesome ingredients - Made with almond butter, tamari, vinegar, and honey.
• Make it gluten-free - With tamari instead of soy sauce, and it's dairy-free.
• Make-ahead friendly - Keeps well in the fridge for several days for easy meal prep.

Asian dipping sauce is perfect with the colorful vegetable spring rolls as an appetizer.

What You'll Need

• Nut Butter - Use natural almond butter with no added sugar, salt, or preservatives. Stir well or reblend if separated.
• Vinegar - Unseasoned rice vinegar adds brightness without overpowering.
• Oil - Sesame oil (toasted or not) adds signature flavor and is classic in Asian-style sauces. Other options are a neutral oil like avocado or MCT oil. Melted coconut oil is good too but may thicken the sauce more when chilled. Don't use standard vegetable oil. In fact it you have it, toss it.
• Soy Sauce - Low-sodium tamari (gluten-free) or regular soy sauce. For soy-free, try San-J No Soy Sauce or coconut aminos (if you like the taste).
• Sweetener - Mild honey balances the savory notes. For sugar-free, use a monk fruit-based liquid sweetener or sugar-free "honey."
• Ginger - Finely grated fresh ginger or jarred ginger puree adds warmth and zing.
• Garlic - Minced fresh garlic adds savory depth; garlic powder works in a pinch.

Chef's Tip: Choose the soy sauce option that best meets your needs. Tamari is gluten-free and widely available. Be sure to choose low sodium. Coconut aminos are a soy-free alternative, but the flavor is a little sweeter and less savory. For those avoiding both soy and gluten, San-J's No Soy Tamari is an excellent option-it tastes surprisingly close to the real thing. Not gluten-free? Low sodium soy sauce is fine, my recommendation is buy organic.

This almond butter sauce is a nice way to dress up simple crispy chicken cutlets.

Substitutions and Variations

• Nut butter swap - Try raw cashew butter or tahini (good for nut-free) for a sesame-forward twist. Peanut butter works too but changes the flavor profile.
• Vinegar - If you don't have unseasoned rice vinegar, try apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Sweetener - Try maple syrup (but it has it's own flavor) or agave if preferred. Avoid anything with erythritol-it may crystallize.
• Citrus - Add a splash of lime juice for another flavor level.
• Texture tip - Want it thinner for drizzling? Add a little warm water to loosen.

Chef's Tip: How to Fix Separated Almond Butter
If your almond butter has separated (oil on top, solid on the bottom), don't toss it! Scrape the whole jar into a food processor, digging the bottom out with a table knife, and blend until smooth and creamy again. It takes just a minute and makes it easier to measure-and to use in recipes like this one. Plus with the cost of nut butter, it's better to save it.

How to Make Asian Dipping Sauce

So simple! Place everything in a small bowl and stir or whisk together until smooth.

1. Add all ingredients to a medium bowl.

2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust with more ginger or garlic.

Chef's Tip: Adjusting Sauce Thickness. This sauce is meant to be adaptable for different dishes. As made, it has a drizzle-able consistency. If you want it thicker, add a little more almond butter, or use a little less vinegar and oil at the start. You can always taste and adjust. Sometimes I also add more ginger, as I love the taste.

Serving Suggestions

Great ways to Use Asian dipping sauce:

• Grilled proteins - Spoon over grilled chicken (like above!) or shrimp kabobs.
• Noodle salad - Thin the sauce and toss with cooked, chilled brown rice noodles and chopped raw vegetables.
• Ahi tuna - Drizzle over seared Ahi for a bold, flavorful finish.
• Burgers - Use as a spread on grilled or air fryer burgers for an Asian-inspired twist.
• Salads - Use as the dressing for my Asian cabbage salad recipe as the dressing
• Veggie platter - Serve as a dip for raw vegetables.

Leftovers and Storage

Thick or thin, this versatile sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. If it stiffens when cold, let it come to room temperature and stir before using. If it needs thinning to loosen it, add a little water.

Recipe FAQs

📖 Recipe

Asian Dipping Sauce

Sally Cameron

Almond butter makes an Asian-inspired sauce. Use it thick with chicken or shrimp. Thin it and use with cold noodles, cabbage or salads. It keeps week in the refrigerator for a few days. Let it warm up and stir before using. This recipe doubles easily for more servings and leftovers.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Sauce

Cuisine Asian

Servings 3 Yield 1 cup

Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup natural almond butter sub cashew butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar sub white vinegar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons neutral flavored oil or sesame oil coconut oil or MCT oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons pureed ginger from jar or finely zested fresh peeled ginger
• ▢ 1 large garlic zested fine

Instructions

 

• Place everything in a small bowl and stir together until smooth. Use thick or thin with a little warm water.

Notes

Thickness note - This almond butter sauce is designed to be slightly pourable for maximum versatility-ideal for drizzling, tossing, or dipping. If you prefer it thicker, stir in a little more almond butter. Want it thinner? A splash of vinegar or oil will do the trick.

How to use this sauce:

• Grilled proteins - Spoon over grilled chicken or shrimp kabobs.
• Noodle salad - Toss with cooked, chilled brown rice noodles, and chopped raw vegetables.
• Ahi tuna - Drizzle over seared Ahi for a bold, flavorful finish.
• Burgers - Use as a spread on grilled burgers for an Asian-inspired twist.
• Salads - Use as the dressing for my Asian Cabbage Salad (link when ready).
• Veggie platter - Serve as a dip for raw vegetables.

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Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 202mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg

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