There are so many ways to enjoy this popular and versatile sauce. And with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep/cook time, this delicious Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe couldn’t be simpler! Plus it’s better than your favorite Chinese takeout or restaurant!
Chinese food and sweet and sour sauce go hand in hand and for that reason you’ll find it served in every Chinese restaurant and at every takeout. It’s also an essential staple to have in your kitchen. If you’ve never made your own, it’s time to get on board because not only is it incredibly easy, it tastes WAY better than store-bought and what you get at your local takeout. Plus it’s free of preservatives, chemicals and junk ingredients.
Get ready for this fast, simple, and thoroughly deeeelicious homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe!
How To Use Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet and sour sauce is the ultimate dipping sauce for potstickers, egg rolls, wontons, chicken nuggets, fish sticks and anything else your heart desires.
You can also incorporate it into your favorite Chinese dishes like sweet and sour chicken, pork or shrimp, sweet and sour meatballs, Asian salad dressings, and as a glaze for grilled chicken, pork, seafood, kabobs, ribs, etc. It’s even delicious just drizzled over a bowl of hot steamed rice.
You can also omit the cornstarch and use this sauce as a marinade.
How To Store Sweet and Sour Sauce
Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge and it will keep for 2-3 weeks.
Do I Have To Use Red Food Coloring?
Not at all! You can make this without food coloring. One of the advantage of making homemade anything is that you don’t have to include the junk ingredients that the store-bought stuff often uses. The red food coloring is purely for aesthetics and tastes exactly the same without it. If you prefer the red color but don’t want to use chemicals in your food there are natural food coloring options and I provide a link to one option in the recipe card below.
BE SURE TO TRY THESE OTHER FABULOUS HOMEMADE CHINESE SAUCES!
Hoisin Sauce
Black Bean Sauce
Plum Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Sweet Chili Sauce
Let’s get started!
Get your five ingredients ready to go because making this sauce goes fast. Measure out your pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and ketchup. Prepare the cornstarch slurry and set it aside.
Add all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for another minute until thickened.
You can stop at this point or, if you want, you can add 2-3 drops of food coloring to make your sauce look the way it does at the Chinese takeout. Check out this all-natural food coloring.
Let the sauce cool completely. Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge where it will keep for 2-3 weeks.
Enjoy!
PIN ME!
Best Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pineapple juice ,see note
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- OR brown sugar alternative (for low sugar option)
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar ,found in the Asian or general vinegar section of any grocery store, or you can substitute apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (GF)
- For the Cornstarch Slurry: 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
- Optional: 2-3 drops all-natural red food coloring (the one I've linked to is natural, colored with beets. It's in powdered form, simply stir some in to a couple of teaspoons of water and add it to the sauce)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients, except for the cornstarch slurry, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for another minute until thickened, stirring constantly. If using red food coloring, stir it in.
- Let the sauce cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Video
Notes
Sharon says
Omg this sweet and sour sauce is better than what I’ve had from a Chinese restaurant!:-)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Sharon! :)
Vicki Robles says
When making sweet and sour sauce I always put in some sliced up pineapple pieces from the can to go with the juice. To get the red coloring, I put in some cherries sliced from the maraschino cherries and add some of the juice to the sauce. So, then, there are both cherries and pieces of pineapple in the sauce which makes it extra good!
We had an Asian neighbor when I grew up and she taught my mom how to make some wonderful Chinese meals including ‘sweet and sour sauce’ and I have made it like that for years.
Dena Tabor says
Going to try the cheeries, thank you
Sharon says
Can you use pineapple juice from a carton?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sharon, yes you can!
thegiftsports says
This weekend I have a picnic. I think this is a great idea for me. Thanks you!
Tina says
Very good!
Jackie says
The calorie measurement on this has to be incorrect, right? 52,000 calories in what basically made 2 cups of sauce? Every bight would be nearly your entire allotment of calories in a day.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jackie, calories are abbreviated as “kcal” (kilocalories) but what that means is 52 calories per serving (a total of 16 servings).
Tori says
I didn’t have a couple ingredients so substituted pineapple juice for cloudy apple juice & red cider vinegar instead of the rice wine vinegar and it was delicious. Just like a quality restaurant sauce, thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Tori, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Sharon says
Can you freeze this sauce?
Maya says
Hi
I just wanted to point out that your US vs metric conversions are wrong. A US customary cup is 236.6 ml, while a legal (nutritional) cup is 240 ml. 250ml cups are used in Canada, Australia, and the UK.
christopher says
we dont use cups in the UK actually. ever.
Misty says
Tastes better than my local Chinese restaurant!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Mon tana says
Can u send me the sweet and sour recipe and many more to my email
Thank you
Patrick says
Heres how to make it better and more authentic. Use white sugar, white vinegar and leave out the ketchup. Much better.
Camden says
Can you clarify how much pineapple juice to use? I cannot seem to find where it clarifies can oz or lists it in measuring cups. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Camden, it’s one cup. The recipe is at the bottom of the post, just scroll down and you’ll see the recipe box with the list of ingredients, their measurements and directions. Happy cooking!
Jennie Melville says
I have tried a few sweet and sour sauce recipes and have to say this is the best most authentic I’ve come across. – really delicious!
I didn’t add any colouring, I liked it as it is – thank you Kimberly for sharing this great recipe 😃
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank YOU, Jennie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Amy Gorenflo says
Just made this after my daughter asked for SS chicken and I was too exhausted to go back out. Had a teeny but if an issue with my red food coloring coming out too fast but the recipe is sound! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Amy, thank you!
Frank Brown says
What an excellent sauce … it taste so authentic . I live germany and have not been able to taste anything so taste. Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re welcome, Frank, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Allyson Auel says
I used a black cherry lemonade Snapple reduced to a cup and didn’t have to add any dye and I had that deep red color FYI delish Swt Cherry flavor I wished the things we bought at Costco came with sauce but they never do
Vicki Robles says
Try using maraschino cherries and their juice and, also, a couple of the canned pineapple rings, cut up, in your sauce and see how you like that. Use it with chicken, meat balls, pork, duck, wontons, egg rolls, steamed buns, etc. and it is more authentic. And Asian neighbor taught my mom how to make that. She also taught my mom how to make won tons and we used to dunk them in this sauce. Mmmmm, I think I will go downstairs while my hubby prepares the sliced pork and I will make this sauce the way I was taught. I do hope you will try it, Allyson!! Enjoy!!
Debra says
Excellent
Adriana says
I didn’t read past the ingredients and just threw everything in the saucepan and put it on the stove and it thickened up perfectly. This is identical to the sauce you get from the chinese takeaway. I used it in the slow cooker with pork loin pieces. 5 star recipie. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Adriana, thank you!
Angela says
You can also put in red pepper flakes for spicy zing you really don’t need a lot
Susan says
Hi there, this looks great. Is it possible to use carton pineapple juice from concentrate? We don’t seem to have canned juice here in the uk. Many thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Susan, absolutely! Happy cooking! :)