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BEST Sweet and Sour Sauce

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Look no further for what is consistently ranked the BEST sweet and sour sauce recipe on the web!ย  There are so many ways to enjoy this popular and versatile sauce (see blog post for ideas) and it takes just 6 ingredients and only 5 minutes to make it.ย  This homemade sweet and sour sauce couldn’t be simpler to make and it tastes so much better than store-bought or takeout!

sweet and sour sauce recipe best easy homemade chinese takeout

What is Sweet and Sour Sauce?

Sweet and sour sauce is a popular condiment made, just as its name suggests, by combining sweet and sour flavor components (a sugar and a vinegar) with a thickener to make a sauce that is used for dipping, drizzling, and incorporated into dishes.  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.  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.

How To Use It

Sweet and sour sauce features a balanced combination of sweet and tangy flavors, making it a versatile condiment that can be used in various ways to enhance the flavor of your dishes.   Here are a few ways to use it:

  • Dipping Sauce:ย  This is the ultimate dipping sauce for things like potstickers, egg rolls, spring rolls, wontons, dumplings, tempura, fish sticks, and chicken nuggets.ย  Pour the sauce into small bowls to serve alongside your favorite foods and snacks.
  • Stir-Fry Sauce: Use this as a base for stir-frying vegetables, meat, or tofu.ย  Stir fry your meat/tofu and veggies and then add the sauce towards the end of the cooking process.ย  Toss everything together and serve it over steamed rice or noodles.
  • Marinade:ย  Add the sauce to the meat or tofu before grilling, let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, then proceed with grilling.
  • Glaze: This works great as a glaze for grilled or roasted meats and seafood like chicken, pork, fish and shrimp.ย  Brush the sauce over the meat during the last few minutes of cooking for a tasty, caramelized glaze.ย  This also works great for things like baked chicken drumsticks and wings.
  • Salad Dressing: Mix some of this sauce with your salad oil, and add a dash of toasted sesame oil if you like, to make an Asian-inspired salad dressing for your greens.
  • Sandwich Spread: Use this as a spread for your sandwiches and wraps for an Asian twist.ย  It goes particular well with chicken, turkey and pork.
  • Pizza Sauce: Get creative and drizzle this over your pizza for an Asian twist, for example chicken or ham, pineapple, peppers, and onions.
sweet and sour chicken

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients

You need just six ingredients to make the best sweet and sour sauce recipe:

  • Pineapple juice – adds flavor, tang, and sweetness
  • Rice vinegar – provides the contrasting “sour”
  • Brown sugar – adds depth of flavor and sweetness
  • Soy sauce or tamari – adds the savory umami component (I recommend tamari for a better flavor)
  • Ketchup – adds flavor and sweetness
  • Cornstarch and water – for thickening sauce

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.

sweet and sour sauce ingredients

Storage

Stored in an airtight jar in the fridge sweet and sour sauce will keep for up to 3 weeks. It does not freeze well since it contains cornstarch which tends to break down when frozen and thawed.

BEST Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Let’s get started!

Get your 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.

adding ingredients to saucepan

Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for another minute until thickened.

adding cornstarch for thickening

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.

sweet and sour sauce recipe best  homemade easy fast quick pineapple juice takeout restaurant

Let the sauce cool completely.  Store it in an airtight jar in the fridge where it will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy!

sweet and sour sauce recipe best homemade easy fast quick pineapple juice takeout restaurant

For more phenomenal homemade Asian sauces try my:

sweet and sour sauce recipe best homemade

BEST Sweet and Sour Sauce

Making your own sweet and sour sauce couldn't be any easier! ย Plus it's free of junk ingredients and tastes MUCH better than store-bought!
4.77 from 726 votes
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course condiment
Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese
Servings 16 servings
Calories 52 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

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 where it will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Video

Notes

* Freshly squeezed pineapple juice contains enzymes that will break down the cornstarch and prevent the sauce from remaining thick, so either use canned or bottled

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 12gSodium: 154mgPotassium: 47mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword Sweet and Sour Sauce
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 9, 2017

 

 

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.77 from 726 votes (455 ratings without comment)

786 Comments

  1. I blended pineapple cubes in a magic bulky that I had previously frozen. I also added fresh ginger. Still came out excellent. Thanks!

    1. Hi Deb, yes you can but I haven’t done so and without experimenting I can’t give you an exact amount. I would say start with no more than 1/4 cup because honey is much sweeter than sugar. Then taste the sauce and decide if you’d like to add more.

  2. nice. I used half of the brown sugar. used cider vinegar and added a little maraschino cherry juice for color instead of red dye because it added a little extra flavor along with color.

  3. This recipe is awesome, my wife Terrie Marie loves it, pork,chicken, it goes with everything and tastes delicious. Thanks for the recipe

  4. I made this tonight to go with our stirfry, it was good, but could have used a little more sweetness. Maybe Another 1/4 of a cup of Brown sugar. ?

  5. Kimberly, You really ought to check your link to the food colorant recommended in this recipe. ALL 4 of the colorants in this product have nasty chemicals. The red colorant, to which you refer specifically, is neither natural nor beet-based at all.
    I love your recipes, but this issue sheds (unnecessary) doubt on your credibility.
    Maybe Amazon changed the product you were linked to?

    1. Hi MommaDean, thanks for bringing that to my attention. Yes, Amazon switched the product. Calling my credibility into question is harsh. My aim is to produce consistently good, reliable recipes for my readers to enjoy and I would hope that my credibility is judged on that. I wish I were able to monitor changes like Amazon’s continually changing links but with over 1000 recipes on my site it just isn’t feasible. So it’s helpful when readers bring these things to my attention so I can adjust them.