Look no further for what is consistently ranked the BEST sweet and sour sauce recipe on the web! There are so many ways to enjoy this popular and versatile sauce (see blog post for ideas) and it takes just 5 ingredients and only 5 minutes of prep/cook time. This homemade sweet and sour sauce couldn’t be simpler to make and it tastes so much better than store-bought or 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 Sweet and Sour Sauce
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: This is the ultimate dipping sauce for things like potstickers, egg rolls, spring rolls, wontons, dumplings, tempura, fish sticks, and chicken nuggets. 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. Stir fry your meat/tofu and veggies and then add the sauce towards the end of the cooking process. Toss everything together and serve it over steamed rice or noodles.
- Marinade: 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. Brush the sauce over the meat during the last few minutes of cooking for a tasty, caramelized glaze. 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. 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 Sauce Ingredients
You need just five ingredients to make the best sweet and sour sauce: pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and ketchup. Then to thicken it you’ll need some cornstarch and water.
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 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.
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 up to 3 weeks.
Enjoy!
Watch How to Make It
For more phenomenal homemade Asian sauces be sure to try our:
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Black Bean Sauce
- Eel Sauce
- Plum Sauce
- Asian Salad Dressing
- Kecap Manis
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Ponzu Sauce
- Char Siu Sauce
- Ginger Sauce
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 where it will keep for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 9, 2017
Catherine Price says
I’ve made this 3 times now and my family love it thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Catherine, I’m so happy it’s become a family favorite!
Bernadette says
Thank you so much, had made crispy chicken breast and my own egg rice (with brown basmati) so I was looking for a sauce and this was perfect, thanks again. I did add onions, bell peppers and pineapple chunks and when I served it all up together I was told it was better than Chinese takeaway. That’s certainly a compliment from my lot 😉.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds wonderful, Bernadette, I’m happy you were able to incorporate this sauce into a delicious dinner, thanks for the feedback!
Rita hoga says
I made but add a can of pineapple tidbit, also make a mistake and add Worcestershire sauce. I didn’t notice till I got ready to put away. It really tasted good. I was told not to change it as it was great. Thanks you
Robyn Burton says
Can this sauce be bottled hot and kept? I would like to make it up in bulk for a friend.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Robyn, this recipe hasn’t been tested for canning so unfortunately I’m unable to recommend it for that purpose.
Robert David Boggs says
Ma’mm im a 76 y.o. widower. I love flavor in everything i make and eat. Not finding a sweet @sour i really likes so i found yours. I followed your recipe except for apple cider vinegar and added extra for more twang. EXCELLENT!!! THANK YOU.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Robert, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it!
Elle says
So yummy!
I actually used fresh pineapple and put it in the blender to make the liquid.
It naturally thickened the sauce but I had to use less sugar as the pineapple was super sweet.
I also added mango pieces to it turned out amazing. Put it over some some chicken and rice and had to write it in my own cookbook!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Elle, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and were able to tweak it to make it “yours”!
Anonymous says
Used this on chicken and shrimp kabobs while grilling and loved it.
Thomas Nguyen says
Excelente! Will never buy from store again.
Kenny says
So simple and so delicious.I will never use restaurant sweet & sour sauce again!
Amanda says
Allergic to pineapples 😕 is there another fruit you would recommend trying?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Amanda, you can try orange juice for a different but tasty flavor profile.
Cirese Kelly says
Love this recipe, tried it for the first ever time today and OMG it tasted exactly like the sweet and sour sauce that you get with your sweet and sour chicken meal at the Chinese, no more wasting money buying sweet and sour chicken when you can make it and it’s so simple and very quick to make. Loved it so much thank you so much.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Cirese!
T says
Rice, Kielbasa, Pineapples and this sauce was todays luncheon, mmmm!
Angelika Dumanski says
I used apple cider vinegar and what a good taste…so good…
Yvette says
I’m going to make this sauce tomorrow. Do you have a sweet and sour chicken recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Yvette, I do! Here it is: https://www.daringgourmet.com/sweet-and-sour-chicken/
T says
Great recipe, add a few red pepper flakes for kick and bit of finely diced pineapples chuck for texture. Fast, easy and tasty!
Emma says
Adore this recipe, it’s now my husband’s new favourite meal! I’m trying it out on my in-laws tonight ☺️
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Emma, and I hope the in-laws likewise enjoy it!