Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2024)

This quick and easy sweet and sour sauce recipe is the perfect Chinese dipping sauce, great with dumplings, fried foods, stir fries and so much more! Ready in 5 minutes!

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (1)

We're cooking up a batch of Sweet and Sour Sauce in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. You're going to love this recipe.

You've likely enjoyed sweet and sour sauce from your local Chinese restaurant, or in the Chinese-American fast food restaurant, Panda Express, where it is quite popular.

It's a flavorful mix of both sour and sweet, and you can spice it up a little if you'd like to.

Did you realize that it is super easy to make at home? Yep, you can make your own homemade sweet and sour sauce with only 6 ingredients, and the cooking time is only about 5 minutes.

Even a slow cook like me can whip this sauce together is no time, even if I'm taking my time gathering up all of the ingredients!

It's a great recipe to have on hand for when you want a quick sweet and sour chicken, or as a dipping sauce for your egg rolls or crab rangoons, though it is rather versatile and has many ways to serve it.

However you serve yours, I'm sure you'll love it!

Let's talk about how to make sweet and sour sauce, shall we?

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2)

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients

  • Pineapple Juice.
  • Light Brown Sugar. You can use white sugar for the "sweet" element, or use honey or agave nectar, or a sweetener substitute.
  • Rice Vinegar. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar as an alternative.
  • Ketchup.
  • Soy Sauce
  • Corn Starch. For thickening.
Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (3)

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce - the Recipe Method

Add Ingredients to a Sauce Pot. Whisk the pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce together in a small pot.

Boil, then Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (4)

Thicken the Sauce. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, or until the sweet and sour sauce thickens.

Use it Up. Cool and enjoy! Serving is about 1/4 cup.

Boom! Done! Your sweet and sour sauce is ready to serve. So easy to make, isn't it? Even for a slow cook like me. You're going to love this recipe. Curious how you're serving yours!

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (5)

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Thicker Sauce. For a thicker sauce, swirl in another tablespoon or more of the cornstarch slurry until it thickens to your preference. Just add in a bit at a time, because if you add too much, it can get much too thick, almost gelatinous.
  • Pineapple Juice. Avoid fresh pineapple juice, as it can prevent thickening. Processed pineapple juice (canned or jarred) is ideal for making sweet and sour sauce.
  • Red Color. Many sweet and sour sauces are very red in color. This is often from the addition of red food coloring. I don't use any in my recipe, but if you'd prefer a more vibrant red color like some restaurants, add a few drops to the mix when you whisk together the ingredients in the pot. This has no effect on the overall flavor.
  • Heat/Spice Factor. Mild. Sweet and sour sauce isn't traditionally spicy. It's flavor focuses on the sourness of the vinegar and the sweetness of the pineapple juice, though you can easily incorporate a pinch or more of spicy chili power, such as cayenne, or some spicy chili flakes. Spice it up, my friends!
Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (6)

Serving Sweet and Sour Sauce

What is sweet and sour sauce good with? I love to serve sweet and sour sauce with fried foods, particularly Chinese foods like egg rolls or fried crab rangoons.

Make it to serve extra with your Chinese takeout. You just never have enough, right?

Drizzle it over your next batch of fried chicken, or swirl some into your spicy fried rice for an interesting flavor kick. It's great drizzled over vegetables for an interesting twist.

It also makes a nice addition to salad dressings, or as a dipper for shrimp, scallops, crab, or other seafood.

Consider it as a glaze for grilling pork or chicken. So many ways to use it!

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (7)

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this sweet and sour sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
  • General Tso Sauce
  • Szechuan Sauce
  • Kung Pao Sauce
  • Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Pad Thai Sauce
  • Bulgogi Sauce
  • Gochujang Sauce
  • Easy Hoisin Sauce
  • Sambal Oelek
Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (8)

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (9)

Print

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

This quick and easy sweet and sour sauce recipe is the perfect Chinese dipping sauce, great with dumplings, fried foods, stir fries and so much more! Ready in 5 minutes!

Save Recipe

Course: sauce

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: ketchup, soy sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Calories: 79kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 8

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4.80 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup canned pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar use 3/4 cup for sweeter
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to form a slurry - double for a thicker sweet and sour sauce

Instructions

  • Whisk the pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce together in a small pot.

  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

  • Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, or until the sweet and sour sauce thickens.

  • Cool and enjoy!

Notes

For a thicker sauce, swirl in another tablespoon or more of the cornstarch slurry until it thickens to your preference.

Pineapple Juice. Avoid fresh pineapple juice, as it can prevent thickening. Processed pineapple juice (canned or jarred) is idea for making sweet and sour sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 290mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (10)

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Chinese sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

How does Jamie Oliver make sweet and sour sauce? ›

To make a sauce, drain the juice from 1 x 227g tin of pineapple chunks into a separate bowl, mix with 2 heaped teaspoons of cornflour, 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons low-salt soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of water, then put aside.

How long will homemade sweet and sour sauce last? ›

How long will homemade sweet and sour sauce keep in the fridge? This sweet and sour sauce recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you are storing the sauce straight after cooking, let it cool to room temperature first.

What is Thai sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

Place lime juice, tamarind, fish sauce and salt in a bowl, then add palm sugar and mix well to dissolve. Add the garlic/chile/shallot mixture and combine. Top with sliced red chile peppers and serve with any type of grilled meat. Enjoy!

How to thicken homemade sweet and sour sauce? ›

If the sauce isn't thick enough, you can add one more tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk it in. But remember, the sauce will thicken even more as it cools down. So only add more cornstarch if the sauce is way too thin. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Why is Chinese sweet and sour sauce so red? ›

The sweet and sour sauce you get from most chinese restaurants is dyed with food colouring to make it red. When I make sweet and sour sauce from scratch, there's a bit of a red colour, but that's because I use ketchup to make some of the “sour” part. It's also got tomatoes in it, which adds some red colour.

What is in Uncle Ben's sweet and sour sauce? ›

Water, Tomatoes, Sugar, Onion (9.9%), Carrot, Vinegar, Pineapple (3.5%), Green Pepper (3.3%), Modified Maize Starch, Red Pepper (1.9%), Bamboo Shoots, Salt, Colour (Paprika Extract), Spices.

What is the main ingredient in Mcdonald's sweet and sour sauce? ›

Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Apricot Puree Concentrate And/or Peach Puree Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, Contains 2% Or Less: Soy Sauce (water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Salt, Modified Food Starch, Sherry Wine Powder, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Natural ...

What is a substitute for pineapple in sweet and sour sauce? ›

Replace the pineapple juice with a mixture of orange and lemon juice, and opt for tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce to make it gluten-free. Don't have apple cider vinegar?

What are the ingredients in Kikkoman sweet and sour sauce? ›

WATER, SUGAR, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT), VINEGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, TOMATO PASTE, PINEAPPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, ONION POWDER, DEHYDRATED GREEN BELL PEPPER, SODIUM BENZOATE: LESS THAN 1/10 OF 1% AS A PRESERVATIVE, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, CITRIC ACID, GARLIC POWDER, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM ...

How to tell if sweet and sour sauce is bad? ›

To determine whether or not sweet and sour sauce has gone bad, you can look at it and smell it. The color may change from red to dark brown as it goes bad. White or grey mold may start to grow on top of the sauce or in the container.

Why is there a need to refrigerate sweet and sour sauce? ›

Answer: The precise answer depends to a large extent on storage conditions - to maximize the shelf life of opened sweet and sour sauce, refrigerate and keep tightly covered at all times. ... Sweet and sour sauce that has been continuously refrigerated will generally stay at best quality for about 1 year.

What is Chinese food sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

Here is the recipe that I use.... 1/4 C of brown sugar 1/2 C of white sugar 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/4 C of pineapple juice and pineapple chunks 1/4 C of ketchup 1/4 cup soy sauce If it is too thin then add a little flour to help give it some body. Boil on the stove and let cool, it will thicken as it cools.

What is the difference between Chinese and Thai sweet and sour? ›

Thai sweet and sour dishes are very close in taste to their Chinese counterpart but have a few added ingredients, including a little chili.

What is the actual Flavour of 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.

What is sweet and sour chicken made of Chinese food? ›

Sweet and sour chicken, one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, is made of puffy, golden brown pieces of fried chicken nuggets with pineapple chunks, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and a side of iconic red, sweet and sour sauce.

Is sweet and sour sauce the same as soy sauce? ›

The sour often is from white rice vinegar, but can also include soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Garlic, clove, and ginger also can make an appearance. Western sweet and sour sauce will often include the following: vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, tomato paste or ketchup, pineapple, green bell pepper, garlic, and onion.

Why is sweet and sour sauce called duck sauce? ›

It is speculated that the name "duck sauce" came about because its ancestor, tianmian sauce, was first served with Peking duck in China. When the Chinese emigrated to the U.S., they created Chinese dishes that would appeal more to the American palate, and developed a sweeter version of the sauce used in China.

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