One of my biggest pet peeves is having a million half-used condiments in my fridge. So if I can quickly whip up a homemade sauce with pantry staples, I’m going to do that before buying another bottle! This Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce is the perfect example. At its most basic, a sweet and sour sauce is just sugar and vinegar, flavored with a splash of soy sauce and ketchup. But there are also plenty of ways you can jazz it up and make it your own, so I’ll also include those below!
Small Batch For The Win
I like to make my homemade sauces in small batches so there are no leftovers because having a million half-used homemade sauces in your fridge is just as annoying as having a million half-used bottled sauces in your fridge. The recipe below makes about 1/2 cup of sauce, but can easily be doubled or tripled if needed. Simply adjust the number of servings in the servings box in the recipe card and all of the ingredient quantities will adjust for you. There will be no change to the cooking method.
How to Use Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet and sour sauce is amazing as a dip, glaze for meat, or sauce for stir fry. I show it being used as a dipping sauce for gyoza above, but it’s also great for dipping egg rolls, fried wontons, shrimp, or chicken nuggets. The sweet and tangy flavor pairs perfectly with pork and can be used on pork chops (See Sweet and Sour Pork Chops with Vegetables), as a glaze for ham, or a sauce for meatballs. It also makes a quick pour-on sauce for any stir fry.
Customize Your Sweet and Sour Sauce
The recipe listed below is a very basic, simple sweet and sour sauce. If you want to change up your sauce and do something a little more interesting, here are a few options:
- Zingy – Add 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- Spicy – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or a small squirt of sriracha
- Pineapple – Replace the water with pineapple juice and reduce the brown sugar by 1 Tbsp
What Makes Sweet and Sour Sauce Red?
In most fast food take out restaurants, the red color of the sweet and sour sauce is nothing more than red food coloring. In the recipe below, I use a little ketchup, which not only makes the sauce red, but adds even more sweet and sour flavor (ketchup has both sugar and vinegar). Two birds with one stone!
Can I Use Different Vinegar?
IMHO, rice vinegar is worth the purchase. It’s usually very inexpensive, and it has a much more delicate flavor than other types of vinegar. If you decide to substitute either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar in this recipe, you will likely throw the flavor balance off a bit. You may be able to remedy this by adding more sugar, but it will depend entirely on your own taste buds.
If you’re unsure of how you’ll use the rest of your rice vinegar, it’s great in all sorts of Asian-inspired recipes. Try it in this Thai Cucumber Salad, Homemade Sushi Bowls, or Easy Sesame Chicken.
How Long Does it Keep?
This sauce is best when used the same day, but since it doesn’t have any “fresh” ingredients in it, it will keep for quite a while in your fridge. You can keep the homemade sweet and sour sauce in an air-tight container in your refrigerator for about a week, but it may begin to seep water if kept much longer.
Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe
Servings 4 2 Tbsp eachIngredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.16)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar ($0.48)
- 2 Tbsp ketchup ($0.10)
- 1 tsp soy sauce ($0.04)
- 2 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- 1 tsp cornstarch ($0.01)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small pot and whisk until the sugar and cornstarch have dissolved. The sauce will have a slightly milky brown appearance.
- Heat the sauce over medium, while whisking, until it begins to simmer. Once it begins to simmer the cornstarch will thicken the sauce and it will turn from cloudy to shiny in appearance. Serve immediately.
- Serve the sweet and sour sauce immediately or refrigerate for up to one week.
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Nutrition
What is your favorite food to eat with sweet and sour sauce? Let me know in the comments below!
How to Make Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce – Step by Step Photos
Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp water, and 1 tsp cornstarch in a small pot. Whisk the ingredients together until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve.
Heat the sauce over medium, whisking continuously, until it begins to simmer. Once it reaches a simmer the cornstarch will thicken the sauce and it will go from looking cloudy to more of a glossy glaze.
Serve the sauce immediately, or refrigerate up to one week. If kept longer than that, water may begin to seep out and separate from the sauce.
So good!! The only sweet and sour recipe I use! I sautéed some chopped mushroom and onion and cooked the sauce with the veg then poured it over sliced tempura portabella mushroom caps
This recipe is good but it is missing a step. A dash of baking soda in the mix while cooking to neutralize the heavy vinegar flavor. Makes a huge difference. If you really want it to be more red, 3 drops of food coloring does the trick.
I personally like the vinegar flavor as that provides the sour note that many store bought sauces lack
I personally don’t like it. Too savory and not sweet or sour enough.
Love the sweet and sour recipe with pineapple juice! Thank you!!!, 💚Iris
Quick and easy! Thank you!
Thanks! Easy Breezy! And so is your Recipe Blog!
Fun!
Good stuff. Anyway, had few of the ingredients. .
Made something happen. Satisfied the taste.
Used Apple cider vinegar, brow sugar+, ketchup, “Wondra” quick mix flour, Sea salt, black pepper grind, and a toss of red pepper ( to cover the missing Soy) .
Going forward I will always have the basics in my pantry!
Would a sugar substitute like pure maple syrup or monk fruit work instead of brown sugar?
That would take some testing to find out for sure. Every sweetener has its own level of sweetness and physical properties, which can change the balance of flavors and texture of the sauce.
Fabulous sauce the way it is, my other half thinks it’s better than a take away
Can you substitute white wine vinegar for rice vinegar
If that’s what you have on hand, however the flavor will be different it won’t quite be the same.
Is there an alternative to corn starch?
Yes you could use tapioca or arrowroot starch.
We can also make it very spicy and hot
This recipe looks quick and easy to make, and I have to agree will you anything goes, just as long as it tastes good.
Ranch on fries is a thing. It’s not my thing but I’ve seen it lots
I made this last night, too ketchup-y for our tastes, but I will be making it again with slight adjustments.
I used pure tomato paste from a tube instead of ketchup and decreased it to 1 tbsp and liked it better. I also added ginger for zing and a splash of lemon juice.
Yum! My husband loves sweet and sour sauce! We’ll totally be making this!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Have to say, as an Asian I was pretty surprised to see pictures of dumplings/gyoza getting dipped into sweet and sour sauce. It’s kind of like putting ranch on fries? I’m sure it’s probably tasty but most dipping sauces for dumplings consist of soy sauce and vinegar…
You’re aware that Europeans tend to eat fries with mayonnaise or (god forbid) satay sauce rather than ketchup? The thought of patatjes oorlog still makes me shudder.
Dumplings with sweet and sour sauce seems pretty mild as food crimes go.
I don’t usually go for “traditional” I just go for what I think tastes good. :) I had some gyoza in my freezer and I happened to be making this sauce, so I thought I’d try dipping them and I liked it! And yes, I’ve seen people put ranch on fries. LOL I’m all about eating whatever food combos you like with no shame. :)
Soy sauce, vinegar and what Ray? I love the dumpling dipping sauce you get in restaurants. Can you send Beth the recipe so she can share it with us please? TIA
ranch on anything salty is amazing. i can’t believe people have rules for FOOD! how else do you find out about food combos without experimenting?