Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

This homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe is the perfect mix of tangy and sweet. It’s ready in only 10 minutes and tastes better than any store-bought alternative. 

You can use this sauce for dipping, topping, or to cook protein. Our favorite use is a twist on classic sweet and sour chicken: Sweet and Sour Tofu. 

What Is Sweet and Sour Sauce?

Sweet and sour sauce is a sauce used for dipping or cooking that has a distinct mix of tangy and sweet flavors. 

The ‘sourness’ of the sauce comes from vinegar (usually rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar) and the ‘sweetness’ is from ingredients like brown sugar or sugar alternatives. 

Our homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe also uses pineapple juice for some added fruity sweetness that takes this sauce to the next level. 

Sweet and sour sauce can be found in many Asian or takeout restaurants. It’s often known for having a bright red color, which usually comes from food coloring. If you’d like to re-create this red color at home, we’ve also included instructions for how to use food coloring in this recipe. 

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients:

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make sweet and sour sauce: 

• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar or sugar alternative (like coconut sugar)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari sauce)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 2 tablespoons water
• Optional: 4 – 5 drops red food coloring (for a natural food coloring option, click here) 

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and sour sauce is made by adding all of the ingredients to a saucepan, stirring in some cornstarch (for thickness) and simmering the sauce until done. 

The full recipe is at the bottom of this page, but here’s a quick breakdown of how to make sweet and sour sauce: 

Step 1:

Stir together all of the ingredients, except for the cornstarch, water, and food coloring (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. 

Step 2: 

In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch dissolves. 

Step 3: 

Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens. 

Step 4: 

If using, stir in the red food coloring to give the sauce its traditional red coloring. 

This is an easy, 10 minute recipe that makes a large batch (about 1 ½ cups) of sauce. You can save leftover sauce in your fridge for up to 2 – 3 weeks. 

Is Sweet and Sour Sauce Vegan?

Yes, this sweet and sour sauce is vegan. It uses ingredients like pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ketchup and more. This recipe also includes honey, which can be left out if you prefer. 

One of the most popular ways to enjoy this sweet and sour sauce is by tossing it with tofu in our classic Sweet and Sour Tofu Recipe. 

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

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• Author: Megan
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe is the perfect mix of tangy and sweet. It’s ready in only 10 minutes and tastes better than any store-bought alternative.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar or sugar alternative (I use coconut sugar)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari sauce)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 – 5 drops (natural) red food coloring (optional)

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Instructions

1. Stir together all of the ingredients, except for the cornstarch, water, and food coloring (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch dissolves.
3. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens.
4. If using, stir in the red food coloring to give the sauce its traditional red coloring.
5. Use the sauce immediately or cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Appetizer, Sauce, Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: sauce