How To Serve Sweet Sour Sauce
This sauce is so versatile, you can use it for so many dishes. Dip egg rolls, spring rolls, or chicken nuggets in this tasty sauce.
You can also drizzle it on top of our egg roll in a bowl or use it to make sweet and sour pork, chicken or sweet and sour meatballs.
Check out more recipes for our favorite Asian foods including fried rice and chicken lo mein
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Ingredients For Sweet And Sour Sauce
- Tomato Paste – I like to use tomato paste instead of ketchup because I find it has a lot more flavor. Tomato paste has a lot more umami flavor as well.
- Sugar – I use cane sugar for this recipe, but you definitely can substitute it with honey or brown sugar. If you use brown sugar, the sauce may not be a vibrant red color.
- White Vinegar – for this sauce, I like to use white vinegar because it’s easy to find, and it provides a tartness without any additional flavors. In a pinch, you can also substitute it with rice vinegar.
- Soy Sauce – To give the sauce the balance of sweet and sour, I use soy sauce as the savoriness to pull the flavors together. It also adds a bit of umami as well.
- Oil – Use neutral oils without strong flavors. I like to use avocado oil in most of my cooking. We use the oil to toast the tomato paste to bring out the flavors
- Garlic Clove – I like to add a smashed piece of garlic into the sauce to give it a bit of flavor. It’s a subtle flavor since it doesn’t simmer in the sauce for too long.
- Corn Starch – this is used to thicken the sauce.
- Chili Flakes/Cayenne/Sriracha – If you like to make a spicy sweet and sour sauce, you can add chili flakes, cayenne, or sriracha to it.
How To Make Sweet And Sour Sauce From Scratch
First: Combine the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a pot. Heat on the stove top over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil .
Second: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly pour into the pot, whisking as you pour.
Third: Simmer while whisking until the sweet and sour sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
Fourth: Stir in food coloring if desired. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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Tips To Make The Sweet And Sour Sauce
- Using fresh pineapple-if you are using fresh pineapple, add more water to cook and soften the pineapple before adding ingredients.
- Using canned pineapple-use both juice and pineapple chunks to flavour the sweet and sour sauce.
- If you want to make the sweet and sour sauce without pineapple, simply omit the first steps of the recipe instructions in adding pineapple and proceed with the next steps.
- Sugar add less or more sugar to balance the sweetness.
- Red chilli flakes or hot sauce you can add red chilli flakes or hot sauce to add spice to the sauce.
- The cornstarch in the sweet and sour sauce recipe thicken the sauce as you cook it. If you want a thinner sauce then reduce the amount of cornstarch for a thinner sauce.
Utensils and appliances needed.
Storing and shelf life-store in air tight container or bottle. keep refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
Freezing-you can freeze the sauce, I would reccomend blending and making a smoother sauce before refrigerating extras.
Reheating you can remove from the freezer and let it reach room temperature, give it a good stir and use as needed.
RECIPE DIFFICULTY-EASY
How to make a sweet and sour sauce
The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
1 cup of cubed pineapple1 cup of water1 and 1/2 a cup of sugar1 cup of ketchup2/3 cup white vinegar2 tablespoons of soy sauce2 teaspoons of red chilli flakes2 tablespoons of cornstarch
Add all the ingredients.
Always shake or stir before using.
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 dont 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 dont 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.
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What Is Sweet And Sour Sauce
Only the best and most versatile sauce you will ever eat. The sweet and sour flavors pair well with all your favorite Chinese restaurant favorites which is why it comes with so many dishes.
From appetizers like Gyoza and fried wonton crackers to main dishes like sweet and sour chicken, its a must have in your refrigerator.
More Homemade Sauces To Try
I love a good homemade sauce! Im the one who wants sauce dripping off of my burger and want all of my chicken completely covered in sauce. The more the better! And when I make a homemade sauce, then I have plenty to do that with! Here are a few more of my favorite sauces that we use constantly at our house! Try one or try them all, you will love them!
Dressings, Sauces, and Dips
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Sweet And Sour Sauce Faqs
Can I freeze homemade sweet and sour sauce?
This great recipe can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container.
How do I store this homemade sauce?
Keep the sauce in a sealed storage container in the fridge for up to three weeks.
How do you thicken sweet and sour sauce?
For a thicker consistency, you can add additional cornstarch slurry. To make a thinner sauce, start with only a little bit of the cornstarch slurry until you reach the perfect consistency.
Does Chinese sweet and sour sauce need to be refrigerated?
Sweet and sour sauce needs to be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. It will keep for 2-3 weeks.
What is the difference between sweet and sour sauce and duck sauce?
Sweet and sour sauce and duck sauce are very similar, but sweet and sour sauce tends to be tangier and sweeter than duck sauce and while duck sauce has a thicker, jelly-like consistency.
How To Make Sweet And Sour Sauce:
In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar until combined.
In a separate cup, whisk 3/4 cup cold water with 4 Tbsp cornstarch until well blended. Whisk vigorously into the ketchup mixture. Bring to a boil while whisking until bubbly, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, remove from heat. Keep in mind, the sauce will get thicker when cooled.
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Traditional Sweet And Sour Sauce
Best Sweet And Sour Sauce
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There are so many ways to enjoy this popular and versatile sauce. And with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep/cook time, this delicious Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe couldnt be simpler! Plus its better than your favorite Chinese takeout or restaurant!
Chinese food and sweet and sour sauce go hand in hand and for that reason youll find it served in every Chinese restaurant and at every takeout. Its also an essential staple to have in your kitchen. If youve never made your own, its 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 its free of preservatives, chemicals and junk ingredients.
Get ready for this fast, simple, and thoroughly deeeelicious homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe!
Read Also: G Hughes Sugar Free Barbecue Sauce
How Long Does It Take Chicken To Bake At 350
Chick-fil-A is a fast-food chain with locations in the United States and many other countries. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the chicken they serve.
Some people believe that Chick-fil-A does not marinate their chicken properly, while others think its a great way to add flavor to their food.
Recipe Tips And Tricks
- Making substitutions: If youve never made sweet and sour sauce before, stick to the recipe. But, if you know what you like, then feel free to make adjustments. If you like it sourer, add more vinegar. If you prefer it saltier, use more soy sauce. Is it too sweet? Add less sugar. You get the idea.
- How to thicken: If the sauce is not thickened enough to your liking, just continue to simmer to activate the cornstarch. The longer you simmer the sauce, the more it will thicken as it reduces.
- Use it as a marinade: To use this sauce as a marinade, just leave out the cornstarch and slather it on your meats before cooking.
Also Check: Bertolli Spaghetti Sauce Nutrition Facts
Making The Sweet And Sour Sauce
Super Easy Sweet And Sour Sauce
I love a good homemade sauce. Mostly because they come in super handy when its time to make dinner and you realize that you forgot to get the sauce that the recipe calls for.
But no reason to fret. Making many sauces at home are super easy, and can be made with pantry staples.
This sweet and sour sauce is great over shrimp or chicken or pork. You can use it as a dipping sauce, , but I like to mostly use it as a sauce over some kind of protein. Its sticky enough to hold onto things like meatballs or chunks of chicken. It would also make a fabulous sauce for a stir fry.
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How Long Does It Keep
This sauce is best when used the same day, but since it doesnt 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.
How To Make Sweet & Sour Sauce:
This sweet and sour sauce recipe is super easy to make, and can be made ahead of when you plan to use it.
Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch in a small pot over medium heat, and whisk to combine well. Stir the cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry, and then add to the pot.
Cook to your desired thickness and then youre ready to use this sauce, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at least 5-7 days.
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Does Butter Reduce Acidity In Tomato Sauce
Butter, or any other fatty lactose product like bechamel or half-and-half can also help reduce the acidity of the tomato sauce. However, these are less likely to change the actual pH of the pasta sauce instead, theyre more likely to eliminate bitter and acidic flavors in your food.
How do you sweeten pasta sauce without sugar?
Use carrots instead of sugar to sweeten your pasta sauce PopSugar agrees that carrots are a great way to add understated sweetness to your pasta sauce and recommends pulverizing them in a food processor first so theyll mix with your sauce easily.
Should you put sugar in tomato sauce?
The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether theyre fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.
How Do You Make Sour Chicken
Sour chicken is a dish that is made with a mixture of pickled vegetables and spices. It is typically served as a side dish or at the end of a meal.
There are many ways to make sour chicken, but one of the most common methods is to use a yogurt sauce. You can also make it using white wine or vinegar. The key to making sour chicken successfully is to use the correct spices and vegetables.
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What Do We Need
- Sugar – use light brown or dark brown sugar . Dark brown sugar is slightly more acidic, so if you like it really tangy, go with that one.
- Vinegar – I find malt vinegar give the best tangy for sweet and sour sauce. However, if you’re making this for someone who can’t have malt vinegar you can replace with white wine vinegar.
- Garlic and ginger – use fresh minced garlic or ginger, or you can replace with the minced garlic and ginger that comes in a jar. Both work equally well.
- Ketchup – I use good old Heinz as it’s well seasoned and pretty inexpensive. No need to waste your gourmet ketchup on this sauce!
- Pineapple juice – use fresh, from-concentrate-cartons or even the juice from a tin of pineapple in juice. Fresh bottled stuff has the most flavour, but there’s more than enough flavour to compensate in the other ingredients if you use the cartons or tinned juice. I alternate between all three, and no-one ever notices the difference.
What Is A Substitute For Sweet And Sour Sauce
Whats A Good Sweet And Sour Sauce Substitute?
- Your best bet: Make your own sweet and sour sauce.
- A decent second choice: Teriyaki sauce.
- In a pinch: General Tsos sauce.
- Other alternatives.
Can you buy McDonalds sweet and sour sauce?
This sauce is the perfect Chicken McNuggets® dipping sauce when you want something slightly sweet with a touch of heat. There are 50 calories in a serving of Sweet N Sour Sauce at McDonalds. Order it today using Mobile Order & Pay on the McDonalds App.
What Can Vegans eat from the Chinese?
Almost every Chinese restaurant has tofu, a versatile vegan staple, which can replace meat in pretty much any dishmaking any menu item a potentially vegan one.Noodles and Rice
- Veggie chow mein.
- Vegetable fried rice
- Tofu fried rice
Is sweet and sour sauce bad?
How can you tell if opened sweet and sour sauce is bad or spoiled? The best way is to smell and look at the sweet and sour sauce: if the sweet and sour sauce develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded.
Can you buy sweet and sour sauce?
Kikkoman Original Sweet & Sour Sauce 12 oz Bottles.
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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
The Best Sweet And Sour Sauce
The Best Sweet and Sour Sauce, only 5 ingredients and ready in minutes! A super easy recipe that you can serve alongside some of your favorite meals!
Sweet and Sour Sauce is something you need in your recipe arsenal. Not only is it delicious, but it is also very versatile and you can use it in many different ways!
Use it as a dipping sauce or a glaze stirred into some of your favorite dishes. Its a great copycat takeout recipe that you can make at home.
Like I said this recipe is super versatile and you can pretty much use it in or with anything that you want to have a sweet and sour taste to it.
Sweet and Sour Chicken is obviously a huge staple at your local Chinese Restaurant and this is definitely the perfect copycat! Sweet and tangy and thickened with a cornstarch slurry, you will totally impress your guests with this one!
If you are a fan of homemade sauces instead of store-bought then this is one that you need to keep on hand, not only because its delicious but its just simple.
Some of our favorite sauce recipes that we have on our site include: Homemade BBQ Sauce, Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce and Homemade Mayonnaise.
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