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Home » Recipes » International Recipes

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Published: Feb 20, 2025 by Chef Ryan Littley

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Zesty and tangy and incredibly flavorful, our sweet and sour sauce is easy to make and so much better than the store bought versions. Made with seven simple ingredients this delicious sauce can be ready to use in about 20 minutes.

Sweet and sour sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out.


 

Don’t get fooled by recipes, that don’t cook the sauce, the flavor of those sauces, pale in comparison to this sauce.

They actually do use sweet and sour sauce in Asian cuisine, although the variations differ significantly from our Westernized version.

It gained popularity in Chinese restaurants across the US with dishes like sweet and sour pork and sweet and sour chicken.

Eggrolls on a white plate with sweet and sour sauce.

You can use our easy-to-make sweet and sour sauce as a dipping sauce for egg rolls, spring rolls and crab rangoon. It can also be used to make sweet and sour chicken, beef, and pork. Just stir fry some veggies, strips of cooked meats. then add this delicious sauce to make sweet and sour dishes better than Chinese takeout!

If you enjoying making homemade sauces, try our Korean BBQ Sauce and Mumbo Sauce recipes. They’re OMG delicous!

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Can I Make Substitutions or Additions to the Recipe?
  • How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Ingredients to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients to make the recipee.

Start by gathering the ingredients needed to make our sweet and sour sauce recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

Can I Make Substitutions or Additions to the Recipe?

Yes, you can. We used pineapple juice to make the recipe, but you could also use orange juice. Some recipes use tomato paste, instead of ketchup, but you may have to add a little more sugar to make up for the sugar in the ketchup.

You can add additional spices for a more robust sauce. Onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes make good additions. For a spicier sauce you can add sriracha or sweet chili sauce to the mixture.

The best thing about this easy recipe, is there are no chemicals or artifical ingredients you’ll find in store-bought sauce.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Collage showing how to begin the recipe.
  • Add corn starch to the water to a small bowl.
  • Mix together to create a cornstarch slurry. Set aside until needed.
  • Add the ketchup, rice vinegar, and brown sugar to a small pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  • Whisk to combine breaking up any chunks of brown sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

*Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can be substituted for the rice wine vinegar.

Collage showing how to finish the recipe.
  • Add the soy sauce and pineapple juice to the mixture. Whisk to combine.
  • Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk to combine.
  • Reduce to low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  • The sauce will begin to thicken as it reduces.

*For a more vibrant red color you can add red food coloring to the sweet and sour sauce.

Sweet and sour sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out.

If you’re not using the sweet and sour sauce right away, let it cool then store it refrigerated in a glass jar or airtight container.

Pot stickers on a white plate with sweet and sour sauce

Our sweet and sour sauce is the perfect dipping sauce for pot stickers, chicken tenders and chicken nuggets. Just make sure to make extra, because your family is going to love it!

And you’re going to love all the delicious dishes you’ll be able to make using it as a sweet and sour stir fry sauce!

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make sweet and sour sauce without cornstarch?

Yes, you can. Arrowroot, potato starch and tapicoa starch can be used instead. Simmering the sauce for longer, letting it reduce will thicken the sauce naturally, but the flavors may be too strong if you let it reduce that much.

Can I freeze sweet and sour sauce?

Absolutely, my favorite way to store sauces that I use in small amounts is to freeze them in ice cube trays. Pop them out when frozen and store in a ziplock bag for up to two months.

Can I fix a sauce that is too sour?

That’s an easy fix. Add more brown sugar, honey, or ketchup to make it less tangy.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Korean barbecue sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out.
    Korean BBQ Sauce
  • Peri-Peri Sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.
    Peri Peri Sauce
  • Mumbo sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out.
    Mumbo Sauce Recipe
  • Chamoy sauce in a jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.
    Homemade Chamoy Sauce Recipe

Sweet and sour sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Chef Ryan Littley
Zesty, tangy, and incredibly flavorful our easy to make sweet and sour sauce can be ready to use in about 20 minutes. It makes a delicious dipping sauce and is perfect for stir-fried dishes.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Servings 8
Calories 73 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup rice vinegar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce regular or low sodium
  • ¼ cup pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions
 

  • Add corn starch to the water and mix together to create a cornstarch slurry and set aside until needed.
  • Add the ketchup, rice vinegar, and brown sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat, whisking to combine and break up any chunks of brown sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the soy sauce and pineapple juice to the mixture and whisk to combine.
  • Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the sauces reduces and begins to thicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 0.02gSaturated Fat: 0.001gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.004gSodium: 324mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Rose says

    March 15, 2025 at 11:35 am

    Can you use lemon juice instead of pineapple juice

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      March 16, 2025 at 1:26 pm

      Lemon juice will be too tart for the sauce and it won’t have the same flavor

      Reply


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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