Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

October 11, 2021

This sweet and sour sauce is perfectly tangy and zesty! It will add a delicious flavor to just about anything and will only take you about 10 minutes to make!

I love a good sauce to dip things in and this sweet and sour sauce is no exception! Make up some Egg Rolls, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and some Pork to use this in and you will agree with me… It’s the best!

Sweet and Sour Sauce

I love sweet and sour sauce because it’s tangy but sweet at the same time. Just like in the name! You can use it to dip things in our you can completely coat some chicken, pork, or shrimp in it. It makes or breaks a recipe and this sauce will give you everything that you are looking for! It is a perfect consistency and is thick enough that you can lather this stuff on. I’m a big fan of sauce so the more the better!

Not only does this sauce taste fantastic but it is so simple and easy to make! The ingredients are not complicated and if you have 10 minutes, you can whip this up. In fact, double the batch and then save it for later so that you always have some! Kids can be pretty picky when it comes to sauce. It can’t be too spicy but it has to taste good. This sauce is just that! My whole family goes crazy over it! Go ahead and try it, you will never go back to store-bought sauce again!

What’s In Sweet and Sour Sauce?

Sweet and sour sauce is made from a bunch of ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

Pineapple juice: This is what will give you that zesty, fresh flavor!
Rice vinegar: I like to use this rice vinegar from the store.
Brown sugar: This will sweeten up the recipe and give it a deeper flavor than white sugar would give to it.
Ketchup: Not only does this add to the taste but it gives it that beautiful red color as well!
Soy sauce: This is my favorite soy sauce to use!
Cornstarch and water: When you mix these two together, it will help thicken up the sauce to the perfect consistency!

Let’s Make Some Sauce!

Making this sweet and sour sauce will take you less than 10 minutes! It’s so simple and easy that you will never go back to buying this at the store again!

Mix: In a saucepan over medium-high heat whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together.
Whisk: In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
Combine and mix: Add the cornstarch to the saucepan and whisk it in.
Simmer: Bring to a simmer then reduce to medium-low until it thickens

A spoon being dipped in sweet and sour sauce.

Quick Tips

Sweet and sour sauce can be changed up to fit exactly what you want! Whether that’s more heat or more flavor! That’s the beauty of making your own sauces at home. They are quick and easy and you get to decide how they turn out and taste!

Don’t use FRESH pineapple juice: When you are making this recipe, use pineapple juice from a can. Fresh pineapple juice has more acid in it and will break down the sauce. This will change up the taste and the consistency.
Add some kick: If you want to add a bit of extra spice, try slowly adding in a tiny bit of chili flakes.
Lather on meat: If you want to lather this on a meat dish and don’t just plan on using it for dipping then I would double the recipe!

An egg roll being dipped into sweet and sour sauce.

How to Store Leftovers

This sweet and sour sauce can last in a jar or an airtight container in your fridge for about 2 weeks! So go ahead and plan all of your recipes around this so that you can make the most of it! It’s so delicious, you won’t regret it!