BEST Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce (Better Than Take-Out!) (2024)

This homemade sweet and sour sauce is so much better than Chinese takeout or McDonald’s! With just 5 simple ingredients, you can whip up a batch the next time you’re craving tangy sweet and sour chicken, or for a fun dipping sauce for your chicken nuggets.

I think that with some meals, the sauce makes all the difference.

Perfect example – my Crunchy Quinoa Salad is tasty by itself. But drizzle Thai Peanut Sauce on top?! It’s AMAZING!

That’s one reason why this sweet and sour sauce recipe has been in our meal plan rotation for the past few months. Even though it’s my JOB to come up with cheap and healthy meals, sometimes I can get in a rut.

And sometimes, amidst the busyness of life, I need to hit the quick and easy button for dinner. Homemade Chicken Nuggets with this sweet and sour sauce? Everybody wins.

EASY SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

Not only is this sweet and sour recipe quick and easy, it’s also:

• Versatile. Use it with chicken, pork, and shrimp, or even with veggie egg rolls.
• Much healthier than McDonald’s or takeout with no red food coloring
• Made using pantry staples, so it’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand
• A frugal but flavorful option to add some pizzazz to dinner
• Great for multiple dietary preferences: Make a substitution for soy sauce (options below), and it’s a gluten-free sauce. As written, this sweet and sour recipe is vegan.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS

This sweet and sour sauce recipe is made with pantry staples, so it’s easy to whip up a batch when you need it!

• Pineapple juice: You may not have pineapple juice in the pantry, but I promise that it’s worth it in this recipe. You CAN substitute orange juice, but really, pineapple juice makes this sweet and sour sauce taste so much more authentic.
• Apple cider vinegar: I highly recommend apple cider vinegar because it has the right amount of tang and it’s super affordable, especially when you make your own using apple peels and cores! Rice wine vinegar works too, but I would avoid white vinegar.
• Soy sauce: Use whatever soy sauce you normally keep in the pantry.
  • I made this once using coconut aminos (leftover from our Whole30 as a family experiment) and then again using liquid aminos and both were delicious.
  • Tamari (which is wheat-free) is also a great option for a gluten-free sweet and sour sauce.
• Brown sugar: I generally shy away from adding processed sugar to dinner recipes, but sweet and sour sauce is partially SWEET, so you need something to do that.
• Cornstarch and water: A cornstarch slurry helps to thicken the sauce when heated, but you can use arrowroot powder if you prefer

HOW TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS

If you’ve ever wondered how to make sweet and sour sauce, it’s actually really easy!

Step 1. Combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.

Step 2. Bring JUST to a low boil and whisk the ingredients often so the sugar dissolves thoroughly.

Step 3. In a mug, make a slurry with the cornstarch and water. Add the slurry to the sauce while whisking quickly. Simmer for one minute and then reduce the heat to low.

Step 4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

You can store sweet and sour sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

PINEAPPLE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE RECIPE TIPS

• Made pineapple sweet and sour sauce and now you have extra pineapple juice?
  • Personally, I would put Light and Fluffy Dinner Rolls on the menu the same week since they use pineapple juice too. That way you won’t be left without a plan for leftovers.
  • If you DO have some juice left, add it to a Basic Green Smoothie, or any of the smoothies in my e-book High Protein No Powder!
• If you don’t have pineapple juice, you can also blend canned pineapple with a bit of water until it’s smooth and use that instead.
• We’re using brown sugar so you can control just how sweet you want this sauce to be. As written, you can taste the sweetness in the recipe. It shouldn’t be too much, but it’s there. Feel free to start with less and add more to taste.

YUMMY FOOD TO SERVE WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

• Make Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, or Instant Pot Shrimp
• Dip your Homemade Chicken Nuggets
• Use as a glaze like these Maple Glazed Pork Chops
• Instead of BBQ Sauce for Ribs
• Marinade and glaze for Chicken Wings
• Enjoy drizzled over Eggroll in a Bowl or Weeknight Stir Fry or simple sauteed vegetables like carrots, peppers, and onions!
• Mix with sesame oil for a salad dressing with an Asian flair.
• Use as a dip for meatballs.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE WITH PINEAPPLE FAQS

MORE EASY HOMEMADE SAUCES

Sauces can add a punch of flavor to an otherwise average meal, and it’s easy to make your own! You can’t go wrong with any of these favorites:

• Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce
• Thai Peanut Sauce
• Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
• 15-Minute Hot Sauce
• Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce
• Homemade Tomato Sauce Using Fresh Tomatoes
• Alfredo Sauce
• Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

Print Recipe

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4.7 from 3 reviews

This homemade sweet and sour sauce is so much better than Chinese takeout or McDonald’s! With just 5 simple ingredients, you can whip up a batch the next time you’re craving tangy sweet and sour chicken, or for a fun dipping sauce for your chicken nuggets.

• Author: Tiffany
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1x
• Category: Sauces/Condiments
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (or make your own)
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ½ Tbsp water

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Instructions

1. Combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Bring JUST to a low boil, whisking the ingredients every few minutes so the sugar dissolves thoroughly.
3. In a mug, make a slurry with the corn starch and water. Add the slurry to the sauce while whisking quickly. Cook for one minute and then reduce the heat to low.
4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

Notes

• Put light and fluffy dinner rolls on the menu the same week since it uses pineapple juice too. That way you won’t be left without a plan for leftovers.
• If you DO have some juice left, add it to a basic green smoothie, or any of the smoothies in my e-book High Protein No Powder!

Nutrition

• Calories: 52