EASY HOMEMADE SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

I have a million condiments that are half-used in my fridge. This is one of my pet peeves. If I can make a quick homemade sauce using pantry staples, I will buy another bottle. This Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce is a great example. A sweet and sour sauce is sugar and vinegar with soy sauce or ketchup. There are many ways to jazz it up and make your own sweet and sour sauce, so I’ll include them below.

WINNERS GET A SMALL BATCH

Making homemade sauces in small batches is what I prefer. It’s just as frustrating to have a million homemade sauces left over. This recipe makes approximately 1/2 cup of sauce. However, it can be easily doubled or tripled if necessary. You can adjust the number of servings by changing the recipe card’s box. All ingredients will be adjusted for you. The cooking method will not be changed.

HOW TO USE SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

As a sauce, dip, glaze, or sauce for stir-fry, sweet and sour sauce can be amazing. It can be used to dip gyoza, but it also works well for dipping egg rolls and fried wontons. It pairs well with pork and can be used as a glaze on ham or sauce for meatballs. You can also use it as a quick sauce for any stir-fry.

EXPRESS YOUR SWEET AND SUGAR SAUCE – GET SPECIAL OFFERS

Below is a simple, basic sweet and sour recipe. Here are some options to make your sauce more interesting.

Zingy – Use 1/2 tsp grated fresh Ginger
Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a small amount of sriracha to make it spicy
Pineapple – Replace water with pineapple juice, and reduce brown sugar by 1 Tbsp

What MAKES SWEET & SOUR SAUCE Red?

The sweet and sour sauce’s red color is a matter of food coloring. The ketchup I used in the below recipe makes it redder. It also adds sweetness and sourness (ketchup contains sugar and vinegar). You can kill two birds with one stone.

Is it possible to use different wines?

Rice vinegar is, in my opinion, worth the investment. Rice vinegar is usually quite affordable and has a delicate flavor compared to other vinegar. You will probably alter the flavor balance if you substitute rice vinegar with apple cider or white vinegar. This can be corrected by adding sugar to the recipe, but that will depend on your taste buds.

It’s great in Asian-inspired recipes if you aren’t sure how to use rice vinegar. It’s great in this Thai Cucumber Salad or Homemade Sushi Bowls.

HOW LONG IS IT PERMANENT?

This sauce tastes best when it is used within 24 hours. However, since it does not contain any “fresh” ingredients, it can be stored in the fridge for quite some time. The homemade sweet and sour sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. However, it will seep water if left in there for too long.

HOMEMADE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE RECIPE

You can make this Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce in minutes using only a few pantry staples.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 Tbsp per person

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.16)
1/4 cup rice vinegar ($0.48)
2 Tbsp ketchup ($0.10)
1 tsp soy sauce ($0.04)
2 Tbsp water ($0.00
1 teaspoon cornstarch ($0.01)

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Whisk until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. The sauce will appear slightly milky brown.
While whisking the sauce, heat it on medium heat until it simmers. The cornstarch will thicken it and make it shiny. Serve immediately
Serve the sweet-and-sour sauce immediately or refrigerate it for up to a week.