Sweet and sour sauce is a flavorful condiment commonly used in Asian cuisine, especially in Chinese and Thai dishes. It is known for its balanced blend of sweet and tangy flavors, hence the name “sweet and sour.”
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Servings
4
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking timeminutes
The Sweet and Sour Sauce typically has a translucent appearance and is used as a dipping sauce, marinade, or glaze for various dishes.
Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup pineapple juice (you can use the juice from canned pineapple chunks)
Optional: Chopped bell peppers, onions, or pineapple chunks for texture and flavor
Optional: A pinch of salt and a dash of hot sauce for extra flavor complexity
Directions
- In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water to create a slurry. This will help thicken the sauce later.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
- If you’re using optional ingredients like bell peppers, onions, or pineapple chunks, you can add them to the saucepan at this stage.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while stirring continuously.
- Gradually add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering mixture while stirring. This will help thicken the sauce. Continue to cook and stir for a few minutes until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
- Add the pineapple juice to the sauce and stir to incorporate. The pineapple juice adds both sweetness and a subtle fruity flavor to the sauce.
- If you’re using optional hot sauce for a bit of heat, add it now and stir.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the sweetness, tanginess, or any other flavors to your liking. You can add more sugar for sweetness or more vinegar for tanginess.
- Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency and flavor, remove it from the heat.
- Let the sauce cool down before using it. It will thicken a bit more as it cools.
- Once the sauce is cooled, you can use it as a dipping sauce, glaze for meats, or drizzle it over your favorite dishes.