Description
This Restaurant Style Sweet and Sour Sauce is a vibrant, tangy, and sweet condiment perfect for enhancing your favorite Asian-inspired dishes. Made from pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and a simple cornstarch slurry, it’s easy to prepare on the stovetop and delivers authentic flavor that pairs wonderfully with fried or grilled proteins, stir-fries, and vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1–2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Thickening Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Optional
- 2–4 drops red food coloring (optional but recommended for vibrant color)
Instructions
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce (or tamari), and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Heat the Sauce: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, ensuring the sugar dissolves completely.
- Prepare Slurry: While the sauce heats, mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a smooth slurry without lumps.
- Thicken the Sauce: Once the sauce is boiling with large bubbles, slowly add the cornstarch slurry, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency, then immediately remove from heat.
- Add Food Coloring: Stir in 2-4 drops of red food coloring to enhance the sauce’s color, adding this last to preserve vibrancy.
- Cool and Store: Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a container. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- One cup of pineapple juice is slightly more than one standard can, so use a bit more than a single can.
- When using tamari, which is more intense than regular soy sauce, start with less than 1-2 tablespoons and adjust to taste to avoid overpowering the sauce.
- Check labels for gluten-free tamari or soy sauce if dietary restrictions apply, and avoid brands with added sugar.
- Adding the red food coloring last prevents loss of vibrancy and means less is needed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: sweet and sour sauce, pineapple sauce, asian sauce, homemade sweet and sour, gluten-free sauce, tangy sauce, quick sauce
