Description
A fast, flavorful homemade sweet and sour sauce with a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory notes. Ideal as a dip, glaze, or stir-in, ready in under 10 minutes with pantry staples.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pineapple juice or water
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar (or apple cider)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1–1½ Tbsp cornstarch + water (slurry)
- Optional: red food coloring or a splash of chili crisp for spice
Instructions
- Whisk pineapple juice (or water), vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a small saucepan.
- Heat the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Whisk in the cornstarch-water slurry and simmer for 1–2 minutes until thickened.
- Optional: stir in red food coloring for color.
- Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then transfer to a jar or bowl.
Notes
- Add chili crisp or fresh chili for a spicy twist.
- For a garlic-savory version, stir in a minced garlic clove.
- Use honey instead of brown sugar for a healthier glaze.
- Use tamari and gluten-free ketchup for a gluten-free option.
- Store in the fridge up to 2–3 weeks; reheat gently before use.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
