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    Home » Recipes » Sauces/Rubs/Salsas/Dips

    Easy Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Apr 6, 2022 • Author: Joyce • 26 Comments • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    5 from 30 votes

    A quick and easy recipe for a homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe that tastes just like the ones at your Chinese takeout restaurants and is made without ketchup, pineapple, or food coloring.

    A small bowl of Chinese sweet and sour sauce with a side of fried wontons
    Table of Contents
    • Sweet and Sour Sauce
    • Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Sauce
    • How to Make Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
    • Tips
    • How to Use This Chinese Takeout Sauce
    • How to Store Sweet and Sour Sauce
    • FAQs
    • More Takeout Recipes You May Like
    • Recipe Card
    • Some More Sauces to Try

    Sweet and Sour Sauce

    The sweet and sour sauce is one of the most popular Asian sauces out there and it's not just limited to Chinese cuisine. There's a sweet and sour sauce in Korean cuisine, which is made out of sugar and vinegar without the red color and is mainly used in Korean sweet and sour chicken (tangsuyuk), and then there is also a sweet and sour sauce for Thai cuisine as well which you may know as the popular Thai sweet chili sauce which has more garlic and chili flakes for a spicy kick.

    This simple homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe will be more of a hong kong style sweet and sour sauce with a balance of sweet and tang. I made it without ketchup or pineapple juice and it will be slightly less sweet than the American version. It's one of my favorite sauces, and it's the best sweet and sour sauce I have tasted. It is also the same recipe I use in my Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork and my Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe.

    A small spoonful of Chinese sweet and sour sauce

    Although it won't be easier than buying the store-bought bottled sweet and sour sauce, it will definitely taste better because you will be able to tweak this homemade sweet and sour recipe to exactly the way you like it. You can even make it a spicy sweet and sour sauce by adding some chili flakes, sambal oelek, or sriracha to it.

    Before we start, I'd also like to mention that this sweet and sour recipe is made without ketchup and it contains no pineapple juice and no food coloring. So if you're looking for something with those ingredients, this won't be it but if you're looking for a sweet and sour sauce like Chinese restaurants have and you want something very flavorful, then this is for you. Let's get started!

    Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Chinese sweet and sour sauce ingredients (tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, corn starch, water)
    • Tomato Paste - I like to use tomato paste instead of ketchup because I find it has a lot more flavor. Tomato paste has a lot more umami flavor as well.
    • Sugar - I use cane sugar for this recipe, but you definitely can substitute it with honey or brown sugar. If you use brown sugar, the sauce may not be a vibrant red color.
    • White Vinegar - for this sauce, I like to use white vinegar because it's easy to find, and it provides a tartness without any additional flavors. In a pinch, you can also substitute it with rice vinegar.
    • Soy Sauce - To give the sauce the balance of sweet and sour, I use soy sauce as the savoriness to pull the flavors together. It also adds a bit of umami as well.
    • Oil - Use neutral oils without strong flavors. I like to use avocado oil in most of my cooking. We use the oil to toast the tomato paste to bring out the flavors
    • Garlic Clove (optional) - I like to add a smashed piece of garlic into the sauce to give it a bit of flavor. It's a subtle flavor since it doesn't simmer in the sauce for too long.
    • Corn Starch - this is used to thicken the sauce.
    • Chili Flakes/Cayenne/Sriracha (optional) - If you like to make a spicy sweet and sour sauce, you can add chili flakes, cayenne, or sriracha to it.

    How to Make Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Preparation

    1. In a small bowl, mix the 1½ tablespoons of corn starch with Â½ cup of cold water and mix well until it is combined. Then mix in Â½ cup of white vinegar, Â½ cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and mix well.

      Make sure not to mix the oil and tomato paste into this.
    2. (Optional) If you are using garlic for flavor, peel it and use the side of a knife to smash it open but keep the clove whole so you can remove it easier at the end.

    Making the Sweet and Sour Sauce

    1. Set a small pot over medium-low heat.
    2. Add in 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic clove (optional), and 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, and cook it for approximately 5 minutes until the oil turns to an orange color and the tomato pastes turn a slightly darker red.
    Tomato paste being toasted in oil to bring out the flavor of sweet and sour sauce
    1. Stir the bowl with the rest of the ingredients with a utensil to re-mix the corn starch with the sauce (starch usually settles on the bottom), and pour it into the pot with the tomato paste and keep stirring quickly until the sauce turns thick for about 5 minutes.
      **Make sure you keep stirring quickly during this step to prevent clumps in your sauce
    Cooking the sauce with a clove of garlic for more flavor.
    1. If you used a garlic clove, fish it out with a spoon and remove it.
    2. If you like the sauce thinner, add an additional 1-3 tablespoons of water to it.
    3. (Optional) Add some Worcestershire sauce to it if you want some additional flavor
    Sweet and sour sauce on wooden spoon to show it's thickness and red color.

    Tips

    • This simple homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe will be more of a hong kong style sweet and sour sauce with a balance of sweet and tang and it will be less sweet than the American version. If you like it sweeter, reduce the vinegar by 1-2 tablespoons.
    • If you don't want to use sugar, you can substitute it with honey
    • Although it is not a traditional ingredient, I will occasionally add a touch of Worcestershire sauce for additional flavor. It's an optional ingredient.
    • If you want to make it a spicy sweet and sour sauce, try adding some chili flakes, sambal oelek, or sriracha to it.
    • You can freeze this if you plan to make a bigger batch! Defrost it in the fridge and microwave to re-heat it back up! (Thanks for the tip Carol Farquharson!)

    How to Use This Chinese Takeout Sauce

    Appetizers and Snacks

    This sweet and sour dipping sauce is great for appetizers like egg rolls, crab rangoon spring rolls, lumpia, or any type of dumplings especially deep-fried or pan-fried ones like gyoza, or our cheeseburger potstickers.

    I like to also use this delicious sauce as a dipping for snacks like wonton chips, chicken balls, chicken fingers, and chicken nuggets.

    If you are planning on having guests you can also make sweet and sour meatballs by cooking them in this sweet and sour sauce in a crockpot or slow cooker as an easy appetizer or snack.

    Meats and Vegetables

    If you have leftover sweet and sour sauce, you can use it as a glaze for anything you oven roast or cook on the grill like ribs, pork chops, shrimp, or kababs.

    You can use it as a quick way to flavor your stir-fries as well by mixing it in with vegetables or shrimp.

    You can make an easy dinner by pan-frying some chicken, beef, or pork with some vegetables and tossing it in some of this sweet and sour sauce, and serving it with some pasta or rice.

    My favorite way to use this is to deep fry some battered chicken, pork, and beef into crispy nuggets and toss them in this sauce for some takeout at home. You can find a delicious batter recipe in my Sweet and Sour Pork recipe.

    You can even keep it simple and have it on plain white rice, it's easy and delicious!

    A small white plate with Chinese sweet and sour sauce on it.

    How to Store Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Since there is a lot of sugar and vinegar in this sauce, if I am looking to use it soon, I have also kept it at room temperature for 2-3 days with no issues but if you want to be on the safe side then I would store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

    FAQs

    Can I substitute white vinegar with another vinegar?

    You can substitute it with rice wine vinegar. I don't suggest substituting it with apple cider vinegar because it has a very strong flavor.

    Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?

    Yes, you definitely can. Keep in mind that the sauce will turn a darker color.

    What is Chinese sweet and sour sauce made of?

    At its core, a base sweet and sour sauce is made with a balance of sugar and vinegar, and to get the bright red color, most restaurants will use red food coloring.

    More Takeout Recipes You May Like

    • Sweet and Sour Pork
    • Chicken Manchurian
    • Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
    • Corn Egg Drop Soup
    • Crispy Beef
    • Sweet and Sticky Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
    • Chilli Chicken

    If you like my recipes and want to be updated on when new ones come out, please consider subscribing to my newsletter (we don't spam) and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all of my latest recipes!

    Recipe Card

    A small spoonful of homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce

    Easy Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce

    A quick and easy, homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe that tastes just like the ones at your Chinese takeout restaurants and is made without ketchup, pineapple, or food coloring.
    Print Pin Share Email Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Prep Time: 0 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    0 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    2 cups
    5 from 30 votes

    Recipe Notes

    • This simple homemade Chinese sweet and sour sauce recipe will be more of a hong kong style sweet and sour sauce with a balance of sweet and tang and it will be less sweet than the American version. If you like it sweeter, reduce the vinegar by 1-2 tablespoons.
    • Although it is not a traditional ingredient, I will occasionally add ¼ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for additional flavor. It's an optional ingredient.
    • Make sure you don't use any seasoned or cast iron pans for this recipe. The vinegar will strip and remove the seasoning from the pans.
    • If you want to make it a spicy sweet and sour sauce, try adding some chili flakes, sambal oelek, or sriracha to it.
    • You can freeze this if you plan to make a bigger batch! Defrost it in the fridge and microwave to re-heat it back up! (Thanks for the tip Carol Farquharson!)

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ cup cold water
    • 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
    • ½ cup white vinegar
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable, canola, corn, avocado etc)

    Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavor

    • 1 clove garlic (peeled and smashed, but kept whole)
    • ¼ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Preparation

    • In a small bowl, mix the 1½ tablespoons of corn starch with ½ cup of cold water and mix well until it is combined. Then mix in ½ cup of white vinegar, ½ cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and mix well.
      Make sure not to mix the oil and tomato paste into this.
    • (Optional) If you are using garlic for flavor, peel it and use the side of a knife to smash it open but keep the clove whole so you can remove it easier at the end.

    Making the Sweet and Sour Sauce

    • Set a small pot over medium-low heat.
    • Add in 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic clove (optional), and 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, and cook it for approximately 5 minutes until the oil turns to an orange color and the tomato pastes turn a slightly darker red.
    • Stir the bowl with the rest of the ingredients with a utensil to re-mix the corn starch with the sauce (starch usually settles on the bottom), and pour it into the pot with the tomato paste and keep stirring quickly until the sauce turns thick for about 5 minutes.
      **Make sure you keep stirring quickly during this step to prevent clumps in your sauce
    • If you used a garlic clove, fish it out with a spoon and remove it.
    • If you like the sauce thinner, add an additional 1-3 tablespoons of water to it.
    • (Optional) Add ¼ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to it if you want some additional flavor

    Nutrition

    Calories: 776kcal | Carbohydrates: 125g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 1669mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 108g | Vitamin A: 976IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg

    *Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

    Did you try this recipe?I'd love to hear from you! Let me know how it was and consider giving it a rating! Tag me on Instagram with @pupswithchopsticks to show me!
    Made with ♡ by Joyce Lee

    Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. While I appreciate the support – please try to buy your items locally if possible to support your local shops (chances are they are cheaper locally as well!)

    Some More Sauces to Try

    • Spicy Sriracha Mayo Recipe
    • Easy Thai Peanut Satay Sauce
    • Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham / Nuoc Mam)
    • Thai Peanut Sauce (From Scratch)
    • Ginger Scallion Sauce
    • Miso Garlic Chili Oil
    • Creamy Honey Sesame Dip
    • Creamy Coconut Dip

    More Sauces/Rubs/Salsas/Dips

    • Miso Butter
    • Homemade Furikake Seasoning
    • Homemade Coffee Rub Recipe
    • Simple Beef Marinade for Stir Fry

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      November 17, 2022 at 10:55 am

      It's Worcestershire! Not Worchestershire.... 🙂

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        November 17, 2022 at 11:02 am

        Hi Chris!

        Oh my gosh! hahaha! Thanks so much for pointing this out! I think I've been pronouncing this wrong all my life!
        haha thanks again! 😀

        Reply
        • Chris says

          November 17, 2022 at 11:39 am

          Don't worry, you're not alone! 🙂
          It's pronounced:

          Woos (with the oo pronounced the same as in cook or look, and the s pronounced as s, rather than the z sound of s in lose, hope that makes sense!)
          ter
          sheer (rhymes with beer).

          Reply
          • Joyce Lee says

            November 17, 2022 at 12:25 pm

            haha yes! It makes total sense!
            Thanks again for this! 🙂 I really appreciate it!

            Reply
    2. Carol Farquharson says

      October 16, 2022 at 4:38 am

      Hi Joyce, I made a bigger batch and froze it in portion sizes. I used the first one out the freezer yesterday. I defrosted the sauce before heating in the microwave, no need for any additions. It was perfect!

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        October 21, 2022 at 2:39 pm

        Hi Carol!
        I'm so happy to hear from you again! I really appreciate you taking the time to come back to let me know! 😊
        Now I'm going to make a big batch for myself too! haha! I'm going to update my recipe card with your tip!

        Reply
    3. Maddy says

      October 03, 2022 at 1:39 am

      5 stars
      This is the fifth sweet and sour sauce I’ve attempted to make in two days. This is the only winner. The others were utterly awful. Thank you so much for this! The Worcestershire was the magic ingredient to send it over the top amazing. How long do you recommend storing it for? I feel this will be a staple sauce in my house now. I’m a massive sauce fiend haha

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        October 05, 2022 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Maddy!
        I am so happy you liked it! I'm super happy to share!
        I also want to thank you for taking the time to let me know! 😀
        I usually store this in the fridge for about 2 weeks, don't worry I know what you mean - I am a sauce fiend myself! hahaha!

        Reply
    4. Carol Farquharson says

      September 30, 2022 at 3:32 am

      5 stars
      Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. My hubby and I absolutely love this sauce. So much better than the ones that have pineapple juice in. Is it possible to make big batches and freeze it?

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        September 30, 2022 at 1:52 pm

        Hi Carol!
        I'm so happy you both liked it! I have never tried freezing it but I don't see why it wouldn't work!
        I think the worst-case scenario would be that after you defrost it, it may not be as thick as it originally was, but you can easily just heat it back up and put a small amount of corn starch slurry into it again to thicken it.
        Please let me know if you try this and how it turns out for you, as I am curious as well! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lisa says

      August 23, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      I loved that I had all of the ingredients in my pantry. Easy, peasy!

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        September 07, 2022 at 2:38 pm

        Hi Lisa!
        Yay! So happy you liked it!

        Reply
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