How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

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Are you having trouble finding the perfect sweet and sour sauce at your local grocery store? Sweet and sour sauce is actually quite easy to make, involving ingredients that people often have in the pantry. For some surefire recipes of how to make sweet and sour sauce to pour over rice, dumplings, meat, or veggies, read on.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Traditional Sweet and Sour Sauce

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  1. This recipe makes 2 cups of sauce and takes 12 minutes to prepare. Here's what you'll need to make traditional sweet and sour sauce:
    • 3/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/3 cup white vinegar
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon ketchup
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
    Remove from heat and serve.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Alternative Sweet and Sour Sauce

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  1. This recipe makes 1.5 cups of sauce and takes 12 minutes to make. Here's what you'll need to make alternate sweet and sour sauce:
    • 1 cup pineapple juice
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 3 tablespoons vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
    • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
    Remove from heat once thick and serve.
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  • Question
    Could I use flour instead of cornstarch?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but you may need more flour than what the recipe calls for in cornstarch. The cornstarch is just used to thicken the sauce; flour will also thicken the sauce, just not as well.
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    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 18
  • Question
    Can I use apple juice instead of pineapple?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Apple juice is less acidic than pineapple juice, so adjust the sweet element to taste. You also may use tomato juice in equal parts with the apple or pineapple juices to provide a nice reddish hue to the sauce.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 14
  • Question
    Couldn't I just use sweet sauce followed by sour sauce?
    Community Answer
    Technically, yes; however, sweet and sour sauce is a specific type of sauce, just like soy sauce or BBQ sauce. It is named so because it tastes both sweet and sour, but the name doesn't quite apply to everything with the two flavors. You could try, but the result may not taste right.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Warnings

      • Despite what your friends may tell you, Duck sauce isn't the same as sweet and sour sauce. Not by taste, and by color and texture.
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      References

      1. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19670/sweet-and-sour-sauce-i/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make sweet and sour sauce, gather 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, 1/3 cup of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Combine all of these ingredients in a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and continue to stir it until it’s thickened. Remove from the heat and serve with egg rolls, dumplings, or even meatballs! For tips on how to make sure your sauce is the right thickness, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Dec 2, 2016

        "What helped me most was being able to use sugar instead of pineapple juice. I am going to try this tonight, thank ..." more
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