By Becky Hardin
Updated Apr 22, 2025
My Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe is a perfect blend of tangy vinegar, sweet sugar, and a hint of savory! Most often I use it to make my favorite Chinese-American dishes: sweet and sour chicken! Slather this sauce all over the chicken, pork, or rice and vegetables to make a lip-smacking dish. With few pantry staples, I can whip the delicious sauce in no time — and trust me, once you try it, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe
Whenever possible, I enjoy making basic sauces or dips at home using simple and readily available ingredients. I learned how to make sweet and sour sauce from scratch that is easy to prepare and takes about 15 minutes. This tangy sauce is such an essential part of sweet and sour chicken and my homemade version hits the perfect balance of flavors. Pour it over chicken mixed with white rice, bell peppers, and fresh pineapple chunks. YUM! It’s the perfect meal.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ¾ cup 6 ounces pineapple juice
- ▢ 1/3 cup water
- ▢ 1/3 cup white or rice vinegar
- ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ketchup
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers red pepper flakes
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cold water
- ▢ Serve with Sweet and Sour Chicken! (Click for Recipe)
Video
Instructions
- Mix together pineapple juice, water, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, pepper flakes, salt and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. ¾ cup 6 ounces pineapple juice, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white or rice vinegar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons ketchup, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Set heat to low and simmer until the sauce reduces to 1¼ cups, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Stir together cornstarch and water, whisk it into the sauce and cook 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened. Transfer sauce to a heatproof dish. 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cold water
- If not using immediately, allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce Step by Step
Combine ingredients and cook : Set a medium sized saucepan over medium high heat and add ¾ cup of (6 ounces) pineapple juice, 1/3 cup of water, 1/3 cup of white (or rice vinegar), ½ cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketchup, 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red peppers, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.
Set heat to low and simmer until the sauce reduces to 1¼ cups, approximately 6-8 minutes.
Add cornstarch slurry : Stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water together, then whisk into the sauce. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened.
Once done transfer the sauce to a heatproof dish or if making any chicken or pork dish, go ahead and mix with them.
Let it cool and store : If not using immediately, allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use.
How to Store
If you are storing the sauce straight after cooking, let it cool to room temperature first. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Reheating completely depends on how you want to serve it. Microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches desrired temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Apart from sweet and sour chicken, I make Sweet and Sour Pork too with this amazing sauce! Dip some Egg Rolls and Shrimp Summer Rolls in it and enjoy the medley of flavors! Chicken Fried Rice and any grilled seafood will also pair perfectly with it.
more homemade sauces to try
Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or Dressing
Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe
Homemade Taco Sauce
Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Fry Sauce
Easy Bang Bang Sauce
Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup 6 ounces pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup white or rice vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- Serve with Sweet and Sour Chicken! (Click for Recipe)
Instructions
- Mix together pineapple juice, water, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, pepper flakes, salt and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. ¾ cup 6 ounces pineapple juice, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white or rice vinegar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons ketchup, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Set heat to low and simmer until the sauce reduces to 1¼ cups, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Stir together cornstarch and water, whisk it into the sauce and cook 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened. Transfer sauce to a heatproof dish. 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cold water
- If not using immediately, allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use.
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
