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    Home » Recipes » Sauces

    Published: Mar 14, 2017 · Modified: Dec 19, 2020 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 25 Comments

    Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN
    5 from 25 votes
    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    I make lots of different sauces and keep them on hand in the fridge for quick dinners. Even the most boring bowl of food can be transformed into something amazing with a drizzle of full flavoured, tangy sauce.

    I used to love that ridiculously thick and gloopy, obviously dyed red, sweet and sour sauce from Chinese takeouts. I really don't know what I was thinking.  From what I can remember it was mostly sweet without much sour and incredibly cloying.

    My version of this classic takeout sauce is perfectly sweet, sour and tangy. Compared to most recipes out there it doesn't contain an awful lot of sugar. It has a bit, but most of the sweetness comes from fresh pineapple which is blended up into it. It's so fruity and delicious and as an added bonus you'll be getting a serving of fruit while you're slurping your big ol' bowl of noodles or rice for dinner!

    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    HOW TO MAKE MY HEALTHY SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

    This Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce is so easy to make. If you have made my Garlic Pineapple Sauce, Vegan Stir Fry Sauce or my Peanut Sauce then you will be familiar with my lazy sauce making method:

    • Gather all of your ingredients and throw them in a blender
    • Blend until smooth
    • Pour into a pan and warm through, stirring as you go.

    That's it! Lazy sauce making masterclass done.

    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    SERVING IDEAS

    This sauce is incredibly versatile. It goes well with rice, noodles, grains like quinoa and millet, vegetables, crispy tofu and tempeh. Use it as a stir fry sauce, drizzle it on rice or noodle bowls or use it as a dipping sauce.

    Hungry for more?

    • How To Make Tahini
    • Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
    • Pumpkin Spice Syrup
    • Apple Brown Sugar Syrup

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce instead! It's made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.

    Healthy Sweet & Sour Sauce

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 25 votes
    Ditch the takeout & make this Healthy Sweet & Sour Sauce instead! It’s made in minutes in a blender & has the perfect balance of sweet, sour & fruity.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 5 minutes
    COOK TIME: 10 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
    • 260 g (about ¼ of a large) pineapple chopped up into chunks drained canned pineapple can be used instead - see recipe note
    • 3 tablespoons | 45mls rice vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons sugar I used organic cane sugar but brown sugar or coconut sugar works well too
    • 85 mls | ⅓ cup natural tomato ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce
    • 1 small clove garlic
    • 45 mls | 3 tablespoons water or if you use canned pineapple use the juice from the can

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • Blendtec Blender
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth. It will be really foamy and an insipid kind of colour but the foam disappears when it's heated and the colour brightens up.
    • Pour into a pan and warm over a medium heat, stirring constantly until it is nice and thick. It takes around 10 minutes.

    NOTES

    If you use canned pineapple you might need to adjust the amount of sugar. If your canned pineapple is sweetened you might need less sugar and if it's not sweetened you may need to add a bit more. If you prefer your sauce a little thinner just add a little hot water from a kettle and stir well to thin it out. This sauce will keep for up to a week in a sealed container in the fridge. It also freezes well.
    Makes a total of about 360 mls / 1½ cups of sauce. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 90mlsCalories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 446mgPotassium: 147mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 147IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan


    Hungry For More?

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Angeline Dupont says

      November 11, 2022 at 6:04 am

      Thank you for this recipe. My daughter and I have been wanting to make some Orange panda copycats cream cheese rangoons and sweet and sour. To save a trip out on this miserable rainy day, could I sub splenda for the sugar? Also, can regular white vinegar be used in place of the rice vinegar? Or I also have red vinegar or lemon juice on hand as well. Thanks again!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        November 13, 2022 at 12:19 pm

        Splenda should be fine. White vinegar might be a bit harsh. I'd reduce it by half, taste, and add more for tang as necessary. If you have apple cider vinegar that can be used at the same amount as rice vinegar.

        Reply
    2. Ruth says

      November 09, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      Can you sub sugar for maple syrup or agave?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        November 09, 2022 at 3:05 pm

        You could. As it's liquid though I'd omit the water to compensate when blending initially. Only add it if necessary to thin a bit at the end.

        Reply
    3. Adam says

      May 09, 2022 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe, you're an absolute lifesaver. I'm trying to reduce the amount of sugar I'm eating and was looking for a recipe for my visiting nephew. 3/4 cup sugar in the other recipes, I couldn't get over it! This has been the perfect compromise. My nephew gets what he wanted and I get to feel better about what we're eating.

      Reply
    4. Ro_jW says

      April 15, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was delicious! Even with me substituting the cornstarch for wheat flour...essentially you end up using a tad more flour but it is still balanced and delicious! Hard to mess up this recipe.

      Reply
    5. Violeta says

      January 02, 2021 at 4:16 pm

      Could we omit the sugar?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 03, 2021 at 11:21 am

        It will technically work without it but you won't get the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavour.

        Reply
    6. Hollie says

      July 21, 2020 at 9:39 am

      5 stars
      Love love love!!! Perfect for our stir fry’s and so much healthier:)

      Reply
    7. Adele Rumbold says

      November 10, 2019 at 3:16 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely lovely sauce. I have recommended this to family and friends.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 10, 2019 at 10:54 am

        Thanks so much Adele!

        Reply
    8. Rachel says

      July 17, 2018 at 1:10 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner this evening and both my boyfriend and I loved it! Really easy to make, and tastes delicious. I'll definitely be using this recipe a lot! I'm so glad I stumbled across your blog!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        July 17, 2018 at 2:17 pm

        That's great Rachel. I'm so glad you both enjoyed it. Thanks so much for coming back to leave feedback too. I really appreciate it!

        Reply
    9. Niket says

      April 15, 2018 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      I made this recipy a fes times now, and its realy realy delicious! I make more than one recipy at the time, so I always have something in me freezer. It's easy, fun and delicious.
      Much love frOM Holland

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        April 15, 2018 at 10:24 am

        I'm so glad you are enjoying it Niket and thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. I really appreciate it!

        Reply
    10. Patricia Lamb says

      October 15, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      Lovely sauce, and easy to make. Thank you.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        October 16, 2017 at 9:14 pm

        You're welcome. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    11. Nico @ yumsome says

      March 28, 2017 at 2:08 am

      This looks rather fab, Mel! I've only ever had sweet and sour from a takeaway once in my life - back in the '80s, and I can't say I was in any way impressed. It wasn't that nuclear red colour that I've seen in recent years, just orange like yours, but it tasted cloyingly sweet, and almost chemical. Goodness knows what they put in that stuff! It put me off for life!

      Thankfully, it looks like you've redressed the balance!

      Reply
    12. Agness of Run Agness Run says

      March 19, 2017 at 4:14 pm

      I love the sauce, Mel! It seems delicious and a versatile ingredient to many meals!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 20, 2017 at 11:34 am

        Thank you Agness!

        Reply
    13. Jodi says

      March 16, 2017 at 2:40 pm

      Congratulations! I'm so happy for you and your family! Canada is a great neighbor to the USA! Thanks for the sauce recipe!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 16, 2017 at 7:41 pm

        Thank you so much Jodi. We are so happy! Hope you enjoy the sauce. ????

        Reply
    14. Anne says

      March 15, 2017 at 6:15 am

      As a Canadian born (a French-speaking New Brunswicker) fan of yours, I just want to congratulate you on your new "landed" status....and offer my warmest BIENVENUE !
      BTW, I live your blog evev if not vegan.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 15, 2017 at 9:34 am

        Thank you Anne! We are so happy to know that we can stay in this beautiful country!????

        Reply
      • KL says

        January 17, 2020 at 6:41 pm

        5 stars
        Great recipe! Next time I’ll use less sugar. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply

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