Oil-Free Sweet and Sour Sauce
This vegan oil-free sweet and sour sauce is a healthy and flavorful alternative that adds a perfect balance of tangy and sweet to your favorite dishes. Ideal for stir-fries, dips, or a marinade, this sauce is both delicious and versatile.
If you’ve never made your own Chinese sweet and sour sauce, it’s time to change that! It’s super easy to make, and I’m betting you will find a lot of different uses for it. One great idea is as a dipping sauce for Air Fryer Crispy Tofu which is pictured above.
The best part is that it is much healthier than store-bought options that are loaded with sugar and preservatives.
Reasons you will love this sauce
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: With a harmonious blend of tangy and sweet, this homemade sauce elevates the taste of any dish.
- Versatile and Easy to Make: Ideal for stir-fries, dips, or marinades, this sauce is quick to prepare and adds instant flavor to your meals.
- Made with Simple Ingredients: Crafted from wholesome, plant-based ingredients, this sauce is free from preservatives and artificial additives.
Ingredients you will need
- Pineapple- You’ll want to use crushed pineapple packed in juice and not syrup.
- Tomatoes- Fire-roasted tomatoes found in a can are perfect for this recipe and add more flavor than just plain tomatoes.
- Apple juice- This should be apple juice concentrate from the grocery freezer section which adds delicious sweetness.
- Vinegar- Seasoned rice vinegar is my vinegar of choice for this.
- Soy sauce- For those who are gluten-free, tamari will be a great GF substitute.
- Thickener- Cornstarch or arrowroot powder will act as a thickener.
How to make sweet & sour sauce
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
There are a few variations in making this sauce which will depend on how you plan to use it.
STEP #1: For use in a stir-fry simply add all of the ingredients to a medium-size bowl, whisk together well, and set it to the side while you cook the veggies for your stir-fry.
STEP #2: Add the sauce to the hot pan of cooked mixed vegetables. It will begin to thicken as soon as it is heated. Be sure to try it in my Sweet and Sour Veggie Stir-Fry recipe.
For dipping or drizzling
The sauce will have small pieces of crushed pineapple and fire-roasted tomatoes which is perfect for stir-fries but, if you are planning to use it as a dipping sauce, you’ll probably want to thin it out.
- Simply add all of the ingredients to your blender and process until smooth.
- If you have a high-powdered blender like my Vitamix 5200 that actually heats and cooks food as it processes, the cornstarch will be activated by the heat and thicken up the sauce automatically.
- If your blender is lower powered, pour the sauce into a microwave bowl and cook for about 1 minute in the microwave to thicken it. It can also be heated on the stovetop until the desired consistency is achieved.
For marinating
- Marinades need to be thinner so they can soak into foods like tempeh, tofu, and veggies, so you’ll need to blend up the ingredients using the same steps for dipping above.
- To use this sauce as a marinade, simply leave out the cornstarch so that it will not be thickened. Use it to marinate in dishes like Air Fryer Crispy Tofu and Veggie Kabobs.
Ways to use sweet and sour sauce
The uses for this sweet and sour sauce are only limited by your imagination. It’s perfect as a dipping sauce for Veggie Pot Stickers and even Crispy Vegan Baked Onion Rings.
Drizzle it over Healthy Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps and Homemade Veggie Wraps to add a sweet and tangy flavor. Or, saute some veggies and make a quick and easy dinner like this Sweet and Sour Tofu Stir-Fry.
My family loves to make Veggie Poke Bowls which are loaded with steamed rice and fresh or cooked vegetables. This sauce is fabulous when drizzled over the top of them.
The cornstarch or thickener can be left out so the sauce can be used as a marinade for Veggie Kabobs and other foods.
Frequently Asked Questions
To adjust the sweetness, add a little maple syrup. For more tanginess, increase the amount of vinegar or add a splash of lemon juice. Taste as you go to achieve your preferred flavor balance.
This sauce does need to be refrigerated. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days.
Yes, you can freeze homemade sweet and sour sauce. Pour it into a freezer-safe container, leaving some room at the top for expansion. It can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
More Oil-Free Asian-Inspired Sauces
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Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate freezer section
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple packed in juice
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- There are a few variations in making this sauce which will depend on how you plan to use it.
For stir-fries
- For use in a stir-fry simply add all of the ingredients to a medium-size bowl, whisk together well, and set it to the side while you cook the veggies for your stir-fry.
- Add the sauce to the hot pan of cooked mixed vegetables. It will begin to thicken as soon as it is heated. Be sure to try it in my Sweet and Sour Veggie Stir-Fry recipe.
- If left on the heat, it will continue to thicken.
For dipping or drizzling
- The sauce will have small pieces of crushed pineapple and fire-roasted tomatoes which is perfect for stir-fries but, if you are planning to use it as a dipping sauce, you’ll probably want to thin it out.
- Simply add all of the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
- If you have a high-powdered blender like my Vitamix 5200 that actually heats and cooks food as it processes, the cornstarch will be activated by the heat and thicken up the sauce automatically. Process for about 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- For lower-powered blenders, pour the sauce into a microwave bowl and cook for about 1-minute in the microwave to thicken it. It can also be heated on the stovetop until the desired consistency is achieved.
For marinating
- Marinades need to be thinner so they can soak into foods like tempeh, tofu, and veggies, so you'll need to blend up the ingredients using the same steps for dipping above.
- o use this sauce as a marinade, simply leave out the cornstarch so that it will not be thickened. Use it to marinate in dishes like Air Fryer Crispy Tofu and Veggie Kabobs.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
