Sweet and Sour Sauce! Mmm, this glazy goodness is perfect for vegan egg roll dipping and dolloping on rice for a fun and flavorful twist.
Healthy, flavorful, and rich, this oil-free Sweet and Sour Sauce is full of rich sweetness and umami flavors. Pineapple gives a wholesome way to sweeten this finger-licking good Chinese inspired sauce without refined sugar. It’s free of chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and processed junk. You won’t believe how tasty it is.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
This Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce is the quintessential sauce for pairing with our Vegan Baked “Egg” Rolls. It has just the right amount of sweetness coupled with beautiful savory umami undertones. We were in egg roll dipping heaven with this deliciousness.
We love Chinese food. Our blog pretty much tells the story with the large number of Whole Food Plant Based Chinese conversion recipes. I love this sauce because it is unhindered by the crap that is typically found in restaurant/store sweet and sour sauces. Red dye happens to be a big concern as it is quite controversial with potential links to side effects like allergies, migraines, and mental disorders in children. Although the FDA insists that the amount ingested for such foods is well within safety limits.
Of course, any time the word “food” and “amount ingested within safety limits” are in the same sentence, I have to scratch my head and say “huh”, right?
Pineapple
This sweet and sour sauce does have undertones of pineapple, which we love. If pineapple is not your jam, then perhaps this recipe isn’t what you are looking for.
Tips for Success:
- Pineapple Chunks: We used canned pineapple in 100% pineapple juice. You can use fresh or canned pineapple. Be sure to drain off the pineapple juice.
- Pineapple Flavor: This sweet and sour sauce is delicious. It does have a pineapple background in flavor so if you are not a pineapple fan, then this sauce is not for you.
- Dried Minced Onions: The dried minced onions give the sauce a savory flavor. If you are not a fan, you can leave them out with the understanding that the sauce will be sweeter overall.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep for 10 to 14 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.
This sauce can be frozen; however, it will be weepy when thawed out.
Pantry Products Used:
- Miso: We used Miso Master Organic Mellow White Premium Lite Miso, Certified Gluten Free. Miso really lends itself to balancing flavors when you don’t use oil. You can also use chickpea miso for a soy free version.
- Pineapple Chunks: We used a 20 oz. can Dole Pineapple Chunks in 100% pineapple juice.
- Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.
Kitchen Products Used:
- High Speed Blender. We like this Vitamix Blender
- Small sauce pot
We certainly hope you give this deliciousness a try.
If you try this bold sauce, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
PrintSweet and Sour Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 3-5 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Healthy, flavorful, and rich, this oil-free Sweet and Sour Sauce is full of rich sweetness and umami flavors.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pineapple chunks *
- 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari *
- 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (+/-)
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon white miso *
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except for the cornstarch into a high-speed blender, pulse until all the ingredients are smooth and emulsified. Then add the cornstarch and pulse just to mix in.
- Place the sauce into a small sauce pot, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a low boil, simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool. Use immediately or refrigerate.
- Serve as a delicious topper for Asian dishes as well as with potatoes, pasta, and rice.
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Serving: Makes ½ cup
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Did you have a blender cup attachment for this small amount? I have a Vitamix stick blender and wondering if that would work better.
Hi there Kathy,
Thank you for your question. We do have both the larger and smaller attachments. You could also do this in a food processor with the understanding that there may be a tiny bit of texture. Anything that can emulsify the sauce into a smooth/somewhat smooth consistency will work. I hope this helps.