I’ve actually shared my easy homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe here on the blog before, years and years ago (5 years, in fact!!). But, I do think it’s worth me resharing old recipes once in a while – I bet 99% of you weren’t around to see the original when I first posted it, and unless you’ve spent hours delving into this site’s history (…please don’t, it’s not very pretty), you may never have found it. Plus, I’m a bit sleep deprived at the moment and I only have about 3 minutes to think about food at any one time, so I’ve been revisiting a few old favourites that I know for sure will turn out well.

This easy homemade sweet and sour sauce is definitely a foolproof recipe, and it tastes even better than the shop-bought stuff. Mix together a few cupboard staples, pour the mixture over your chosen combination of veggies, and let it cook down until you’re happy with the consistency. That’s all there is to it – it really couldn’t be easier. I like to cook mine until it’s fairly thick and sticky, but you can leave it a bit saucier if you prefer.

I served my homemade sweet and sour sauce simply with vegetables, but you could add some extra protein if you like. I wanted to add some tofu, but they didn’t have any in the supermarket, so I had to stick to just veggies. That’s the last time I try shopping somewhere new (although I did find a tin of bamboo shoots, which meant they redeemed themselves slightly…).

I added some soy beans (edamame) for a bit of protein instead – I love those things, they’re so yummy and such an easy way to inject a bit of protein into a meal.

Serve over rice, and your homemade Chinese-style dinner is sorted.

Print 4.8 from 5 votes Easy homemade sweet and sour sauce Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 3 people Ingredients For the stir fried vegetables: 1 tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

3 bell peppers, diced (I used red, yellow and green)

3 medium mushrooms, sliced

150 g (~ 1 cup) frozen edamame (soy beans)

225 g tin bamboo shoots, drained (120g, or ~ 1 cup, when drained) (optional)

185 g (~ 1 cup) pineapple chunks (I used tinned) For the homemade sweet and sour sauce: 125 ml (~ 1/2 cup) tomato ketchup

125 ml (~ 1/2 cup) pineapple juice (I used the juice from a tin of pineapple chunks)

4 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp honey (or agave nectar) Instructions Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add all the chopped vegetables and pineapple. Stir fry for a few minutes, until slightly softened.

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients, and mix well. Pour over the vegetables, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened to your liking - around 10-20 minutes. Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe, not including rice.

Why not start your Chinese-inspired feast with some nutty tofu lettuce wraps with peanut sauce?