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4 Ingredient Sweet and Sour Sauce

By Victoria · On: Feb 15, 23 · Last Modified: Apr 19, 23

29 shares
  • 9

Easy 4-ingredient sweet and sour sauce will add a special flavor to your favorite dishes. It is made just with ketchup, oyster sauce, vinegar, and honey. It is a perfect addition to stir-fries, dipping sauces, and more. With a balanced blend of tangy and sweet flavors, this sauce is sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

Jump to Recipe
Close look of a transparent bowl with sweet and sour sauce.

This recipe is perfect for those who are limited on time but want to say no to store-bought sauces where you can’t know the quality of the ingredients used to make these sauces and you can’t adjust the taste to your liking.

With only four ingredients, it’s a breeze to whip up and can be made in just a few minutes.

Plus, the ingredients used in this recipe are likely to be pantry staples, making it easy to make any time you crave something sweet and tangy.

Combining these simple ingredients creates a well-balanced and flavorful sauce that is versatile and can be used in various dishes.

Whether you want to add it to your stir-fry or use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite appetizer, this 4 Ingredient Sweet and Sour Sauce is sure to be a hit.

So, let’s get started on this simple and delicious recipe!

In This Post: show
1 🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
2 🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes
3 👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions
4 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
5 🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?
6 Answering Your Questions:
7 📋 Recipe Card:

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

  • It is an easy recipe that requires only four ingredients and can be prepared in just a few minutes. So, it’s perfect for those who are short on time or want to make a quick and easy sauce for their meal.
  • The sauce is versatile and can be used in various dishes, including stir-fries, dipping sauces, marinades, and more.
  • As we make the sauce from scratch, we can adjust the sweetness or sourness of the sauce to your liking by adding more honey or vinegar. So, you can customize the sauce according to your taste preference.
  • The ingredients used in this recipe are likely to be pantry staples, making it easy to make at any time. If you don’t have some of them, you can easily replace them with others.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

Honey, red wine vinegar, ketchup and oyster sauce on a white table.
  • Honey. If you don’t have honey at hand, you could substitute it with a syrup that you prefer to use as a sweetener. Adjust the quantity in this case. Or, as an option, you could replace the honey with sugar+water.
  • Vinegar. I used red wine vinegar, but you can use any other type of vinegar you prefer. Rice vinegar would be optimal.
  • Oyster Sauce. If you don’t have oyster sauce, you could replace it with teriyaki sauce or soy sauce. Be careful about the salt content of these sauces because you may risk getting a salty sauce in the end.
  • Ketchup.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

Take a small saucepan and pour the honey into it.

Pouring honey in a small sauce pan on the stove.

After this, add the ketchup to the saucepan.

Pouring ketchup in a small sauce pan on the stove.

Now it’s time for the oyster sauce. Pour it into the saucepan.

Pouring teriyaki sauce in a saucepan on the stove.

In the end, add the vinegar to the saucepan and set the heat to a minimum.

Pouring red wine vinegar in a small sauce pan on the stove.

Add this stage and add the water to adjust the consistency.

Stir the sauce continuously until it starts to boil.

That’s it. Stop the heat and leave it to cool down.

Sauce pan with boiled sweet and sour sauce on the stove.

After the sauce has cooled down, you can serve it near your favorite food.

Pouring sweet and sour sauce from a tablespoon in a transparent bowl.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • Serve the sauce as a dipping sauce for appetizers such as chicken nuggets, shrimp, or spring rolls.
  • You can also use it as a chicken, pork, or shrimp marinade. Marinate the meat for a few hours before grilling or baking.
  • Add the sauce to your stir-fry as a finishing sauce. It goes well with vegetables, chicken, beef, or tofu.
  • You can use it as a salad dressing. Mix the sauce with a little bit of olive oil and use it as a dressing for a mixed greens salad.
  • Use the sauce as a spread for sandwiches or burgers. It goes well with chicken or pork sandwiches.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

  • Even though this recipe uses only four ingredients, using high-quality ingredients will significantly affect the final taste of the sauce.
  • Adjust the sweetness and sourness to your taste. You can adjust the amount of honey and vinegar in the recipe to make it sweeter or sourer. Start with the recommended amounts and add more as needed.
  • It’s important to keep an eye on the sauce while it’s cooking, as it can easily burn if left unattended. Cook the sauce over medium heat and frequently stir to prevent it from burning.

Answering Your Questions:

Can I adjust the sweetness or sourness of the sauce?

Yes, you can adjust the sweetness or sourness of the sauce by adding more or less honey or vinegar, depending on your preference. Taste the sauce and adjust the sweetness or sourness accordingly.

Can I use a different type of vinegar?

Yes, you can use a different type of vinegar such as rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but it may change the flavor of the sauce slightly. You may need to adjust the sweetness or sourness of the sauce accordingly.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat the sauce before using if it has thickened in the refrigerator.

Can I use a substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes, you can use soy sauce or hoisin sauce as a substitute for oyster sauce, but the flavor of the sauce will be different. Adjust the amount of soy sauce or hoisin sauce to your liking.

Can I use this sauce for a stir-fry?

Yes, you can use this sauce for a stir-fry by adding it to the pan with your vegetables and protein. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the stir-fry ingredients. Adjust the amount of sauce to your preference.

📋 Recipe Card:

Close look of a transparent bowl with sweet and sour sauce.

4 Ingredient Sweet and Sour Sauce

Victoria
This simple 4-ingredients is a delicious, sweet, and sour flavor to add a delicious flavor to any stir-fries, dipping sauces, marinades, and more. A balanced blend of tangy and sweet flavors will become a staple in your kitchen.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Cook Time 7 mins
Course Sauces
Cuisine Chinese, Japanese
Servings 6
Calories 59 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 tablespoons Honey
  • 4 tablespoons Water
  • 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Oyster Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Ketchup

Instructions

  • Take a small saucepan in which it will be convenient for you to mix the ingredients for the sauce.
  • Pour all the ingredients into it.
    5 tablespoons Honey, 4 tablespoons Water, 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoon Oyster Sauce, 1 tablespoon Ketchup
  • Set the heat to low and cook the sauce.
  • Stir continuously until the sauce begins to boil.
  • Stop the heat and let the sauce to cool down.

Quick Note

I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑

Notes

  • Pick high-quality ingredients because we are using only 4 ingredients, and it will significantly affect the final taste of the sauce.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the sweetness and sourness to your taste. Experiment with the amount of honey and vinegar.
  • Stir continuously as it is very easy to burn the sauce.

Nutrition Estimates

Sodium: 147mgCalcium: 3mgVitamin C: 1mgVitamin A: 13IUSugar: 15gFiber: 1gPotassium: 21mgCalories: 59kcalSaturated Fat: 1gFat: 1gProtein: 1gCarbohydrates: 16gIron: 1mg
Keyword sauces
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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29 shares
  • 9

About Victoria

With over 15 years of experience as a home cook, I passionately share my insights on my blog. My mission is to inspire others through my healthy and delicious recipes, that are perfect for any occasion.

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A couple passionate about home cooking. Our mission? To inspire you with our handcrafted, healthy recipes, whether it's a family dinner, a festive celebration, or a quick snack, we've got a recipe for every occasion. Read more...

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