Gelatin Free Paleo Sweet and Sour Sauce
That tangy-sweet balance you crave from takeout is fully achievable at home with nothing but clean, whole-food ingredients. Pineapple juice and apple cider vinegar bring the bright, punchy base, while coconut aminos add a savory depth that keeps things completely soy-free. Honey and tomato paste round it out with just enough sweetness and body, and freshly grated ginger gives the whole thing a lively kick. The thickening trick here is arrowroot starch — a quick slurry whisked in at the end — which sets up beautifully without any animal-derived gelling agents, making this a genuinely worry-free option for anyone avoiding gelatin. Just pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon, since arrowroot can thin back out if you push it too far. The result is glossy, vibrant, and versatile enough to drizzle over stir-fried veggies, use as a dipping sauce, or toss with chicken. Once you see how fast it comes together, bottled sweet and sour sauce is going to feel like a very distant memory.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ½ cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, tomato paste, ginger, garlic powder, and salt in a small saucepan until the tomato paste is fully dissolved.
- 2
Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is steaming and just beginning to bubble at the edges, about 3–4 minutes.
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