This sweet and sour sauce is a homemade version of the classic Asian sauce that takes just minutes to make and uses common pantry ingredients. Use sweet and sour sauce as a dip, to season a stir fry or to brush onto grilled meat or seafood.
Place the sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and ketchup in a small pan over medium high heat. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, mix together the corn starch and cold water.
Slowly whisk the corn starch mixture into the sauce, then bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until sauce has just thickened.
Stir in the red food coloring. Cool slightly and use right away, or refrigerate for later use.
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Notes
The red food coloring is for visual purposes only and does not change the flavor of the sauce, so it's fine to omit it if you don't have any on hand.
The finished sauce will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.