Sweet and Sour Vegan Sauce Recipe

Quick Easy & Perfect with Stir Fry, Veggies, Tofu, Tempeh or Seitan

Completely fulfill any Asian style meal with a quick easy sweet and sour sauce, perfect with stir fried or steamed veggies, tofu, seitan or seitan, served over grains or noodles.

We love this simple sweet and sour sauce mixed with sauteed and steamed veggies, fried tofu added and served over brown rice - a colorful and satisfying meal in a bowl.

Explore the MANY options, spice as you please & adapt this easy recipe to your own tastes. Never buy expensive stir fry sauce again!

Total Prep & Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Nutrition Data, 120g Serving (1/2 cup): 28 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 7g carb, 0g fiber, 228mg sodium, 5g sugars, low Cholesterol. Estimated Glycemic Load 5

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 1 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
• 1 - 2 tsp rice or apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (preferred but if you can't get it, use corn starch)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Optional: salt or more soy sauce to taste
• Optional: chopped fresh basil or cilantro added just before serving
• Optional: fried tofu, tempeh or seitan added just before serving

• Optional: Pinch of cayenne or chipotle pepper
• Optional: 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• Optional: 1 tsp grated fresh ginger OR 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• Optional: 1 tsp minced fresh garlic OR 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• Optional: 1 - 2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
• Optional: 1/2 - 1 tsp curry powder
• Optional: Orange or apple juice instead of 1/2 of the water
• Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 tsp green curry paste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl
2. Add to stir fried veggies at end of cooking and stir until sauce thickens
3. Add more liquid as needed for desired thickness
4. Add salt & pepper to taste
5. Add fresh herb and tofu, tempeh or seitan
6. Serve immediately

Recipe Tips:

Arrowroot starch is called for because it is clear when cooked, while corn starch is cloudy. Find arrowroot in natural food stores, online or buy it in Asian grocery stores.

This is a fat free sauce recipe if you don't add the optional toasted sesame oil. Add oil if you like, or mix the sauce with veggies cooked with oil.

A totally fat free option is to leave out the oil, spice up the sauce, then mix it in the pan with steamed veggies. Use any remaining cooking water to make the sauce, so you don't lose that tasty nutrition.

I like to make this sauce with no spices, then add it to veggies that I've already stir fried in oil, then spiced and steamed. Those flavors all go into the sauce.

If you cook the sauce separately before adding it to anything, then you have the option of storing some in the fridge for another day. In that case, why not double the recipe?

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