Sweet and Sour Vegetables

Sweet and Sour Vegetables

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 2 to 3 servings

Create a quick and easy sweet and sour stir-fry with this simple recipe. Pineapple is the featured flavor, and it uses frozen vegetables, so it's super simple and budget friendly. This is a pleasant 15-minute side for a Chinese-inspired dinner.

This recipe relies on a frozen mix of veggies that are common in Asian stir-fries. Most grocery stores stock one or two options, so they're easy to find. They typically include broccoli, carrots, snap peas, and sweet peppers, and you'll find options with baby corn, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. The average 20-ounce bag will have twice the amount required for this recipe. You can store any excess in a freezer-safe bag for another meal, or double the recipe and enjoy this dish as an entrée or have leftovers.

If your veggies include a sauce packet, you won't need it (they often leave a bit to be desired anyway). The recipe consists of a made-from-scratch sweet and sour sauce that's incredibly simple. The combination of brown sugar, pineapple juice, and rice vinegar has a tangy flavor, while the cornstarch helps to thicken it perfectly. In the stir-fry, you'll need to add some chunks of pineapple (canned is perfectly fine) to the veggies.

As a pineapple-forward recipe, you might be wondering how to complete your meal. The great news is that the tropical fruit is rather versatile and will pair well with some favorite Chinese main dishes. Pineapple goes surprisingly well with chile peppers (even garlic), and it's an excellent pairing for chicken and shrimp. Try it with some Szechuan dishes, or simply add some diced chicken or whole shrimp to the wok after removing the veggies (both stir-fry quickly). This veggie dish is also nice with fried tofu, wonton soup, and your favorite dumplings. A serving of rice is always a good option, too.

“An amazing, effortless, and flavorful recipe with minimal ingredients. It’s super easy and comes together in just a few minutes. Don’t overcook the vegetables, or you’ll lose the crisp texture. If you like heat, I totally recommend adding chile flakes to the sauce.” —Tara Omidvar

Sweet and Sour Vegetables
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 1 tablespoon oil, for stir-frying

  • 2 1/4 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables

  • 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sweet and Sour Vegetables ingredients

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

    Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Heat the wok and add oil. When the oil is ready, add the frozen vegetables.

    vegetables in a wok

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Stir-fry until tender but not overcooked.

    vegetables cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Add pineapple chunks and sauce, giving the sauce a quick re-stir.

    Add pineapple chunks and sauce to the vegetables in a the wok

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  6. Cook until thickened and serve hot. 

    Sweet and Sour Vegetables in a wok

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
269 Calories
13g Fat
37g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 269
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 868mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 137mg 687%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 571mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)