Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

The Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry recipe is a quick and easy way to satisfy your cravings for a flavorsome and satisfying meal.

Combine a variety of ingredients with versatile options, including meat and vegetables, and a delectable, healthy sweet and sour sauce. Whether you choose ground sausage or chicken as your protein, the end result will surely be a crowd-pleaser, a standout option for any occasion, and a family favorite. So, gather your ingredients, whip up this delightful recipe, and savor the delectable combination of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.

Ingredients for Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

• Protein: Choose your favorite protein for this meal, such as: breaded chicken chunks, ground sausage, boneless chicken, ham, tofu. Pick the protein that best fits your eating style and family preferences.
• Vegetables: The recipe includes carrots, onions, celery, and sweet peppers. You could also add shredded cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, snow peas, green onions, or any other vegetable you have in your fridge! It’s so versatile.
• Fresh pineapple: To reduce the white sugar in my original recipe for sweet and sour sauce, fresh pineapple was the perfect choice. Fresh pineapple blends up so smoothly into juice and adds the perfect tropical sweetness to the sauce. In a pinch, canned pineapple would also work for this recipe, but may contain more sugar.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar are favorites for the Asian flavor this sauce is striving for. Vinegar contributes to the sour taste recognized in traditional sweet and sour sauce, with its signature zing.
• Pure maple syrup: This sweetener isn’t artificial and adds a nice flavor to the sauce. This is not syrup made from corn syrup.
• Tomato paste: As a healthy substitution for ketchup, additional ingredients were added to this sauce recipe, such as: tomato paste, onion salt, garlic salt, sea salt.
• Soy sauce: A needed ingredient to add a salty flavor and off-set the strong tomato flavor from the tomato paste. You could substitute soy sauce for tamari sauce or coconut aminos (which does add additional carbohydrates to the sauce.)
• Water: Water is added to control the thickness of the sauce.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent, giving the sauce a desirable consistency.
• Red pepper flakes: If you prefer a little heat, red pepper flakes can be sprinkled into the dish to add a subtle kick.

How to Make Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

• To prepare this delightful dinner, start by cooking the protein in your desired manner. Here’s some suggestions: In large frying pan on high heat, cook ground sausage until no red appears. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Remove residual oil from pan. If using chicken, toss bite-sized chicken chunks in 2-3 Tablespoons corn starch and cook in frying pan with 1 Tablespoon coconut oil until no red appears. Remove from pan. Or bake breaded chicken according to instructions.
• In a separate pan, stir-fry the vegetables in coconut oil until they are tender and crisp.
• Meanwhile, blend the pineapple until juice. In a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat and pineapple juice and all the other ingredients, except water. Whisk the ingredients together until the cornstarch is fully incorporated, and continue to stir until the sauce thickens to a desired consistency. Add water to thin sauce if needed.
• Next, add the cooked protein and the thickened sauce to the stir-fried vegetables. Heat the mixture until the protein is warmed through and all the flavors meld together. For those who enjoy a little heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the dish.
• Finally, serve this delectable sweet and sour creation over a bed of fluffy rice. The contrasting flavors of the meat, vegetables, and tangy sauce will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.

Give it a try and in 30-minutes enjoy a satisfying, flavorful meal that is both easy to make and incredibly delicious!

–Kim

Print Recipe

Tangy Delight: Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

Looking for a quick and flavorsome dinner option? Say hello to “Tangy Delight: Speedy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry.” This vibrant and zesty recipe combines the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors with tender meat and crisp vegetables. With a healthy homemade sweet and sour sauce, this dish will become a new favorite on your weeknight menu.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: healthy, quick meal

Servings: 4 people

Author: Kim Melanson

Ingredients

Tangy Delight: Speedy Healthy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

• 1-2 pounds protein choice (see recipe note for suggestions)
• 3 carrots sliced into coins at angle
• 1 large onion bite-sized pieces
• 1-2 stalks celery bite-sized pieces
• 1-2 sweet bell peppers bite-sized pieces
• ½ fresh pineapple, chunked (or 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits)

Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce:

• 8 ounces (227g) fresh pineapple
• 3 ounces (85g) tomato paste
• 1 cup (227g) rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (more or less to taste)
• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
• scant ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch
• water (as needed for thinning)
• red pepper flakes (garnish for spicy heat)
• 2-4 cups rice (prepared as desired)

Instructions

• Cook protein according to directions.
• Prepare vegetables. Stir fry vegetables in large frying pan with 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, on high heat, until tender.
• Meanwhile, in blender, puree pineapple. In a medium-sized pot, on medium-high heat, add pineapple and all other ingredients, except water. Whisk to incorporate corn starch completely and continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add water if needed to thin sauce a little.
• Add protein and thickened sauce to vegetables. Heat until the protein choice is warmed through and the flavors are melded. Serve on rice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes for a little extra spice.

Notes

Macros for Healthy Sweet and Sour Sauce:
4 servings: each serving—76Calories/3gFiber/19gCarb/2gProtein

Protein choices: breaded chicken chunks, ground sausage, boneless chicken in bite-sized chunks, tofu, or ham
Instructions for Protein: In large frying pan on high heat, cook ground sausage until no red appears. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. If using chicken, toss bite-sized chicken chunks in 2-3 Tablespoons corn starch and cook in frying pan with 1 Tablespoon coconut oil until no red appears. Remove from pan. Bake breaded chicken according to instructions.

Other Vegetable Choices: shredded cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, snow peas, green onions, or any other vegetable you have in your fridge

My Original Recipe for Sweet and Sour Sauce:
¾-1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 cup water (or pineapple juice)
1 Tablespoon corn starch