Sweet and Sour Carrots
Pineapple and bell peppers team up with carrots in a tasty sweet and sour sauce mixture. Add some chili garlic paste (sambal) if you’d like.
These sweet and sour carrots are a colorful, tangy side dish that adds a bit of brightness to any meal. Tender carrots are combined with bell peppers and pineapple chunks, all coated in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce that’s easy to pull together with pantry staples.
The sauce is a simple mixture of pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar, thickened with cornstarch and optionally spiced with a touch of chili garlic paste or red pepper flakes. This dish is perfect for holiday spreads, potlucks, or weeknight dinners when you want something just a little different.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Colorful and vibrant. A bright, eye-catching side that brings life to the plate.
Sweet and tangy flavor. Balanced by the natural sweetness of pineapple and carrots.
Make-ahead friendly. Can be prepped early and reheated for serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Carrots: Use about 1 pound of carrots, peeled and sliced—roughly 3 cups.
- Salt and water: For boiling the carrots until just tender.
- Green bell pepper: Cut into large chunks for color and crunch. Red or yellow peppers work too.
- Pineapple chunks: Use canned in juice—drain and reserve the juice for the sauce.
- Sugar: Sweetens and balances the vinegar in the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce to a glossy finish.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds tangy brightness.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium preferred to balance the sweetness.
- Chili garlic paste: Optional, but adds a nice kick of heat.
- Cilantro or parsley: Optional garnish for a fresh finish.
Steps to Make Sweet and Sour Carrots
- Boil sliced carrots in salted water until nearly tender.
- Add bell pepper to the pan and cook a few minutes more. Drain both.
- Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add water to make ⅓ cup total liquid.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in juice mixture, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili paste (if using).
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
- Add drained carrots, bell pepper, and pineapple chunks to the sauce. Stir and heat through.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped herbs, if desired.
Tips for Sweet and Sour Carrots
- Don’t overcook the carrots—they should be tender but not mushy.
- Use a colorful mix of bell peppers for a more vibrant dish.
- Make the sauce separately in advance, then reheat and toss with vegetables when ready to serve.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you don’t have chili garlic paste on hand.
Recipe Variations
- Add spice. Increase the chili garlic paste or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Switch the peppers. Use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers for color contrast.
- Include celery. Thinly sliced celery adds extra crunch and texture.
- Ginger version. Add ½ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to the sauce for a zingy twist.
- Honey-sweetened. Replace some or all of the sugar with honey for a softer sweetness.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with grilled or roasted pork, chicken, or ham.
- Add to a holiday vegetable spread for color and variety.
- Pair with Asian-inspired mains like teriyaki or sesame chicken.
- Spoon over a bed of rice as a simple vegetarian side.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Transfer cooled carrots and sauce to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through.
Freeze: Not recommended, as the texture of the vegetables and sauce may suffer after thawing.
Sweet and Sour Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced (about 3 cups sliced)
- 1 teaspoon salt and water, for cooking the carrots
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/2-inch to 1-inch squares
- 1 8-ounce pineapple chunks, with juice
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, low sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic paste, or to taste optional
- finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Put the carrots in a saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until just tender. Add the bell pepper and cook, covered, for 3 minutes longer. Drain.
- Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Add water to the juice to make 1/3 cup.
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the pineapple juice mixture, the vinegar, and soy sauce, along with the chili garlic paste, if using. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring frequently.
- Add the drained carrots, peppers, and the pineapple chunks. Heat through and transfer to a serving dish.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
