Sweet and Sour Prawns is a classic dish to order from a Chinese takeaway. However, we make our own healthier version that includes fresh king prawns, crunchy vegetables, sweet pineapple and all tossed in an easy homemade healthier sweet and sour sauce. A really quick and easy takeaway alternative that will save you calories and money.
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Don't you just love being able to create your own restaurant quality dishes at home? We do! Not only does it save us some money (and the hassle of having to leave the house), but we can make it healthier too.
This homemade sweet and sour sauce couldn't be easier, and you can pack the dish with vegetables too.
Looking for other sweet and sour recipes? Why not try our Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs or Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.
And if you want more prawn recipes, try our easy Prawn Canapés, tasty Prawn and Chorizo Pasta or our crispy Prawn Tacos.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Sesame oil - This is the best oil to cook with when it comes to sweet and sour dishes, as the flavour it amazing.
- Prawns - We used cooked kind prawns. If you are using raw prawns, then you will need to add a couple of minutes on to the cooking time.
- Onion - We used a small brown onion, but you could use shallots instead.
- Bell peppers - Any colour bell pepper will work.
- Pineapple - We used canned pineapple, but you could use fresh instead.
- Sweet and sour sauce - We used our Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce, as it doesn't have any additives. However, if you use store bought, then use the best quality that you can.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Prawns
- Step 1: Add the oil to a pan and once hot, add the onion and pepper and gently cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Step 2: Add the prawns, pineapple and homemade sweet and sour sauce and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Three: Serve with rice.
Healthy Takeaway Alternatives
If you have picked yourself up a copy of my first book, Hungry Healthy Happy, then you might recognise this recipe, as it is in there along with lots of other healthy takeaway alternatives.
I have had so much great feedback from that recipe that I thought I would share it here too, as I know it's going to be popular.
But here we are sharing an amazing takeaway style sweet and sour sauce recipe with it.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
If you are going to go to the effort of making your own copycat takeaway favourite, then you might as well make the sauce yourself too. I mean, you could just buy ajar of sweet and sour sauce, but that wouldn't really warrant a recipe.
It really is worth making your own sauce, as you can totally taste the difference. Just a few store cupboard essentials go into making this - passata, honey, apple cider vinegar, cornflour and water and ready in just 5 minutes. Check out our Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe.
A lot of sweet and sour sauce recipes use ketchup, but we find that is too sweet and ketchup comes with loads of other added ingredients too. So we used passata and a little bit of honey. It's a little bit sweet, but you can add more or less honey depending on how sweet you like it.
Serving Suggestions
Rice is always a classic side dish when it comes to sweet and sour prawns, so why not try our Perfect Microwave Rice, Oven Cooked Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice? However, why not mix it up a bit and try our Healthy Egg Fried Rice?
Dannii's Top Tips
- Feel free to use any veg you have that needs using. Chunky vegetables like courgette and aubergine would work well, although not very traditional.
- Make sure you don't overcook the prawns, otherwise they will become chewy.
- If you don't like prawns, you could make this with just extra vegetables, chicken or even tofu.
- We wouldn't recommend reheating this dish.
- Finish the dish off with some thinly sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not at all. Once you have the veggie base and your homemade sauce you can adapt it to suit your tastes. You could swap the prawns for chicken, extra vegetables or even tofu.
I wouldn't recommend reheating this, as we used cooked prawns in this dish, which are heated through again. So, to reheat the whole dish would mean reheating them again. With prawn we always like to be cautious, so I wouldn't recommend it. This dish takes just 10 minutes to make though, so it's quick enough to make from fresh.
Yes, you can. However, you need to make sure that they are fully defrosted before using, so that you are not adding too much extra liquid to the dish.
More Healthy Takeaway Recipes
If you've tried this Sweet and Sour Prawns recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Sweet and Sour Prawns
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 Onion - small; diced
- 1 Red bell pepper - diced
- 1 Yellow bell pepper - diced
- 200 g (7 oz) King prawns - (jumbo shrimp)
- 200 g (7 oz) Pineapple chunks
- 2 servings Homemade sweet and sour sauce
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Sesame oil in a pan and add 1 Onion1 Red bell pepper and 1 Yellow bell pepper and gently cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add 200 g King prawns, 200 g Pineapple chunks and 2 servings Homemade sweet and sour sauceCook for a further 3 minutes.
- Serve with rice.
Recipe Tips
- Feel free to use any veg you have that needs using. Chunky vegetables like courgette and aubergine would work well, although not very traditional.
- Make sure you don't overcook the prawns, otherwise they will become chewy.
- If you don't like prawns, you could make this with just extra vegetables, chicken or even tofu.
- We wouldn't recommend reheating this dish.
- Finish the dish off with some thinly sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds before serving.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Kezia @ Super Naturally Healthy says
Ohh butter chicken curry - love a good curry:)
Zoe says
We are going to make this on Friday night with the egg fried rice. I am just going to have to try and avoid buying prawn crackers now haha.
[email protected] says
I wish I could get Lynne to like sweet and sour dishes Dannii. She just can't get over the addition of pineapple to a hot dish.
I haven't lost faith though, and seeing as it's taken me nearly 10 years of us being together for me to get her to like celery, I shall persevere! Thanks for this ans pinning.
Oh and everyone is giving me Amazon vouchers for my birthday in a couple of weekends time, so I'll be able to get your book. Finally! It's been on the wish list since you published!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
We never eat take aways and seldom eat Chinese food but I would love to master some authentic recipes at home
Sally - My Custard Pie says
You've taken me back about - cough cough - years to my first ever Chinese meal. Very exotic and totally inauthentic. Those prawns in stodgy batter with livid sauce. I loved them then - wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now. But a reminder of why that sweet sour combination is so compelling in the right hands. Delicious Dannii.
Madeleine Morrow says
I totally agree about the take away problem when it comes to eating healthily. Some recipes like your here just prove that food can be as tasty and not take much longer than getting into the car and going to pick up a take away. Now of course if it being delivered ...Seriously though we all need reminding of how easy delicious food can be to prepare.
marcie says
I love prawns, and it was amazing with the sweet and sour sauce and pineapple! Making this meal is practically quicker than picking up takeout, too!
Anna says
Ah Dani! You always make me hungry girl! your food is amazing!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
We don't really have a ton of options for to-go here, so making my own is kind of my only option if I want decent food. ;) I LOVE sweet and sour Chinese food, but can you believe I've never has sweet and sour prawns?? Crazy, I need to change that pronto!! This looks absolutely delicious, Dannii! Cheers, girlfriend!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I love a good fakeaway, and anything with fried rice is always amazing! I also love the Redmond.
Lima says
This looks really nice even though I'm not a fan of seafood!
Justina says
Ahh, that looks tasty! We love Chinese take aways, definitely ordering too often. Might try this recipe this weekend, thanks. :)
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Love sweet and sour flavours! Had some with chicken last week...gotta get some prawns to try again. Yours looks very tasty, Dannii.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Mmm this looks SO much better than takeout! I crave Chinese food quite often, so I know this would hit the spot!
Harriet Emily says
Wow, your multi cooker looks amazing Dannii! I definitely want to get one. I love the sound of this recipe too, sweet and sour flavours are my favourite. Yum!