Sweet and Sour Tilapia

Name: Sweet and Sour Tilapia
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pieces tilapia (cleaned); 2 tablespoons Knorr Liquid Seasoning; 1 piece red bell pepper (julienne); 1 piece green bell pepper (julienne); 1 piece carrot (julienne); 5 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 piece onion (sliced); 2 thumbs ginger (julienne); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 cups water; 5 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar; 8 tablespoons tomato ketchup; 7 tablespoons white sugar; 1 ¼ cup cooking oil; Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Sweet and sour is a combination that originally came from Asia. The Chinese were the ones who originally came up with the thought of mixing these two different flavors. This Sweet and Sour Tilapia Recipe is a good example of this.

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By: Vanjo Merano 16 Comments Updated: 1/19/25

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Sweet and sour fish can be prepared using either fish fillet or a whole fish. Grouper (also known as lapu-lapu in the Philippines) is the type of fish commonly used to make this dish. I am using tilapia for this recipe because it is also reasonably priced and it can be easily sourced almost anywhere in the world.

This recipe for sweet and sour fish is a keeper for several reasons. I kept it simple and used minimal ingredients. The cooking process can easily be replicated even by novice cooks. And, the result is delicious.

How to Cook Sweet and Sour Fish

Making this dish at home is quick and easy. I also liked how tasty and delicious the outcome was.

Prepare the fish

Make sure that it is properly cleaned. Make incisions on the side of the fish. Apply Knorr Liquid Seasoning on the incisions and in the cavity.

Rub until the entire fish is seasoned completely. This single liquid seasoning works wonders. It provides all the flavors that we need. Give it at least 10 minutes so that the fish absorbs the flavors.

Start the frying process

There is nothing fancy in this step. Simply fry both sides of the fish until it turns golden brown. For beginners, make sure that you have a splatter screen on hand to protect yourself from oil splatters.

Note that it is best to use medium heat. Let time do the work. You know that it is almost done when the crackling sound of the oil starts to ease. Remove the fried fish from the pan. Put it on a clean plate.

Make the sweet and sour sauce

Start by sautéing onion, garlic, and ginger. Add white vinegar and water. Let the liquid boil before adding the tomato ketchup. Stir until well blended.

Add sugar and continue stirring until it dissolves into the mixture. Put the carrot and bell peppers. Continue cooking for 3 minutes before adding the slurry (mixture of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water). The slurry helps thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the fried fish and sauce then serve

Add the fried fish. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and serve with rice.

Tips & Tricks

Aside from tilapia, you can use other fish varieties to cook this dish. Here is my recipe for sweet and sour fish using red snapper.
Another way of serving this is to arrange the fried fish on a serving plate and simply pour the sweet and sour sauce over it.
This is best served with either plain white rice or fried rice. I personally prefer white rice.

Similar Recipes to Try

Sweet and Sour Pork – One of my favorite version, this dish is simply amazing. The bold flavors of the sauce compliments well with the seasoned pork.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs – Homemade meatballs coated in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Kids can be picky eaters, often preferring fried foods and sticking to familiar flavors. Since meatballs are a favorite among children, this dish is sure to whet their appetite—especially with the addition of sweet pineapple chunks that perfectly complement the savory flavors.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Nuggets – This is what happens when you formally combine chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce. It is better than just dipping it in.

Try this Sweet and Sour Tilapia recipe and let me know what you think.

Watch How to Cook Sweet and Sour Tilapia

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Sweet and Sour Tilapia