Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If there’s one thing my boys love, it’s dipping sauce. Especially my nine year-old. He’ll eat anything if you give him something to dip it in. So I decided to make a sweet and spicy, Asian inspired plum sauce with the plums I picked up at the farmer’s market this week.
- Great for Dipping! This sauce is great for dipping things like egg rolls and pot stickers, but my favorite thing to use it for is dressing up a pork roast. It also pairs well with chicken too….or in the case of a nine year-old, chicken nuggets.
- No Peeling Required: Keeping the peels on the plums adds color, nutrients, and flavor—and it saves on prep time!
- A Homemade Gift for Sharing: Tied up with a bow, this sauce makes a thoughtful and tasty gift for friends and family.
After you preview the recipe card, be sure to look below for ingredient substitutions, recipe and storage tips, and suggestions for pairings and tasty variations!
Asian Plum Sauce
Get ready to elevate your culinary game with this irresistible homemade plum sauce recipe! Trust me, this plum sauce is going to be your new secret weapon in the kitchen!
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 50kcal
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fresh plums pitted and chopped (peel left on)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place 1.5 pounds fresh plums, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the plums are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Remove from heat and pour the sauce into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and return to pot. (Alternately, you can use an immersion blender right in the pot. Be careful blending hot liquids!).
- Bring the plum sauce back to a boil, then ladle into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Place sterilized lids and rings on the jars and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
- Remove jars to a towel to rest for 24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Notes
Makes 2-3 half pint jars.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Frozen Plums? Frozen plums (make sure they’re thawed and drained) can work in a pinch. depending on their sweetness, you may need to adjust the sugar.
- Vinegar Variations: Rice vinegar or white wine vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar. Avoid plain white vinegar—the flavor is too strong for this sauce.
- Soy Sauce Substitutes: For a gluten-free sauce use Tamari, or coconut aminos for a soy-free option (the sauce will be slightly sweeter).
- No Fresh Ginger? Substitute 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
Recipe Tips
- Use the right equipment — make sure you have a large enough canning pot. I also recommend canning tongs to move jars in and out of the boiling water.
- If your plums are particularly sweet or tart, feel free to adjust the amount of brown sugar. Start with 1/3 cup and taste as it simmers. If it’s too tart, you can add a little more sugar to balance it out.
- Make sure your jars and lids are clean and dry — the dishwasher works great for this. The jars should still be hot when you fill them with liquid.
- When blending the hot sauce, always be cautious. If using a traditional blender, blend in small batches and vent the lid slightly to let steam escape. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to make the process easier and safer.
- Considering using a stepstool when removing your jars from the hot water. It’s a much safer process if you can see what you’re doing.
- Let the jars rest undisturbed for 24 hours after processing in a water bath. This helps to ensure the lids seal properly. Once sealed, store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
- If your jars don’t seal, you can keep your plum sauce in the refrigerator, where it should keep for several weeks, if not longer.
Storage
- Store in a cool, dark place. Properly sealed jars can last up to 1 year.
- Refrigerator: Unsealed or open jars can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Variations & Fun Twists
- Five Spice Plum Sauce: Add 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder for an aromatic twist with hints of clove, and cinnamon.
- Citrus-Ginger Plum Sauce: Add a few teaspoons of orange zest for a bright, tangy kick.
- Smoky Plum BBQ Sauce: Stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Perfect for grilling!
- Plum Balsamic Glaze: Swap apple cider vinegar for aged balsamic vinegar. Great on grilled veggies or pork tenderloin.
Pairings
The possibilities are endless, from pork roast and pork chops to grilled chicken and chicken tenders.
These are some of our favorite things to enjoy with this plum sauce.
43 comments
Susie
This looks gorgeous! I was gifted a mess of plums and pinned your recipe to try. Today I made plum jam and was hugely disappointed to find that no matter the sugar I added, it started bitter and stayed bitter. It’s kind of like a cranberry sauce-type flavor…sweet with a bite. Not really what I want in a jam. SO…I was thinking of adapting what I have in my jam pot to fit YOUR recipe, since it’s more of a savory flavor to begin with. Have you ever experienced the bitterness from plum peels? I am attributing the bitter taste to the peels, since the plum flesh was so sweet.
Beth
Plum jam take an enormous amount of sugar. I just made some. I used 5.5 cups of plums and 8, yes EIGHT, cups of sugar! It’s delicious!! But whoa.
Rick Carrillo
My recipe called for 4.5 c sugar and 9 lbs of plums
Danelle
I haven’t had that kind of bitterness, but I’ve never made plum jam either. Hopefully something savory will work out better for you. 🙂
Denise
If you remove some of the peel it’s not so bitter I find the peel is what makes it bitter.
Susie
It did – turned out beautifully. Thank you for the recipe!
Amanda
Do you peel your plums first?
Victoria
Is the weight before or after pitting?
penemue
the skins give the redish color, I leave them on…