Pork Stir-Fry: Spend With Pennies

Pork Stir Fry it’s a quick skillet dinner made with tender pork strips, crunchy vegetables and a sweet and savory pineapple sauce. This easy recipe is combined in a frying pan and is great served with rice or noodles for a delicious weeknight dinner.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Pork Stir Fry

Flavor: This stir-fry combines juicy pork and colorful vegetables with a sweet, spicy, and salty glaze.
Technique: Mixing pork with cornstarch before cooking helps it develop a golden brown coating while sealing in moisture to keep the meat tender and juicy.
Recommended tools: A large frying pan, wok, or skillet provides enough space to cook the pork and vegetables evenly.
Service Suggestions: Best served over baked rice, lo mein noodles, or rice noodles to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Total time: 45 minutes Portions: 4 Cooking method: Stove

Ingredient notes

Pork, cornstarch, soy sauce, vegetables, ginger, garlic, pineapple, green onions to make stir-fried pork with labels

Pig: Boneless pork chops or pork tenderloin work well in this recipe. Cut pork across the grain into thin, even strips to create tender, bite-sized pieces that cook quickly.
Cornstarch: It helps the pork develop a golden, slightly crispy coating while keeping it tender. It is also used to thicken sauce and create a smooth, glossy finish.
Mixed Vegetables: Both fresh and frozen vegetables work well in this stir-fry. Broccoli, bell peppers, peas, carrots, mushrooms, sweet corn, and zucchini are great options for adding color, texture, and flavor.
Pineapple: The pineapple chunks add a burst of sweet, juicy flavor that balances the savory sauce. Canned pineapple is a convenient option and the reserved juice can be used in the sauce, although orange juice works well as a substitute if necessary.

Close up of ingredients in a frying pan to make pork stir fry

How to make pork stir fry

Season the pork, mix with cornstarch, and let cool.
Brown the pork and then stir-fry the vegetables with garlic and ginger. (full recipe below).
Simmer and thicken the sauce. Then, return the pork, vegetables, and pineapple to the pan until heated through.

Prepare first: Prepare all the ingredients before turning on the stove. The stir fry cooks quickly.
Do not crowd the pan: Browning in batches gives better flavor and texture.
Use medium-high heat: This way the vegetables are tender and crunchy instead of mushy.
Add garlic and ginger later: Add after the vegetables have cooked for a few minutes so they don’t burn.
Use a meat thermometer: The pork is tender and juicy at 145°F, and a little pink in the center is fine.

Pork stir fry on top view in a frying pan

Storing leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Then gently reheat in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave, stirring halfway through.

Sweet, Salty and Spicy Favorites

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image from Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Season the pork with salt and pepper and mix with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (while you prepare the rest of the ingredients).
To make the sauce in a small bowl, whisk together water, pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and sesame oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sauté the pork in small batches until browned (no need to cook it all the way through). Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan if necessary and add the vegetables. Saute until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove vegetables from pan.
Add the sauté sauce and bring to a simmer.
Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and mix with the boiling sauce little by little until reaching the desired consistency.
Add the pork, pineapple and vegetables back to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with rice or noodles.

Pork can be served at 145°F, a little pinking is fine and keeps the meat tender and juicy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary depending on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Starter, Main Course, Pork

Kitchen American, Asian

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