Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry
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This Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry is a takeout favorite made even better at home! Tender pork, crisp veggies, and juicy pineapple come together in a vibrant, tangy sauce — made even more irresistible with fresh pineapple juice. Whether you’re a kitchen pro or just craving a fun dinner, this one’s a keeper.
“Quick and easy dinner idea and so much better than take out! Much more economical, too. This is a keeper — the sauce is so good!” — Sandra
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Sweet and Sour Pork
Now, get the delicious taste of sweet and sour pork in under 30 minutes — that’s even faster than delivery!
Originating in China, a wok is a deep cooking vessel with a round bottom specifically designed for fast cooking or stir-frying at a high temperature. I love cooing in mine, but if you don’t own one, you can make this recipe in a large skillet with a flat bottom and sloping sides instead.
If you especially love cooking up Asian-inspired meals, a wok really comes in handy! I’ve used it for this Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, Beef Pad Thai Noodles, Korean Beef Stir Fry, and many more of my favorite dishes.
Ingredient Notes for Pork Stir Fry
Sauce
- Garlic, Fresh Ginger & Olive Oil | Sauté together to build a flavorful base.
- Soy Sauce, Vinegar (Apple Cider & Sherry) & Ketchup | The perfect blend of salty, tangy, and sweet for a balanced stir-fry sauce.
- Brown Sugar & Pineapple Juice | Add sweetness to counter the acidity and enhance the tropical notes. I usually buy a cored pineapple, pour off the juice to use in the sauce, and cube the pineapple for the stir fry.
- Sesame Oil | Bring a nutty flavor that enhances the dish’s overall taste, giving it that unmistakable Asian-inspired twist.
- Water & Cornstarch | Adjust consistency and thicken the sauce for a smooth, velvety texture.
Stir Fry
- Pork (Tenderloin, Shoulder, or Loin Chops) | Any of these cuts work well for a tender and flavorful stir-fry.
- Creole seasoning | This spice blend is similar to Cajun seasoning, except it also contains paprika, oregano, and thyme.
- Bell Peppers, Yellow Onion & Carrot | A colorful mix of crisp, sweet, and savory veggies for balance.
- Canola oil | A neutral oil with a high smoke point, perfect for stir-frying that helps everything cook evenly.
- Cubed pineapple | juicy burst of sweetness that complements both the pork and the sauce.
Variations and Substitutions
- Don’t have creole seasoning in your pantry? Make your own by blending together other common spices. For this recipe, you’ll need ¾ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon each salt and garlic powder, plus ¼ teaspoon each black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Sweet and Sour Chicken. Substitute boneless chicken breasts for sweet and sour chicken.
- If you don’t have sherry vinegar, replace it with more apple cider vinegar.
- Substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos, especially as a gluten-free alternative.
- I haven’t tried it myself, but I think you could substitute honey for brown sugar with good results.
How to Make Sweet And Sour Pork Without Batter
Get all the crispy goodness from the pork without the extra fuss! Just season, stir-fry, and toss everything in that flavorful sauce.
Stir Fry
SEASON PORK. Let’s make the stir fry. Add the cubed pork to a bowl and sprinkle with creole seasoning, tossing it gently until evenly coated.
STIR-FRY PORK. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat in a large wok or skillet. Add the pork and stir-fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate.
COOK VEGGIES. Now, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok and stir-fry the bell peppers, onions, and carrots in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes.
COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS AND SERVE. Return the pork to the pan and stir fry another 4 to 5 minutes, until the veggies are crisp tender and the pork is finished cooking.
Sauce
COMBINE WET INGREDIENTS. To make the sauce, we whisk together the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl, setting it aside.
SAUTE, BOIL, SIMMER. Next, set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat to sauté the ginger and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 15 seconds. Then, pour in the pineapple juice mixture and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir for about a minute until the sugar dissolves.
THICKEN THE SAUCE. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cooking sherry in a small bowl. Then, whisk it into the sauce, reduce the heat, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Finally, add the sauce and pineapple, cooking and stirring until the pineapple is warmed through and the sauce is thickened, taking about 1 minute. Then, serve it hot and fresh!
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Leftover Sweet and Sour Pork, stored in an airtight container, will last for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
- To keep the sauce from evaporating, it’s best to reheat the leftovers in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the sweet and sour pork (with sauce) in a baking dish tightly sealed with aluminum foil. Heat for 15 – 20 minutes or until the dish is nice and steamy.
- To freeze, cool completely, then store leftovers in a ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, reheat it by thawing overnight in the refrigerator and following the directions above.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main ingredients are pork, pineapple, bell peppers, onions, and a tangy-sweet sauce made with pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Korean sweet and sour pork is often coated in a crispy batter and served with a spicy kick, while the Chinese version is typically lighter, with stir-fried pork and vegetables in a non-battered form.
Absolutely! You can add veggies like snap peas, broccoli, or mushrooms. Just make sure to stir-fry them until they’re crisp-tender for the best texture.
They often use a technique called velveting, where the pork is briefly marinated in cornstarch and egg whites before cooking, making it super tender and juicy!
Looking for More Asian-Inspired Recipes?
Do you love making stir-fry meals? Try my shrimp and broccoli stir-fry or my spicy sriracha chicken with Brussels sprouts. I also have a super easy orange chicken recipe and this pepper steak stir-fry, which is my hubby’s favorite.
What to Serve With Sweet and Sour Pork
When I prepare this dish on a weeknight, I simply serve my sweet and sour pork over a bed of instant pot jasmine rice or fried rice. Here are some more ideas if you want something a little extra:
Behind the recipe: The Best Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe
Today’s recipe was adapted from “New New Orleans Cooking” by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch (published by William and Morrow, 1993). I was inspired by this more complex version but made some tweaks to simplify it for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. For example, I streamlined things by sticking to a basic stir-fry technique with fewer ingredients without sacrificing the flavor!
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Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sherry
Stir Fry
- 1 pound lean pork shoulder cubed
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large bell pepper green, red or orange, cut into strips
- ½ medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot sliced
- 2 cups cubed pineapple
Instructions
Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, sauté the ginger and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 15 seconds. Pour in the pineapple juice mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cooking sherry. Whisk into the sauce; then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Stir Fry
- Add the cubed pork to a bowl and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Toss gently until evenly coated.
- In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add the pork and stir fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Stir fry the bell peppers, onions, and carrots in the hot oil for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Return the pork to the pan and stir fry another 4 – 5 minutes, until the veggies are crisp tender and the pork is finished cooking. Add the reserved sauce and pineapple. Cook and stir until the pineapple is warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute.
Notes
- Don’t have creole seasoning in your pantry? Make your own by blending together other common spices. For this recipe, you’ll need ¾ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon each salt and garlic powder, plus ¼ teaspoon each black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Want to kick it up a notch? Add a teaspoon (or 2 if you’re feeling really brave!) of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce for spicy sweet and sour pork.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
My entire family LOVED this Sweet and Sour Pork recipe! A wonderful weeknight meal.
So much better than any take out I have ordered!!
Very quick and easy. Perfect for weekights!
Quick and easy dinner idea and so much better than take out! Much more economical too. This is a keeper. The sauce is so good!
This was so good– I love making takeout at home!
Such a great recipe and my whole family loved it! You can never go wrong with pork in my opinion!
Very delicious!
Better than takeout!
I loved everything about this recipe exceptt the Emeril’s seasoning. I felt like it overwhelmed the flavors of the sauce abd veggies. I would make it again but without the seasoning on the pork.
I marinate my pork in sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh grated ginger, minced garlic and onion powder, then I stir fry it so much better
I love the way you have organized this recipe. I’ve printed it and plan to use it next time I make this! I’ve made Emeril’s sweet and sour pork before and I the recipe I used called for 2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger. In my opinion, the fresh minced ginger is absolutely essential to this dish. So yummy! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
In the list of ingredients, it says, “1/2 tsp ginger.” Is this ground powdered ginger or ginger root?
Thanks!
In this recipe, it is ground ginger. However, if you have ginger root that would also be delicious.