Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (2024)

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Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (1)

By: Becky - The Cookie Rookie

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This sweet and sour pork recipe is a perfect 30 minute recipe. Made with pineapple and lots of fresh veggies, serve it over rice or noodles for a delicious family meal.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (2)

Skip the takeout and whip up this delicious sweet and sour pork recipe instead!

Full of bright, fresh and tangy flavors, it comes together so quickly and easily for a dinner the whole family will love.

For more Chinese recipes, be sure to check out my Sweet and Sour Chicken, Beef Lo Mein, and Super Easy Teriyaki Chicken.

Table of Contents

Why you will love this sweet and sour pork!

  • Quick: It takes 15 minutes to prep this recipe and 15 minutes to cook it. Perfect for when you are short on time!
  • One pot: This dinner is all made in one skillet, perfect if you don’t feel like spending time cleaning up!
  • Healthier: This Chinese pork is loaded with fresh veggies and protein. It contains a lot less salt and sugar compared to your usual takeout, but is just as delicious!

How to make sweet and sour pork

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

  • Toss the pork cubes in the egg mixture.
  • Mix together the ingredients for the sauce.
  • Brown the pork on all sides in the skillet, remove and set to one side.
  • Cook the garlic, ginger and veggies until softened.
  • Add the pineapple chunks and sauce and cook.
  • Return the pork to the sauce and cook for a couple of minutes and serve.
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (3)

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (4)

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What do you serve with it?

I like to serve this sweet and sour pork on a bed of long grain white rice, like Basmati or Jasmine. You can also serve it on top of noodles if you prefer.

Garnish the pork with some sesame seeds and sliced green onion. I like to add some steamed broccoli on the side too.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days, however, I find this dish tastes best freshly made as the vegetables tend to get soggy when it’s reheated. You can reheat it on the stovetop until it is heated through.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (6)
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (7)

Can you freeze it?

Yes! This recipe makes for a great freezer meal. Let it cool, and then transfer it to a freezer bag or safe container. It will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw the pork in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (8)
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (9)

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • If your can of pineapple doesn’t have enough juice to make the ¾ cup required for the sauce you can add additional chicken stock to make up the difference.
  • Cut the pork into similar sized pieces so that it cooks evenly.
  • Make this sweet and sour pork gluten-free by using tamari in place of soy sauce.
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (10)

More Easy Pork Recipes

  • Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
  • Crock Pot Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
  • Grilled Pork Chops Recipe
  • Air Fryer Pork Chops
  • Crockpot Kalua Pork
  • Breaded Pork Chops Recipe (Baked and Not Fried)

Recipe

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

4.38 from 32 votes

Author: Becky – The Cookie Rookie

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (11)

Serves4 people

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This sweet and sour pork recipe is a perfect 30 minute recipe. Made with pineapple and lots of fresh veggies, serve it over rice or noodles for a delicious family meal.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (12)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 pound lean pork cubed
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 green bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 19 ounces pineapple chunks drained, reserve juice for the sauce

For the Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¾ cup pineapple juice
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • Green onions for garnish
  • Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

  • Add the pork cubes and gently toss to coat. Set aside.

  • In another medium bowl, mix together the white wine vinegar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, cornstarch, pineapple juice, and chicken stock, to make the sauce. Set aside.

  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the pork mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the pork has browned on all sides and is cooked through, about 7 minutes.

  • Transfer the pork cubes to a plate and set aside.

  • Add the garlic, ginger, red and green pepper and onion to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp.

  • Add the pineapple chunks and the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is no longer cloudy and has thickened a little.

  • Return the pork to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes more.

  • Serve immediately over a bed of white long grain rice garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days, however, I find this dish tastes best freshly made as the vegetables tend to get soggy when it’s reheated.
  • Cut the pork into similar sized pieces so that it cooks evenly.
  • Make it gluten-free by using tamari in place of soy sauce.
  • If your can of pineapple doesn’t have enough juice to make the ¾ cup required for the sauce you can add additional chicken stock to make up the difference.
  • I like to serve this sweet and sour pork with long grain rice and steamed broccoli or green beans for a healthy and satisfying meal. You could also serve it over chow mein noodles instead of the rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 478kcal (24%) Carbohydrates: 50g (17%) Protein: 29g (58%) Fat: 18g (28%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Cholesterol: 116mg (39%) Sodium: 1173mg (51%) Potassium: 919mg (26%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 39g (43%) Vitamin A: 1168IU (23%) Vitamin C: 81mg (98%) Calcium: 59mg (6%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (13)

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (14)

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Meet Becky - The Cookie Rookie

Becky is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (16)

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16 Comments

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Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (18)

June Frost

Posted on 1/15/2022

Made sweet and sour pork recipe delicious and easy to follow.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (19)

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (20)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 1/20/2022

Reply to June Frost

Thanks for sharing, June!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (21)

Judy

Posted on 1/14/2022

I usually add broccoli florets or asparagus and julienned carrots and cut back on the peppers.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (22)

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (24)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 1/20/2022

Reply to Judy

That looks delicious, Judy!!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (25)

Renee Schouten

Posted on 9/7/2021

Is there a substitute for the white wine vinegar?

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (26)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 9/8/2021

Reply to Renee Schouten

Rice vinegar!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (27)

Renee Schouten

Posted on 9/8/2021

Reply to Becky Hardin

so can i use red wine vinegar?

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (28)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 9/15/2021

Reply to Renee Schouten

You can give it a shot!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (29)

Judith Lawler

Posted on 3/12/2021

I used rice vinegar, and vegetable oil. Frankly this was as good, or better than the restaurant. Highly recommended, and easy.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (30)

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (31)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 3/17/2021

Reply to Judith Lawler

Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Judith!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (32)

Constanze P Asaad

Posted on 1/13/2021

I replaced the olive oil with sesame seed oil toasted and untoasted. Olive oil spoils the flavor and is not right for this dish.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (33)

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (34)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 1/14/2021

Reply to Constanze P Asaad

Sorry to hear it wasn’t up to your taste!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (35)

Helen Betts

Posted on 8/27/2020

Thanks, Becky! I was thinking maybe country style ribs since they’re very lean, but pork chops would be fine, too!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (36)

Helen Betts

Posted on 8/26/2020

It sure would be nice to get an answer to my question of a week and a half ago (I think it was) as to what cut of pork to use. Anyway, it did sound good, but guess I won’t be making it now.

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (37)

Becky Hardin

Posted on 8/27/2020

Reply to Helen Betts

So sorry, Helen! Thinly cut pork chops will probably work best!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (38)

Helen Betts

Posted on 8/17/2020

Well, it sounds and looks good, but what cut of pork do you use for it? I can’t guess from “lean pork”!

Reply

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in sweet and sour pork? ›

Mix 1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in cooked pork, celery mixture, and pineapple chunks with juice. Return to a boil, then mix in remaining1/4 cup water and cornstarch.

How do Chinese make pork so tender? ›

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.

What is another name for sweet and sour pork? ›

Sweet and sour pork (咕噜肉) sits among some of the most well-known Chinese dishes outside of China. It's widely believed to be a Cantonese dish, known colloquially as gú lóuh yuhk, which roughly translates to “ancient pork.”

What makes food sweet and sour? ›

In China, the sauces are traditionally made by mixing sugar or honey with a sour liquid such as rice vinegar or soy sauce and spices such as ginger and cloves. Sometimes a paste made from tomatoes is used, but this is rare and normally restricted to Western cooking.

What is Chinese sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

What are the ingredients in no name sweet and sour sauce? ›

Ingredients: Water, Sugars (sugar, Plum Puree, Concentrated Pineapplejuice), Modified Corn Starch, White Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Salt,seasoning, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Red Bell Pepper Powder,beta-carotene Colour, Annatto Extract Colour.

What is the best ingredient to tenderize pork? ›

Baking Soda Brine
  • Mix up a solution with baking soda and water. Weigh your pork cut (or cuts)—for every 12 oz (0.34 kg) of weight, stir 1 tsp (6 g) of baking soda into 12 c (120 mL) of water. ...
  • Submerge the pork for 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Use clean water to rinse the remaining solution from the meat.
Apr 29, 2024

How to make pork extremely tender? ›

How to Make Tender Pork Chops
  1. Opt for Thick-Cut Bone-In Pork Chops. Thin-cut pork chops won't sear properly in the time it takes to cook them through. ...
  2. Skip the Brine, but Season Liberally. ...
  3. Let the Pork Chops Rest. ...
  4. Sear Pork Chops Over Medium-High Heat. ...
  5. Baste the Pork Chops. ...
  6. Let the Pork Chops Rest, Again. ...
  7. Serve.
Feb 14, 2018

Does lemon juice make pork tender? ›

Lemons are highly acidic, making them a great meat tenderizer. A thick coating of lemon juice applied one hour before cooking will draw water from the meat, thus, improving the meat's texture. Adding too much of this marinade could actually toughen the meat.

What is interesting about sweet and sour pork? ›

The story goes that this dish was created in Chencun, a town in Shunde district, but was originally made with ribs rather than diced pork. Visiting foreigners loved it, but disliked the bones, so chefs started to cook it with the well-marbled pork shoulder.

Why is sweet and sour pork red? ›

The sweet and sour sauce you get from most chinese restaurants is dyed with food colouring to make it red. When I make sweet and sour sauce from scratch, there's a bit of a red colour, but that's because I use ketchup to make some of the “sour” part. It's also got tomatoes in it, which adds some red colour.

What country does sweet and sour pork come from? ›

But one thing is for sure and that is that the dish originated in China, took a journey around the world and came back to Hong Kong stronger than ever. “It actually evolved from a dish made with spare ribs braised in sugar and vinegar. It was a Shanghainese dish that used to be served to the emperor.

What is the mixture of sour and sweet? ›

At the heart of it, sweet & sour mix is just lemon juice, lime juice, water, and sugar. The basic ration is equal parts sugar water and citrus juice. You can always make it sweeter or more tart to fix your preference.

Is sweet and sour pork authentic Chinese food? ›

You might think that sweet and sour pork is another dish that was invented in the US. But in fact, it's a real dish that exists in China. Not only does it exist, but it's very popular and you will see it in many restaurants.

What is sweet pork made of? ›

There are a few sweet pork recipes out there but I've found the best one to be this near-perfect imitation of Cafe Rio's sweet pork. The key ingredients are (besides pork, of course) Coca-Cola, brown sugar, chilis, enchilada sauce, and spices. Accept no substitutions!

What is sweet and sour combination Chinese food? ›

This sweet and sour chicken stir-fry is a version of the Asian-style favorite that includes carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and pineapple. The requisite soy sauce and vinegar add the sour to the sweet, and voila! Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired.

What is a fact about sweet and sour pork? ›

The story goes that this dish was created in Chencun, a town in Shunde district, but was originally made with ribs rather than diced pork. Visiting foreigners loved it, but disliked the bones, so chefs started to cook it with the well-marbled pork shoulder.

What are the allergens in sweet and sour pork? ›

Sweet & Sour Pork Cantonese

ALLERGY Advice: This dish contains: Cereals Containing Gluten (wheat, rye, spelt, oats, kamut) Eggs Milk Sesame Sulphites & sulphur Dioxide (e.g. preservative food found in some dried fruit and wines) ..

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