Sweet and Sour Pork

When the craving for Chinese takeout strikes, put down the phone. Our stir-fried sweet and sour pork recipe is lighter and healthier than any restaurant’s dish while chock-full of tender pork, tangy pineapple and crisp-tender vegetables. While crispy, battered, deep-fried pork is always delicious, our no-fuss stir-fried version can be on your table in less than an hour, making it an ideal weeknight Chinese dinner family meal.

What you might be missing in our recipe for sweet and sour pork is the vibrant red hue. Restaurants often use a sweet and sour sauce made with food coloring, which doesn’t affect the flavor of the dish—it just makes it bright red! The good news is that the color doesn’t affect the flavor of the dish, so don’t worry if your sauce looks a little different.

Our sauce includes ketchup, which may seem unusual for a Chinese dish. Some food historians believe that the word ketchup comes from the Chinese (specifically Hokkein) name for fish sauce, kê-tsiap, which is a sauce completely different from our current tomato ketchup.

When the fish sauce made its way to other countries, it evolved into many versions, some using ingredients like mushrooms or oysters and some without any seafood. Eventually tomatoes, then vinegar and sugar, were added to the sauce, so it became something like our current sweet and tangy version of ketchup. The name also evolved into ketchup, or catsup, and became a catchall term for a savory spiced sauce. This tomato ketchup was introduced to China, and chefs began incorporating it into dishes, as in a sweet and sour sauce for pork.

Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Pork

• Sauce and marinade: The sweet and sour sauce and marinade are made with pantry staples, including ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar and soy sauce. Savory soy sauce balances the sweetness of ketchup and sugar with more umami than salt. We like to use reduced-sodium soy sauce to keep the salt content in check.
• Pork loin: Boneless pork loin is a quick-cooking, tender cut of pork. Chill the meat in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting so it will be easier to slice. Be cost-savvy—portioning a whole loin for multiple meals is often less expensive than buying a center-cut roast or thick individual chops.
• Canola oil: Canola oil’s neutral flavor and high smoke point make it ideal for pan-frying.
• Vegetables: Onions, carrots and green peppers are cooked until crisp-tender to maintain freshness and a contrast in textures. When chopping vegetables for a stir-fry, try to keep them close to the same size so they cook evenly.
• Aromatics: Minced garlic and ginger are essential aromatics in many Chinese dishes. We use ground ginger here as a quick substitute for gingerroot. If using the latter, store fresh ginger in a cool, dark place.
• Pineapple: Pineapples add yet another layer of sweet and tart flavor. Canned pineapple chunks are an easy substitute for fresh pineapple, but feel free to use fresh if you have it on hand! Be sure to drain the pineapple well to avoid watering down the sweet and sour sauce for pork.
• Rice: Hot cooked rice is the perfect blank canvas for a strongly flavored recipe for sweet and sour pork. Go for short- or medium-grain rice, often labeled as sushi rice.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce and marinate the pork

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup and soy sauce. Pour half into a large resealable bag; add the pork. Seal the bag, and turn it to coat the meat. Refrigerate the marinated pork for 30 minutes. Set the remaining marinade aside.

Step 2: Drain the pork

Drain and discard the marinade from the pork.

Step 3: Cook the pork and vegetables

In a large skillet, cook the pork in oil for three minutes. Add the onion, carrots, green pepper, garlic and ginger; saute until the pork is tender.

Editor’s Tip: Heat the oil over medium-high heat before adding the pork. Watch the cooking time closely; the pork loin will be tough if overcooked. Pork is safe to eat when still slightly pink—it just needs to reach 145°F. Keep in mind that the pork will continue to cook as the sauce is cooking in the next step.

Step 4: Finish the dish

Add the reserved marinade to the pan. Bring it to a boil and cook for one minute longer. Stir in the pineapple. Serve with rice, and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Editor’s Tip: If you want to thicken the sauce, make a slurry by dissolving 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water. Add the slurry to the sauce and let it simmer and thicken before you stir in the pineapple.

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Recipe Variations

• Swap the protein: As you’ll find on Chinese restaurant menus, sweet and sour dishes can be made with a variety of proteins. You can make sweet and sour chicken with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If you prefer quick-cooking seafood, add fish or peeled shrimp in the last step and simmer it until just cooked through. You can also go plant-friendly and use firm tofu.
• Taste the rainbow: Add more color by using red, yellow and orange mini sweet peppers. Red onions and batons of green onions can provide even more oniony flavor as well as color.
• Control the sour: Apple cider vinegar is the best of both worlds for sweet and sour sauce in terms of bright acidity and mild sweetness, but other types of vinegar also work. For a sharper and more intense flavor, use distilled white vinegar or black vinegar. For a more mild tanginess, use rice vinegar.
• Make it spicy: Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne to the marinade and sauce. Or, add some Thai sweet chili sauce to the pan along with the pineapple.

How to Store Sweet and Sour Pork

While a sweet and sour pork recipe is best eaten fresh when the vegetables are still crisp, it still makes great leftovers. You can heat leftovers in the microwave or eat them cold, as one often does with leftover takeout.

How long does sweet and sour pork last?

After cooling, store this recipe for sweet and sour pork in an airtight container in the fridge; it will last up to four days.

Can you freeze sweet and sour pork?

Absolutely! Transfer cooled sweet and sour pork to freezer-safe containers and freeze it for up to three months. Store it in individual portions for quick solo meals on the fly.

How do you reheat sweet and sour pork?

If reheating the sweet and sour pork recipe from frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, heat it in a microwave in a microwave-safe bowl until heated through. If using a stovetop, transfer the pork to a skillet, cover the skillet and heat the pork through slowly. Stir the recipe for sweet and sour pork occasionally, and add some broth or water to loosen the sauce if necessary.

Sweet and Sour Pork Tips

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Can you use other cuts of pork to make this sweet and sour pork recipe?

Like pork loin, pork tenderloin cooks quickly and remains super tender. Many Chinese restaurants also use pork shoulder or butt, both flavorful, for stir-frying. The latter has more muscle and fat and can take longer to cook in the sauce.

How can you make crispy sweet and sour pork?

For crispy deep-fried pork, dredge the pieces of pork in cornstarch and cook them in batches in a pan with 1 inch of oil. Transfer the pork to a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer the oil to a heat-proof container and let it cool before disposing. Wipe the pan clean and continue with the recipe. Add the cooked pork with the pineapples at the end, stirring to coat.

For crispy air-fried pork, toss the pork in some cornstarch. Preheat the air fryer and spray with cooking spray. Spray the pork with cooking spray and transfer to the air fryer. Cook the pork until crisp and the internal temperature reaches 145°.

What can you serve with sweet and sour pork?

Since our sweet and sour pork recipe is already very flavorful, we like to pair it simply with steamed white rice. For a larger meal, add other Chinese food recipes with milder flavors, perhaps a quick egg drop soup, stir-fried leafy greens like bok choy or steamed turkey dumplings (make a stash and freeze them!).