Description
My Mom’s Quick and Easy Sweet and Sour Pork recipe! Cubes of juicy pork loin dusted in rice flour and stir-fried with bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions in the most perfectly tangy and sweet homemade sweet and sour sauce. A seriously quick and easy weeknight dinner – it’s even faster than takeout!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ pounds boneless pork loin (or boneless pork shoulder), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup finely ground rice flour
- ¼ cup vegetable oil of choice, divided
- 1 bell pepper (color of choice), deseeded and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 red onion, diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
for the sweet and sour sauce:
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar (dark brown sugar, if available)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1–2 tablespoons soy sauce (sub tamari if gluten-free)
Instructions
- Season the pork: Place the pork in a medium bowl, seasoning all over with kosher salt. Sprinkle the rice flour over top, tossing to lightly coat the pork in the flour. Set aside.
- Mix the sweet and sour sauce: Combine all listed ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Cook the vegetables: Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot and shimmering, add in the bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until barely softened, about 1 minute. Carefully transfer vegetables to a large plate or bowl and set aside.
- Brown the pork: Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add in the remaining olive oil. Once hot and shimmering, add in the pork, shaking off excess rice flour before adding it to the pan. Cook the pork until deeply browned, about 90 seconds per side.
- Finish the sweet and sour pork: Pour the sweet and sour sauce into the skillet with the pork. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring often, until the sweet and sour sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables back into the pot. Stir to combine and cook until warmed through.
- Serve immediately, spooned over white rice. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Sweet and Sour Pork is best enjoyed fresh, immediately after cooking. Leftovers will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, just until warmed through.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: This Sweet and Sour Pork recipe comes together in no time at all, but you can do a little prep ahead of time to cut down on any and all active prep the night you want to throw it together. Pick and choose from the list below, or do it all and all you have to do at dinnertime is get cooking – easy!
- Prep the sweet and sour sauce: Mix the sweet and sour sauce according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (5 minutes active time)
- Chop the veggies: Deseed and dice 1 bell pepper and 2 large tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Peel and dice 1 red onion into ½-inch pieces. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active time)
- Dice the pork into 1/2-inch cubes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (5 minutes active time)