This Pork Stir Fry recipe has a perfect, easy to make, stir fry sauce that smothers the most tender pork while giving you a great serving of vegetables. This 30 minute meal will become a family favorite!
Stir fry is a go to in our house, and we absolutely love it. It is such a great way to combine all of the major food groups into one dishes and load up the kids with vegetables. My stir fry sauce is amazing and brings together the ingredients in the most perfect way.
My whole family loves this recipe so much. In it, we are using pork loin as the protein. I love making stir fries with pork loin because it is lean and yet still so tender; it is comparable to chicken breasts in protein and fat content. It is the perfect meat for making these types of dishes, which is why I love it so much in my pork lo mein too.
How to Make Pork Stir Fry
This is a brief overview of the recipe. For the full measurements and instructions see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the pork. Start by cooking the thinly sliced pork tenderloin in a little soybean oil. Read more on cooking pork below.
- Add the vegetables. The veggies will take about 5 to 7 minutes to cook. I like to cover them so they are steamed, uncovering once or twice to stir them.
- Make the sauce. While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the stir fry sauce.
- Add the stir fry sauce to the skillet. Allow to cook and thicken for a minute or two, stirring it in to combine. You will know it is finished when it both thickens and darkens in color.
- Serve this great pork stir fry over rice and enjoy!
Cooking Pork
Unlike in years past, the USDA has changed the recommended cooking temperature for pork. Pork is done when it hits 145 degrees. This is great news because it means much more tender and moist meat.
In this recipe, we are just lightly cooking the pork – about 4 to 5 minutes – before moving on to the next step. There is no need to cook it all the way through in step 1 because there will be another 10 minutes or so of cooking. During this time, the pork reaches the necessary temperature.
Doing it this way we minimize the risk of overcooking and drying out the pork. One of my favorite parts of this dish is how absolutely tender the pork is.
Pork Stir Fry Sauce
I picked this recipe to showcase the great way that soy and pork work together, and that shines through with this amazing stir fry sauce.
- Water: The water in this sauce adds bulk to this sauce without adding unnecessary flavors.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Another great soy product, this adds some amazing flavor and subtle sweetness to the recipe.
- Soy Sauce: The star of the show! The soy sauce adds the perfect flavor. We are going with low sodium soy sauce so that we get the great soy flavor without too much saltiness.
- Hoisin Sauce: Another soy product, the main ingredient in this very unique condiment is fermented soybean paste. Hoisin brings a nice tang to this sauce.
- Garlic and Ginger: These are both minced and fresh in this recipe and add the best layers of flavor in this sauce.
- Brown Sugar: Just a little bit of brown sugar helps to balance the acidity and salt of the other ingredients.
- Chili Paste: Made from hot chilis, this gives the sauce a little zip. For a spicier sauce, add a full tablespoon. For a less spicy recipe, add only one teaspoon.
- Corn Starch: This is what finishes the sauce off and helps it thicken.
Stir Fry Sauce
Stir Fry Vegetables
I love the vegetables we use in this recipe, but it is important to pick veggies that your crew likes. You could swap the ones I have listed here for some of the ones below. I wouldn’t recommend adding in more vegetables without making more of the sauce recipe.
- Onion: Cut into long slices.
- Zucchini: You could also use yellow squash. If you use either, you may want to drain the pan of excess liquid before adding in the stir fry sauce.
- Bok Choy: I love the crunch this adds to a stir fry. You will want to chop it to bite sized pieces.
- Mushrooms: Consider buying pre-sliced mushrooms as this can really cut down on time.
- Snap Peas: I love adding snap peas or snow peas to stir fries.
How to Serve
I love to garnish our stir fry recipes with diced green onions and with sesame seeds. We love eating our stir fry recipes over rice. Either brown rice or basmati rice will work great for this recipe. The rice soaks up the sauce from the recipe so well, and rounds out the meal with some carbs. If you are eating low carb, you could serve this over cauliflower rice.
Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an air-tight container separate from the rice it is served with. Reheat and leftovers in the microwave in individual portions. Store for up to five days. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
FAQ
Pork tenderloin is the best cut for a pork stir fry recipe. This cut is incredibly tender, easy to work with and nutritious.
It depends on the cut. Some cuts will get more tender with slow and low cooking. Other cuts will get tough the longer it is cooked. With pork tenderloin, that we are using here, a short cooking time is what we are going for.
It does not. Marinating meat is done to help tenderize it. Since we are using a cut that is already very tender, marinating is not necessary.
Using lean meat and lots of vegetables, this is a great dinner for a healthy lifestyle that you can feel good about feeding your family.
The pork cooks first for just 4 to 5 minutes and finishes cooking while the vegetables and then the sauce cook. The total cooking time for pork stir fry is 12 minutes.
Other Stir Fry Recipes
If you love this easy pork stir fry recipe as much as I do, please be sure to leave me a comment below the recipe card and let me know. I love hearing from you!
Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into thin bite sized pieces (680.4 grams)
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 head of broccoli cut into florets
Sauce
- 1/2 cup water (118.3 ml)
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (118.3 ml)
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (78.9 ml)
- 2 tablespoons hoison sauce
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili paste
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large 12 inch skillet. Add the sliced pork and cook until it is no longer visibly pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. You don't need to make sure it is cooked through.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- Add the vegetables to the skillet. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until they are tender, another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice.1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium yellow bell pepper, 2 medium carrots, 1 head of broccoli
- While the pork and vegetables are cooking, mix together the ingredients for the sauce. When the vegetables are tender, pour off any excess liquid. Add the sauce and allow to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. You will know it is finished with the sauce thickens and darkens in color.1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons hoison sauce, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons chili paste, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Serve over rice.
Kathy says
Just finished preparing and enjoying. Very tasty recipe. I velveted pork loin and used a wider variety of vegetables. Stuck with regular soy sauce. Wonderful. Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!