Sweet and Sour Pork

Total Time

Prep: 15 min. + marinating Cook: 20 min.

Makes

4 servings

Updated: Aug. 09, 2023
I stir up a homemade sauce for this colorful combination of tender meat, crunchy vegetables and tangy pineapple. Serve my sweet-and-sour pork over hot rice, chow mein noodles or both. —Eleanor Dunbar, Peoria, Illinois

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 2/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
  • Hot cooked rice, optional

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup and soy sauce. Pour half into a large resealable plastic bag; add pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Set remaining marinade aside.
  2. Drain and discard marinade from pork. In a large skillet, cook pork in oil for 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, green pepper, garlic and ginger; saute until pork is tender. Add reserved marinade. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the pineapple. Serve with rice if desired.

Can you freeze sweet and sour pork?

Cool pork mixture. Freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through slowly in a covered skillet, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary. Serve over rice.

Sweet and Sour Pork Tips

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

This sweet and sour pork marinade could easily be used for other meats. You should be able to use the same cooking time when using meats of similar densities, like chicken breasts or thighs. For quick-cooking proteins like fish or this sweet and sour shrimp, add the protein in the last step. To prevent overcooking, only simmer the mixture until the seafood is cooked through.

Can you deep-fry or bake sweet and sour pork?

If you want the pork to turn out extra crispy, add about 1 inch of oil to pan-fry the pork. Coat the pork pieces with a little cornstarch and fry them in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Drain the excess oil and wipe out the pan before proceeding with the remaining steps, adding the crispy pork back in at the end. If this method sounds like too much work, try making slow cooker or pressure cooker sweet and sour pork.

Why isn’t the sweet and sour sauce red?

Restaurant-style sweet and sour sauce gets its vibrant red color from food coloring. The color doesn’t affect the flavor of the dish, so don’t worry that your recipe doesn’t look quite the same!

How do you store sweet and sour pork?

When stored properly, sweet and sour pork lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. This recipe makes 4 servings, but you can double the recipe if you want to meal prep for the week. Divide the leftovers into airtight containers and reheat the dish in a microwave-safe bowl until warmed through.

—Lindsay Mattison, Taste of Home Contributing Writer 

Nutrition Facts

1-1/4 cups: 389 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated fat), 55mg cholesterol, 490mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (44g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g protein.