Sweet and Sour Pork is an irresistible mix of tangy and sweet flavors, packed with tender pork and crispy vegetables, all coated in a rich sauce. It’s an easy dinner recipe that’s tasty and colorful, perfect for livening up your mealtime. Ready in just over 30 minutes, it’s perfect for meal prep!

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Sweet and sour pork is my go-to for family dinners or casual gatherings. It’s quick to whip up, versatile enough to customize with different veggies, and reheats perfectly for leftovers the next day. Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a weekend crowd, it’s always a hit with its balance of convenience and universal appeal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients in the photograph below.

labeled ingredients for sweet and sour pork recipe — Sweet and Sour Pork Ingredients. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen

How to make Sweet and Sour Pork with Step-By-Step Instructions

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Making Sweet and Sour Pork is a breeze with these straightforward steps. Let’s get cooking!

Season and Coat

Start by seasoning the pork cubes with salt and pepper.

A bowl of raw, cubed meat is surrounded by a jar of sauce, a small bowl of oil, a piece of ginger, and pineapple slices on a light surface. — Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

A bowl of raw cubed meat with flour on top, surrounded by ginger, garlic, a small bowl of oil, and a jar of dark sauce on a light surface. — Add the cornstarch.

Toss them with cornstarch, and then with the corn flour until they’re well coated. This helps create that perfect crispy exterior once fried.

Ingredients on a counter: chunks of meat in a bowl, a jar of dark liquid, a small bowl with coated meat, pineapple slices, garlic, ginger, and a bowl of oil. — Make sure they are well coated.

Fry to Perfection

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large pan to 350°F (180ºC). Fry the pork in batches to avoid overcrowding, which ensures each piece becomes perfectly golden and crispy.

Once done, remove them from the wok and transfer them to a paper-lined plate to drain off any excess oil.

Pieces of meat coated in flour are frying in hot oil in a black skillet, surrounded by ingredients like ginger and sesame seeds on a light surface. — Fry the pork in batches.

Pieces of chicken frying in a pan filled with oil, surrounded by ingredients like sesame seeds, ginger, and sauce on a countertop. — Cook them until golden brown.

Fried chicken pieces on paper towels with a bowl of oil nearby. — Transfer them to a plate with paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Sauté Aromatics

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, then add some vegetable oil. Toss in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking just until they’re fragrant—about a minute or two.

A frying pan with chopped garlic sizzling in oil, placed on a countertop. — Sauté the garlic and ginger.

A skillet with diced pineapple, red and green bell peppers, and onions. A small bowl of sesame seeds is nearby. — Throw in the pineapple chunks.

Add Veggies

Add the bell peppers, diced onion, and pineapple chunks to the wok. Stir-fry these for a few minutes until just tender but still crisp.

Combine with Pork

Add the fried pork back into the mixture and pour in the sweet and sour sauce. Stir everything together to coat the pork and vegetables evenly with the sauce.

A skillet filled with chopped vegetables, pineapple chunks, and crispy pieces of chicken. — Add the fried pork to the cooked vegetables.

A skillet filled with cooked chicken pieces, red and green bell peppers, onions, and pineapple chunks in a sauce. — Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and stir everything to coat evenly with the sauce.

Serve and Enjoy!

Dish up your Sweet and Sour Pork over a bed of fluffy white rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top for an extra touch of flavor and crunch.

Top view of bowls filled with sweet and sour chicken, bell peppers, and rice, garnished with sesame seeds and chives; ginger, sesame seeds, and garlic are scattered nearby. — Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with rice.

Recipe Notes and Expert Tips

To help you nail this Sweet and Sour Pork recipe, here are some handy tips and tricks:

Frying Tip: Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the pork to achieve that ideal crispiness without absorbing too much oil.
Sauce: For a deeper flavor, you can tweak the sweet and sour sauce by adjusting the sugar or vinegar to suit your palate. More vinegar for extra tang, or a bit more sugar for sweetness.
Vegetables: Feel free to swap in other vegetables like broccoli or carrots to mix things up or use what you have on hand.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the pork and vegetables in advance, then quickly toss them with the sauce before serving to make meal prep super efficient.
Crispness: To keep the pork crispy, don’t let it sit in the sauce too long before serving. Combine just before you’re ready to eat!
Sweet and Sour Chicken: Chicken works great with the sweet and sour sauce. Just substitute equal amounts of chicken for the pork, and cook until it’s juicy and tender.
Gluten-Free: Traditional soy sauce and some brands of cornstarch may contain gluten. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari) and ensure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.

A bowl of rice topped with pieces of meat, red and green bell peppers, and a savory sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped herbs. — Sweet and Sour Pork. Photo Credit: Asian Inspired Recipes

How to Store Leftover Sweet and Sour Pork

Got leftovers? No problem! Here’s how to keep your Sweet and Sour Pork tasting great for another meal:

Cool and Airtight: Let the dish cool to room temperature before packing it away, and use airtight containers to store leftovers in the fridge.
Refrigerate: Pop it in the fridge and, for the best quality, try to eat any leftovers within 3-4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze Sweet and Sour Pork, although the texture of the vegetables and pork might change slightly upon reheating. Cool it completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as below.
Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat the leftovers in a skillet over medium heat until everything is hot and the sauce bubbles up, or in the microwave. This helps to restore some of the dish’s original texture and flavor.

What to Serve with Sweet and Sour Pork

Here are some top picks to complete your meal:

Rice or Fried Rice

The classic companion—fluffy white rice. It’s perfect for soaking up that delicious sauce and balances the strong flavors of the dish. Upgrade from plain white rice to fried rice for an extra flavor kick. Toss in some eggs, peas, and carrots for a colorful, tasty side that complements the richness of the pork.

Noodles

For a fun twist, serve your Sweet and Sour Pork over a bed of noodles. Egg noodles, rice noodles, or even ramen can work well, providing a delightful texture contrast.

Vegetables

A side of steamed green vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or bok choy adds a fresh, crunchy element to your meal, making it well-rounded and colorful. You can also serve the sweet and sour pork over riced vegetables like cauliflower rice for a lighter option.

A skillet filled with sweet and sour pork, pineapple, bell peppers, and onions, garnished with sesame seeds. — Sweet and Sour Pork. Photo Credit: Asian Inspired Recipes

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Sweet and Sour Pork

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: sweet and sour pork

Servings:

Calories: 1283kcal

Author: Mandy Applegate

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons ginger grated
1 cup pineapple cubed
½ cup green bell pepper cubed
½ cup red bell pepper cubed
½ onion diced big (about the same size of the peppers and pineapples)
Sesame seeds to serve (or green onions, rice)
Sweet and sour sauce

For the Pork:

1 pound pork tenderloin cut in 1 ½ inch cubes
Salt and pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup corn flour
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Season the pork pieces with salt and pepper. Mix with the cornstarch and mix until fully combined – the juices of the pork should get the cornstarch wet enough to use as base for coating with the cornflour afterwards. Coat all the pieces with the cornflour.
1 pound pork tenderloin, Salt and pepper, ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ cup corn flour, 2 cups vegetable oil
Heat the oil at 350°F (180ºC) (if you want to test the temperature, throw a piece of bread – it should float and start softly bubbling immediately). Start frying the pork in batches and transfer to a paper lined sheet as soon as each piece is golden on every side.
Heat a wok to medium-high. Add the vegetable oil, garlic and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes.
2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons ginger, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add the pineapple, peppers, and onions – sauté for a few minutes, until they start to get tender.
1 cup pineapple, ½ cup green bell pepper, ½ onion, ½ cup red bell pepper
Add the chicken and the sweet and sour sauce and toss to combine everything.
Sweet and sour sauce
Serve immediately over white rice with sesame seeds and green onions.
Sesame seeds

Notes

Frying Tip: Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the pork to achieve that ideal crispiness without absorbing too much oil.

Sauce: For a deeper flavor, you can tweak the sweet and sour sauce by adjusting the sugar or vinegar to suit your palate. More vinegar for extra tang, or a bit more sugar for sweetness.

Vegetables: Feel free to swap in other vegetables like broccoli or carrots to mix things up or use what you have on hand.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the pork and vegetables in advance, then quickly toss them with the sauce before serving to make meal prep super efficient.

Crispness: To keep the pork crispy, don’t let it sit in the sauce too long before serving. Combine just before you’re ready to eat!

Sweet and Sour Chicken: Chicken works great with the sweet and sour sauce. Just substitute equal amounts of chicken for the pork, and cook until it’s juicy and tender.

Gluten-Free: Traditional soy sauce and some brands of cornstarch may contain gluten. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari) and ensure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Cool and Airtight: Let the dish cool to room temperature before packing it away, and use airtight containers to store leftovers in the fridge.

Refrigerate: Pop it in the fridge and, for the best quality, try to eat any leftovers within 3-4 days.

Freeze: You can freeze Sweet and Sour Pork, although the texture of the vegetables and pork might change slightly upon reheating. Cool it completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as below.

Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat the leftovers in a skillet over medium heat until everything is hot and the sauce bubbles up, or in the microwave. This helps to restore some of the dish’s original texture and flavor.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About the Author

A woman with long brown hair is smiling and standing with her arms crossed. She is wearing a sleeveless, black and white diamond-patterned dress.

Hey there! I’m Mandy

Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.

She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.

She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients You’ll Need