Our Easy Pork Stir Fry is the kind of homemade takeout dinner that comes together with surprisingly little fuss. Thinly sliced pork tenderloin is quickly velveted for a tender, silky texture, then stir-fried with sweet onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, garlic, and scallions before being tossed in a savory, umami-rich sauce. The ingredient list is simple, the preparation is straightforward, and the result is every bit as satisfying as your favorite takeout.
Serve this pork and vegetable stir fry over steamed white rice, brown rice, or noodles for an easy weeknight dinner. And because the flavors hold up beautifully, this recipe is also a great choice for meal prep and make-ahead lunches.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Taste and Texture
This dish is big in flavor. Soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, and a touch of sugar create a savory, slightly spicy, umami-rich result.
Velveting the pork tenderloin (which we will get into later) gives it a silky, restaurant-style texture.
And because this dish is loaded with vegetables such as crisp peppers, onion, garlic, and scallions, it has plenty of color and texture.
Difficulty Level
Consider this recipe beginner-friendly. Most of the ingredients are easy-to-find pantry staples and fresh vegetables. If you cannot locate the chili garlic sauce in the international aisle of your local grocer, you can find it on our Amazon storefront.
Once the pork is velveted, the stir-fry itself comes together quickly, making this a perfect weeknight dinner. It's also fabulous for meal prep as everything reheats well for easy lunches and busy weeknights.
How do you make tender pork stir fry?
The secret to tender pork stir fry is in the preparation. I mentioned velveting the pork earlier, and I'm going to explain exactly what that technique is, if you are new to it. Thinly slicing the pork tenderloin and giving it a 'velvet' marinade with egg whites, cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a little oil helps create that wonderfully tender texture associated with restaurant-style stir-fries. The cornstarch forms a light coating around the pork while the egg white helps keep the meat moist as it cooks.
Another key component to this is massaging the meat before letting it rest for at least an hour before cooking. The result is pork that stays tender rather than becoming tough or dry in the hot wok and it stays that way when reheated the next day.
Is Pork Stir Fry Good for Meal Prep?
Yes, pork stir fry is an excellent meal-prep dinner. The cooked pork, fresh veggies, and sauce can be portioned into individual containers with rice for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week. For the best texture, store the stir fry and rice separately in an airtight container.
The Homemade Stir Fry Sauce
The sauce is a nice savory + slightly spicy + sweet + tangy profile bringing the entire dish together. Soy sauce provides the salty, savory foundation, while sesame oil adds its characteristic nuttiness. Rice wine vinegar brightens the sauce, chili garlic sauce brings a little heat, and a touch of sugar balances everything. Cornstarch thickens the mixture so it clings to the pork and vegetables rather than pooling at the bottom of the wok.
What to serve with pork stir fry
- Steamed Rice - The simplest pairing. Jasmine rice or long-grain white rice is perfect for soaking up the savory stir-fry sauce.
- Brown Rice - A hearty option if you're making this as part of a weekly meal-prep routine.
- Fried Rice - For a more substantial takeout-style dinner.
- Cauliflower Rice - If you are looking for a low-carb option, this is a perfect subtitute.
- Noodles - Lo mein, soba noodles, rice noodles, ramen, or even simple sesame noodles would work beautifully with the pork and vegetables.
- Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad - Something cool and crisp provides a nice contrast to the warm, savory stir fry.
- Steamed or Roasted Broccoli - An easy way to add another vegetable to the meal.
- Flaky Scallion Pancakes - If you're looking for a quick and easy side dish, these scallion pancakes take only minutes to make.
Easy Pork Stir Fry FAQs
Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice because it is lean, tender, and easy to slice into thin strips. It also cooks quickly, making it particularly well suited to stir frying.
Thinly slice the pork against the grain and velvet it before cooking. The combination of egg white and cornstarch in the marinade helps protect the pork from the high heat of stir frying and keeps the finished meat tender.
Absolutely. Broccoli, carrots, green beans, snow peas, mushrooms, cabbage, zucchini, and bok choy are all excellent additions or substitutions.
Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. If using a skillet, add a small splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
You can use beef (flank or sirloin), chicken (breast or thighs are best), shrimp, or a firm fish such as salmon or white fish.
Yes! If you're looking for meatless/plant-based options, you can substitute the protein with tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms such as King Oyster, Shiitake, baby Bellas, or Oyster mushrooms.
Easy Takeout-Style Pork Stir Fry with Vegetables
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
Easy Pork Stir Fry with tender pork, colorful vegetables, and a savory umami sauce. A simple takeout-style dinner that's perfect for weeknights and meal prep.
Ingredients
- 3.5 - 4 lbs. pork tenderloin, silver skin removed and sliced into thin strips
For the velveting:
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. Korean red pepper flakes
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tbs. corn starch
- 1 tbs. rice vinegar
- 1 tbs. olive oil
For the veggies:
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
- 1 sweet onion, sliced thin
- 2 bell peppers, sliced thin (I used a red bell pepper and a green bell pepper for added color)
- 1 jalapeno, sliced thin
- 4-5 scallions, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
For the sauce:
- 3 tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tbs. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
- 2 tbs. sesame oil
- 2 tsp. sugar
Instructions
- Place the pork slices in a large bowl and add the velveting ingredients.
- Massage the meat for 4-5 minutes and then cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about one hour.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce. Set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil, sesame oil, or bacon fat. Add the marinated pork in a single layer, working in batches if necessary, and stir-fry until the pork is browned on the outside and cooked through.
- Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, and scallions and stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Give the prepared sauce another stir to redistribute the cornstarch, then pour it into the wok. Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the pork and vegetables.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
- Serve with rice and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian American
And that's our easy recipe for Takeout-Style Pork Stir Fry with Vegetables! If you enjoyed today's recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you!
Happy Cooking!
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