Chinese Pork, sweet and sour pork is a classic dish that perfectly balances savory, tangy, and sweet flavors in a way that makes it both comforting and exciting. This vibrant dish has become a favorite in many households, offering a delicious combination of crispy pork, fresh vegetables, and a glossy, flavorful sauce. It’s a dish that not only tastes great but also looks beautiful on the plate, with its rich red sauce and colorful bell peppers and onions.
What makes Chinese Pork so appealing is its versatility. The pork is typically battered and fried until golden and crispy, giving it a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the tender and juicy interior. The sauce, made with a mix of vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce, creates a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. The addition of vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and pineapple adds both flavor and texture, making the dish feel hearty and fresh.
While traditionally made with pork, you can easily swap it for chicken, shrimp, or even tofu if you prefer. The dish is equally delicious when made with different vegetables, so feel free to add mushrooms, zucchini, or snap peas for variation. The sauce is the star of the dish, so adjusting the sweetness or tang to your liking is always an option.
Chinese Pork is a great option for a weeknight meal that feels special yet is easy to prepare. The dish comes together quickly, and the ingredients are often ones you already have in your kitchen. Serve it with steamed rice or noodles to complete the meal, or enjoy it on its own for a lighter option.
This dish’s combination of flavors and textures makes it a crowd-pleaser for both adults and children. It’s the kind of comfort food that brings everyone to the table with its irresistible taste.
Ingredients
- 200 g pork tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp soy sauce for seasoning
- 1 tbsp cornstarch for coating the pork
- 1/2 cup Bell peppers cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup Pineapple cut into chunks
- 1 carrot medium, sliced
- 1/4 cup Vinegar any type of vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar for the sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup for the sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce additional for the sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Season the pork pieces with 1 tbsp soy sauce and coat with 1 tbsp cornstarch.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the pork until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, stir fry the bell peppers, pineapple, and carrot until tender but still crisp.
- In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and the additional soy sauce to create the sauce.
- Add the sauce to the vegetables in the pan and bring to a boil.
- Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and add to the pan to thicken the sauce.
- Return the pork to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce evenly.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition
Absolutely delicious! The pork turns out so tender! Will definitely make again.
It’s good, but I feel like the vinegar overpowered the flavors. Next time, I might use less vinegar. Fewer tangy taste.
Sweet sour pork? Do you use actual sour stuff? Like lemon? Or is it just the vinegar?
I think it’s mostly the vinegar that makes it sour, but adding lemon could totally work! I might try that next time.
Yum! I added some broccoli and it was still amazing. Definitely making again!
I didn’t have vinegar, so I used lemon juice. Is that okay? The taste was off…
Delish! Just like takeout, I love it! 🍚🍖
Honestly, I thought the ingredients were weird together. I don’t think I would try again.
Weird? I thought it was simple. Pork and pineapple are pretty common together, right? Maybe you just don’t like sweet stuff?
I get what you mean, the combo sounds off at first. But trust me, it’s surprisingly good! Give it another shot! 🙂
I’m skeptical about using vinegar with ketchup—sounds weird. But honestly it worked. Sweet-sour is real. LOL
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical too 😅 Vinegar + ketchup sounds like it should be weird, but the sweet-sour balance actually makes sense. Glad it worked!
Wait… ketchup + vinegar? I tried ketchup only once and it came out like candy. Maybe the vinegar cuts it? Your sauce timing probably matters. Next time I’ll use rice vinegar tho.
I think the instructions are missing oil amounts. Like how much oil are we frying in? I used too little and the pork stuck.
Yeah I agree—oil amount is kinda vague. I usually use about 1–2 tbsp for frying in a nonstick pan, otherwise it can stick like yours did.
Too much sugar for my taste! Next time I’ll reduce that. But it still tasted okay overall.
So yummyy! Next time I’ll add more pineapple for sure!
This is my go-to recipe for a quick dinner! The sweet and sour balance is perfect. Thanks!
This was sooo good! My family loved it! Will make again!
Too much sugar!!! It was like eating candy.
This recipe was amazing! My family absolutely loved it!
I replaced the pork with chicken… idk, kinda grossed me out. Stick to pork!
I totally get you! Pork has that unique flavor that chicken just can’t match. Stick with the original, it’s way better!
Chicken is good though, right? Maybe it’s just not your thing. But maybe try a diff recipe with it next time?
This tastes like sweet and sour but with more vinegar smell. Could be good, could be not. I’m not sure. 😅
This was delicious! My kids devoured it! 🍍🥢
I’m so glad your kids loved it! My husband didn’t like it much, but I thought it was decent. 🍽️
First time cooking pork and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Is it really sweet and sour? I felt like it was missing something. Needs more pineapple.
I think more pineapple would definitely help! I added some extra when I made it and it was great. 🍍