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 sweet and sour 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.
Sweet and sour 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.
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! 🙂
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!
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?
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. 🍍
Sweet sauce and pork. Yeah! But I don’t think it’s pouring vinegar like that. Is it? Me think bit less could do!
I was skeptical about sweet and sour sauce, but this turned out to be a hit. I added more pineapple though!
I absolutely loved this recipe! The sweetness of the pineapple and the savory pork went so well together. Definitely a keeper! 🍍
Pork was a bit tough for me. Maybe my frying pan wasn’t hot enough? Would be better with chicken instead.
I don’t like using vinegar. Can I just skip that part? I kinda got lost in the sauce 😅.
My kids loved it! They kept asking for more. Thanks for the recipe!
My pork didn’t cook right 🤦♂️. What did I do wrong?
Sweet n sour vry nice! Yummyy.
This was AMAZING! My family loved it. Will definitely make again!
So glad you loved it! It’s a family favorite for sure. What do you serve it with?
Yum! So tasty, we eat it every week now. Just perfect with rice!
This recipe is exactly like the one my mom used to make. Brings back memories!
Too many veggies! Just give me the pork & sauce, lol! 2 stars.
This is one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried! Didn’t believe it would be so easy!
I don’t know, the sauce was kinda weird. Maybe too much vinegar? Not really my taste, but my kids ate it.
I tried it but used chicken instead of pork. Still came out good! 🙂
Great recipe! I used chicken instead of pork and it worked well.
Chicken instead of pork? That’s interesting! I usually stick to the original, but glad it worked for you!
Tasty! My kids loved it, and that’s hard to do! I used some leftover chicken instead of pork because I didn’t have pork. Still great!
My kids loved it! They said it’s just like the stuff we get at the restaurant.
This recipe takes too long for my taste. Why can’t they make it quicker? Also, do I really need ketchup?? Seems weird.
Tasty, but the instructions are confusing! What do I do with the water? I just mixed it all together…
Did you really need so much sugar? I thought it was way too sweet for my taste.
Sweet and sour? More like sweet and blah. Didn’t like it much. Next time I’ll try a different reciepe.
I added some ginger and garlic for flavor, turned out great! Highly recommend it.
Yum! I’m hungry just thinking about it. 🤤
Meh, needed more flavor. I was expecting something tangy, but it was just sweet.
Not bad but I think i’d use less sugar next time. Too sweet for my taste.
I dunno, mine came out all mushy… maybe I overcooked it? 🤔
Quick and easy recipe! I made it with chicken instead.
Sweet and sour pork? More like sweet but there’s not enough sour. 😂
I was kinda skeptical about the vinegar but it turned out really good. Who knew sweet and sour could be so tasty?
This was the best sweet and sour pork I’ve ever made! My family loved it. Will definitely make again.
The ingredients don’t match the instructions, had to wing it! 😩
Sounds good but I don’t have vinegar. Do I really need it? How much more ketchup can I use?
Simple and quick! I used chicken instead of pork, still good!
But isn’t it supposed to be pork? Chicken just ain’t the same! 🤔
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Chicken sounds like a tasty swap. Will try that next time!
Easy to make and delicious! I added some broccoli for extra green. Yum!
This recipe is so easy. I made it in under 30 min and it was delish! Will make again.
Sounds amazing! I love quick recipes, especially when they taste this good. What’s your secret to the PERFECT pork? 🙂
Uh, how do you pronounce ‘corstarch’? Messed it up, but still tasted okay.
It’s ‘cornstarch’! No worries, we all mess up names sometimes. Glad it still turned out tasty!
This was the best sweet and sour pork I’ve ever made! So easy and delicious.
Big flop. Pork was chewy and sauce was too sticky. Not making again.
Sounds like you didn’t cook the pork long enough. It can be tough if not cooked right, but I love this recipe!
Sorry to hear that! I’ve made it before and it turned out great. Maybe it was the pork you used?
I don’t know, it tasted kinda off. Maybe too much vinegar? Not my thing.
This was a huge hit at my family dinner! The flavors are perfectly balanced. Definitely 5 stars!
I tried this recipe but my sauce was very runny. What did I do wrong? I followed the steps!
This recipe is absolutely delish! The combo of sweet and sour is spot on. Will make again! 🥳
Not bad, but I think real Chinese food is better. I prefer takeout lol.
I get what you mean! Takeout has a certain vibe, but this recipe is pretty close! Just give it a try! 😊
EGH! Never making this again! My kids didn’t like it at all, and the vinegar taste was awful! 😡
What?! I thought it was delish! My family gobbled it up! Maybe your kids just ain’t into sweet and sour stuff. 🤷♂️
I’m sorry to hear that! My kids loved it, maybe it was the vinegar that didn’t sit right with yours? Have you tried reducing it next time?