I keep this Asian-style ground pork stir fry with rice in my weeknight rotation as a cheap, fast, and healthy dinner that fits perfectly into my Pork Stir Fry Recipes.
I love a quick stir fry that tastes bolder than it looks. This Easy Ground Pork Stir Fry is one of those go-to dishes I make when the week just slipped away from me.
Ground pork gets browned up with garlic then tossed with a tangy seasoned sauce you wont believe came from pantry staples. It almost tastes like something from a takeout spot, but you made it, so yep, bragging rights.
If you hunt for Ground Pork Recipes this one keeps showing up, and it really is perfect for Healthy Weeknight Meals because its cheap, fast and actually satisfying.
Ingredients
- Main protein, high in protein and fat, it’s hearty and savory.
- Garlic gives punch and aroma, small calories, may help immunity, it adds savory depth.
- Ginger brings a bright spicy note, aids digestion, fresh smell that kinda lifts the fry.
- Bell pepper adds crunch and color, vitamin C and fiber, sweet or slightly bitter sometimes.
- Soy and oyster sauces give big umami saltiness, add savory depth and brown color, but watch sodium.
- Brown sugar or honey is the sweetener that balances salty and sour, adds caramel notes.
- Rice vinegar gives a bright acidic bite, cuts richness and adds a mild tang to sauce.
- Sesame oil is potent, use a little at the end, nutty aroma, a tiny splash works.
- Green onions add fresh herblike crunch, mild onion flavor, green color and a light bite.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb ground pork about 450 g
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper (red or green), thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 tsp Sriracha (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooked rice for serving (optional)
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Prep everything first so it goes fast: thinly slice the onion and bell pepper, mince garlic and ginger, slice the green onions, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar or honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil and the red pepper flakes or Sriracha if using, and mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry.
2. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil until shimmering.
3. Add the ground pork, break it up with a spatula and let it brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring so it cooks evenly; if there’s a lot of fat you can drain a bit off but leave some for flavor.
4. Push the pork to the sides or make a well and add the sliced onion and bell pepper, stir fry together 2 to 3 minutes until veggies start to soften.
5. Add the garlic and ginger, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, don’t let the garlic burn.
6. Pour the sauce mixture over the pork and veggies, stir to combine and let it come to a simmer.
7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything, taste and season with salt and black pepper or a splash more soy if it needs it.
8. Toss in the sliced green onions, remove from heat and drizzle the extra 1 tsp sesame oil if you like a stronger sesame flavor.
9. Serve over cooked rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra green onions, and enjoy. Substitute ground beef if you prefer, and if you want more heat add extra Sriracha or red pepper flakes.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or wok (12-inch if you have one), for browning the pork and stir-frying the veggies
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, to break up the meat and stir everything
3. Chef’s knife, for slicing onion, pepper and mincing garlic and ginger
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup, for soy, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch
6. Small mixing bowl and a whisk or fork, to whisk the sauce together
7. Small bowl and a spoon, to mix the cornstarch slurry
8. Rice pot or saucepan and a serving spoon, and dont forget paper towels to blot excess fat
FAQ
Easy Ground Pork Stir Fry Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground pork
- Ground turkey or chicken — same amount, leaner so add a little oil cause it can dry out
- Ground beef, 80/20 for juiciness
- Firm tofu, crumbled, press first and brown so it picks up flavor
- Tempeh, crumbled, gives a nuttier texture and holds up well
- Soy sauce
- Tamari — gluten free, use 1:1
- Coconut aminos — about 1:1 but its sweeter so add a pinch of salt if needed
- Low sodium soy or light soy — same swap if you want less salt
- Oyster sauce
- Hoisin sauce — sweeter and thicker, use a little less or thin with a splash of soy
- Mushroom stir fry sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce — 1:1 for a meat free version
- Mix soy sauce plus a touch of sugar and a tiny splash of fish sauce for umami
- Cornstarch slurry
- Arrowroot powder — 1:1 swap, gives a clear glossy finish, dont boil too long
- Tapioca starch — 1:1, works well and stays glossy
- Flour slurry (all purpose flour mixed with water) — use about twice the flour by volume, needs longer cooking to lose raw taste
- Or just reduce the sauce by simmering to thicken without starch
Pro Tips
1) Get the pork actually brown, not just cooked. Crank the heat so the edges caramelize, and dont fuss with it the first minute or two or you’ll just steam it. If theres a ton of fat, drain a little but leave some for flavor, it helps the sauce stick.
2) Taste and tweak the sauce at the end, dont just trust the recipe amounts. If its too salty add a splash more rice vinegar or a pinch sugar, if it needs heat add Sriracha a little at a time. Mix the cornstarch slurry smooth and add it slowly so you dont over-thicken.
3) Add garlic and ginger late, they burn fast and then taste bitter. Same with sesame oil, dump that in after you take it off the heat so the aroma stays bright. Green onions are best tossed in last minute too.
4) Prep like a chef even if youre rushed. Have sauce, slurry and veggies ready before you heat the pan, because once the pork is searing things move fast and you dont want to be chopping while stuff scorches.
Easy Ground Pork Stir Fry Recipe
I keep this Asian-style ground pork stir fry with rice in my weeknight rotation as a cheap, fast, and healthy dinner that fits perfectly into my Pork Stir Fry Recipes.
4
servings
387
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or wok (12-inch if you have one), for browning the pork and stir-frying the veggies
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, to break up the meat and stir everything
3. Chef’s knife, for slicing onion, pepper and mincing garlic and ginger
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup, for soy, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch
6. Small mixing bowl and a whisk or fork, to whisk the sauce together
7. Small bowl and a spoon, to mix the cornstarch slurry
8. Rice pot or saucepan and a serving spoon, and dont forget paper towels to blot excess fat
Ingredients
-
1 lb ground pork about 450 g
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral oil
-
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
-
1 bell pepper (red or green), thinly sliced
-
3 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
-
3 green onions, sliced
-
3 tbsp soy sauce
-
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
-
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
-
1 tsp rice vinegar
-
1 tsp sesame oil
-
1 tsp cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water
-
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 tsp Sriracha (optional)
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
-
Cooked rice for serving (optional)
-
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Prep everything first so it goes fast: thinly slice the onion and bell pepper, mince garlic and ginger, slice the green onions, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar or honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil and the red pepper flakes or Sriracha if using, and mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil until shimmering.
- Add the ground pork, break it up with a spatula and let it brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring so it cooks evenly; if there's a lot of fat you can drain a bit off but leave some for flavor.
- Push the pork to the sides or make a well and add the sliced onion and bell pepper, stir fry together 2 to 3 minutes until veggies start to soften.
- Add the garlic and ginger, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, don't let the garlic burn.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the pork and veggies, stir to combine and let it come to a simmer.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything, taste and season with salt and black pepper or a splash more soy if it needs it.
- Toss in the sliced green onions, remove from heat and drizzle the extra 1 tsp sesame oil if you like a stronger sesame flavor.
- Serve over cooked rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra green onions, and enjoy. Substitute ground beef if you prefer, and if you want more heat add extra Sriracha or red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 190g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 387kcal
- Fat: 32.8g
- Saturated Fat: 10.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.12g
- Polyunsaturated: 7.5g
- Monounsaturated: 12.5g
- Cholesterol: 79mg
- Sodium: 550mg
- Potassium: 444mg
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 30.5g
- Vitamin A: 750IU
- Vitamin C: 30mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 1.5mg
