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This ground pork stir fry recipe is a quick and budget-friendly way to make stir fry at home! It has a bright pineapple ginger sauce made from scratch.
Love ground pork? Try my Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe.
Why you’ll love it
I can’t get enough Asian-inspired recipes. There’s just something so satisfying about making takeout favorites at home in your own kitchen, especially when they’re ready in just 30 minutes like this easy pork stir fry. When dinner is this simple, it’s a total win.
Ground pork is growing in popularity, and it’s really no surprise why. It’s a fantastic way to switch up your proteins and add some variety to your weekly rotation, and it’s inexpensive and easy to cook. It also happens to pair wonderfully with the savory and citrus ginger pineapple sauce in this quick stir fry recipe!
Everything you need
For the stir fry
- Ground pork – we went for lean ground pork
- Olive oil – for frying
- Onion – our favorite is sweet Vidalia onion, but you can use yellow
- Bell pepper and broccoli – to add some veggies and crunch. Use whichever color you prefer for the pepper.
- Pineapple – pineapple tidbits perfectly complement the pork
For the sauce
- Pineapple juice – from the can of tidbits to brighten up the sauce
- Soy sauce – we chose regular, but use low sodium if that’s a concern
- Apple cider vinegar – for a little acidity to balance everything out. Rice vinegar works too.
- Honey – for a touch of sweetness
- Sesame oil – make sure to get toasted, not the regular kind! You’ll find it in the Asian aisle along with the soy sauce.
- Ginger and garlic – to pack in zesty flavor. Always use fresh for both!
- Cornstarch – for thickening
Helpful tips
- With stir fries, it’s important to chop and measure the ingredients before starting versus as you go since once it gets going, there really is no time to prep later on.
- When stir frying, you need to maintain a fairly high heat. It’s ok to turn down the heat a bit if the pan starts to really smoke, but don’t turn it down too much. Heat is the key to a great sear!
- If you’re a big fan of sauce, I suggest doubling the sauce ingredients.
How to make ground pork stir fry
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep all your ingredients beforehand. Add the sauce ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk together. Set aside for now. In a large skillet, add the ground pork.
Sauté until browned, and then transfer pork to a bowl or plate. Add more olive oil to the skillet, and sauté the onions for a minute or so.
Stir in the veggies and pineapple. Fry them, tossing occasionally, until the veggies are tender-crisp. Add the pork back in along with the sauce. Stir and let it bubble. Season with salt & pepper. Enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
- Sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes would be a great addition if you’re craving some heat.
- It’s easy to change up the veggies if you like! Mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, and baby corn would all be tasty.
- You could use fresh pineapple instead of canned, but you’ll likely need to buy pineapple juice separately for the sauce if you want to do that or just use water for a less flavorful sauce.
- Pork and pineapple are a match made in heaven, but you could swap the ground pork with ground turkey or even ground chicken or beef.
Tools for this recipe
- This 12″ Staub skillet is my go-to for stir fries since it’s very roomy.
- A splatter guard makes for way easier clean-up.
- I use my Microplane zester to grate the ginger and always have some in a ZipLoc in my freezer. Frozen ginger is also simple to grate!
- Cooking tongs are useful for tossing the veggies while cooking.
What to serve with this recipe
- I like to serve it over jasmine rice or basmati, but you can use any kind.
- Of course, noodles work too! I suggest rice noodles or Udon noodles or even the noodles you get in a package of ramen soup (discard the seasoning packet).
- It’s great to just eat it by itself since it has protein and vegetables.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this ground pork stir fry will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days.
- Simply reheat in a saucepan over a low heat, or microwave in increments until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one. The veggies will lose their firmness and not stay crisp after thawing.
More Asian-inspired meals
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments below or ask me any questions!
Ground Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 medium onion cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets cut small
- 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple tidbits drained (but reserve 1/2 cup juice for the sauce)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the canned pineapple
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep all recipe ingredients before getting started (the recipe goes quickly once you start). Add the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. If you find the canned pineapple juice yields less than the half cup, top up the rest with some water.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the ground pork to a large/deep skillet and sauté it until it's cooked through over medium-high heat (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as it cooks.
- Transfer the meat (and any juices) to a plate or bowl.
- Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet and sauté the onion for a minute or so.
- Add in the red bell pepper, broccoli florets, and pineapple pieces and cook them for 3-4 minutes, stirring fairly often. Veggies will end up tender-crisp, but you can cook them for a bit longer if you prefer them to be softer.
- Add the pork back to the skillet, then pour in the sauce. Let it bubble for a minute or two so it thickens a bit (this isn't a super thick sauce). Continue stirring so everything is coated. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately over rice or noodles.
Notes
- I always keep a piece fresh ginger in the freezer in a ZipLoc bag. It’s so much easier to grate when it’s frozen (I use my Microplane to grate it), and I am never without fresh ginger when I need it.
- I buy the canned pineapple that’s unsweetened (packed in its own juice).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Another recipe, another win! My husband has gotten into the habit of asking “is this a Natasha recipe?” Too funny! Your recipes really live up to what you claim, everyday ingredients, easy to follow and hassle free. This one was no different. I added some other veggies I had in the fridge that needed to get eaten. Added peanuts and sesame seeds because hubby needed a little extra fat and protein. Delicious!
Awww I love that!!! Your comment made my evening!! 😀 XO
I enjoyed this. Unfortunately my husband and son did not so I won’t be making it again
What a super delicious dinner!! I was looking for something to use a half pound of ground pork I had left over and now this recipe will definitely be a regular thing for us!! Delicious and so easy! Thank you!!
Thank you!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yum! This is unique, delicious and of course, approachable! Love the flavor of the pineapple + juices. Adding this to our go-to meals!
I’m so happy it’s a new favorite, Sam!! Appreciate you taking the time to write me a review. 😀