This pork stir fry recipe always satisfies with tender cuts of pork stir fried with lots of vegetables and a homemade stir fry sauce with just the right amount of flavor and spice.
We're cooking up a Spicy Pork Stir Fry in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. Would you care for a bowl?
A good stir fry recipe is ideal to have on hand for those nights when you want something on the table fast, but you don't want to setting for boring and bland, or take out.
I've had a lot of pork stir fries in restaurants or through take out, and they're often hit or miss. Sometimes the flavor is there, sometimes it isn't, and sometimes it has the heat I'm craving, but most times it doesn't.
This particular Pork Stir Fry hits all those notes. I make mine with a homemade stir fry sauce that is just the right amount of spicy for me, though you can very easily adjust the heat up or down to your own personal preferences.
Admittedly, I usually have to adjust it a touch for Patty, as I like mine spicier.
One of my secrets is fiery gochujang, an addictive Korean chili paste that adds just the right amount of heat and loads of flavor. In fact, it's perfect for stir fries and always a winner in my kitchen.
And bonus! This recipe is done in 30 minutes or less, even for a slow cook like me! So I think you're going to love this one.
Let's talk about how we make my pork stir fry, shall we?
Pork Stir Fry Ingredients
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Gochujang. I love hot gochujang, though you can use milder. Also, try it with other flavorful chili pastes like Chinese Doubanjiang or Korean Ssamjang.
- Hot Paprika. Or use a mix of cayenne and sweet or mild paprika – you can use other spicier chili powders as well.
- Sesame Oil.
- Soy Sauce.
- Rice Vinegar.
- Brown Sugar. Or use honey, which I love as well.
- Garlic. Use fresh garlic or garlic powder, though I prefer fresh.
- Ginger. Use fresh ginger or ground ginger, though I prefer fresh.
- Chicken Broth.
- Red Pepper Flakes.
- Corn Starch. Mixed with 1 tablespoon water. This is a nice thickener for your stir fry sauce because it will thicken up slightly in the pan as you cook it, allowing the sauce to stick to all of your chosen meats and vegetables. Each bite will be fantastic and delicious.
For the Pork Stir Fry
- Sesame Oil. Or you can use olive oil or vegetable oil, for cooking the pork and vegetables.
- Pork Tenderloin. You can use other cuts of pork, like boneless pork chops.
- Salt and Pepper.
- Sugar Snap Peas.
- Bell Pepper.
- Jalapeno Pepper. Or use your favorite spicy chili pepper, like Chinese hot peppers, Thai peppers, African Bird's Eye peppers, or others.
For Serving
- Chopped green onion, toasted sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes.
How to Make Pork Stir Fry - the Recipe Method
Make the Stir Fry Sauce
Whisk the Ingredients. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined - gochujang, hot paprika, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic and ginger, chicken broth, red pepper flakes and cornstarch.
Make the Pork Stir Fry
Stir Fry the Pork. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok (or use a large skillet) to high heat. Then, add the pork and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Stir Fry the Vegetables. Add the peas and chopped peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp tender.
Stir Fry Sauce. Add the stir fry sauce and stir. Bring to a quick boil, then simmer for 3 minutes, stirring a bit, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are cooked to your liking. The stir fry sauce will thicken in the pan and coat the pork and vegetables.
Garnish and Serve. Garnish and serve with chopped green onion, toasted sesame seeds and spicy red pepper flakes. I like my pork stir fry with either steamed white rice or stir fry noodles.
Boom! Done! Your pork stir fry is ready to enjoy! Looks so good, doesn't it? It smells amazing in here. This is so fast and easy to make! I love that.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Gochujang. Gochujang is a thick Korean chili-bean paste with a pungent in flavor that adds a zingy depth to your dishes. There are a number of brands on the market today, and they range in heat levels from mild to very hot. Some substitutions include Chinese Doubanjiang, Korean Ssamjang, Sriracha, Garlic Chili Sauce, Thai Chili Paste (thinned with soy sauce). Other chili pastes can work as well, though I prefer hot gochujang in my stir fry sauce. So good!
- Heat Factor. Medium. You'll get a nice level of heat from the gochujang if you use a hotter variety. You can easily dial back on the overall heat by using less gochujang or using a milder variety. You can also up your heat factor by including some hot peppers in your chosen stir fry dish. I often use sliced jalapeno peppers for an everyday level heat, or serrano peppers for some extra heat. I love bird's eye peppers or some sliced habanero peppers to really kick it up a notch. Of course you can also use hotter chili powders in your mix. Go for it, my crazy chilihead friends!
- Best Pork for Pork Stir Fry. I love pork tenderloin for my own pork stir fry, but you can use pork loin or boneless pork chops. Pork shoulder is a tougher cut of meat, though since you're cutting it into bite-sized pieces and searing it over high heat, they will deliver a lot of flavor. Go for it!
- Best Stir Fry Veggies. You can realistically use your favorite vegetables to make stir fry, so if you have something you need to use up, go for it. Some really popular options for stir frying include bell pepper, sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrots, broccoli, hot peppers, water chestnuts, bok choy, baby corn and others. Easy and delicious!
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy it. This is the best stir fry sauce recipe you'll ever need! No joke. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Pork Stir Fry in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. In fact, to maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pork Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE STIR FRY SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons gochujang use less for milder stir fry sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons hot paprika or use 1/2 tablespoon cayenne + 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika – you can use other spicier chili powders as well
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or use honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
FOR THE PORK STIR FRY
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or use olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1.5 pounds pork tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces (or use boneless pork chops)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 1 large bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped (or use your favorite spicy chili pepper)
- For Serving: Chopped green onion, toasted sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes
Instructions
MAKE THE STIR FRY SAUCE
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.
MAKE THE PORK STIR FRY
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok to high heat. Add the pork and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the peas and chopped peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the stir fry sauce and stir. Bring to a quick boil, then simmer for 3 minutes, stirring a bit, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are cooked to your liking. The stir fry sauce will thicken in the pan and coat the pork and vegetables.
- Garnish and serve. I like my pork stir fry with either steamed white rice or stir fry noodles.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Susanna says
Hi Mike,
I have a question about your Candied Jalapeno recipe.....I don't have Turmeric is there a substitute I can use? Will leaving it out change the flavor too much?
I'm posting here because at the bottom of the recipe I'm asking about does not allow me to comment.
These sound fantastic! We recently had some from Trader Joe's and they were very good. I can't wait to make them myself!
Thanks for all you efforts!
Susanna
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Susanna, you can skip the turmeric. I like the flavor boost, but it isn't necessary. You can really use any of your favorite seasonings for this. It's quite sweet from the sugar, so anything you prefer. Let me know how it goes.