This easy pork stir fry is a quick weeknight dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes using simple, everyday ingredients your family will love.
This 20 minute pork stir fry uses a simple homemade stir fry sauce made with pantry staples, no bottled sauce needed!
This easy pork stir fry recipe is a fast weeknight dinner ready in about 20 minutes using simple ingredients and one pan.
When evening is rolling in and everyone’s hungry, this easy pork stir fry is the kind of dinner that saves the day. It comes together in one skillet, uses simple ingredients, and cooks fast, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you just need dinner on the table.
Why You’ll Love This Pork Stir Fry
- Quick & Easy: Simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes make it perfect for busy weeknights. Plus, it only uses one pan meaning less dishes!
- Budget-Friendly: Pork tenderloin is often an affordable protein, and frozen veggies help save time and money.
- Kid-Approved: It’s easy to customize this recipe basked on your family preferences. It's flavorful without being fussy, and a great way to sneak in those vegetables!
💡 Kitchen Tip: I like serving this over slow cooker brown rice for a hands-off side dish.
For a low-carb version, try this keto pork stir fry.
Best Cut of Pork for Stir Fry
When you're at the grocery store, any of these cuts will work for this recipe.
- Pork loin
- Pork chops (boneless)
- Pork tenderloin
Ingredients
We’re keeping it simple by using frozen vegetables and pantry staples.
- soy sauce – Or use tamari or coconut aminos to make it gluten-free.
- honey – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
- minced garlic
- cornstarch – To thicken your sauce.
- pork tenderloin – Slice it thin so it cooks fast and stays tender.
- olive oil – Or substitute sesame, vegetable, or peanut oil.
- frozen stir-fry vegetables – Choose your favorite blend.
Tip: I figure using pre-cut veggies saved me about a hour worth of veggie washing, peeling and chopping.
Substitutions & Variations
Protein Swap: Not a pork fan? Use chicken, beef, or shrimp instead. Whatever you have on hand works!
Veggie Flexibility: Use fresh vegetables if you prefer. Bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, snap peas, zucchini, and bok choy are all great options.
Flavor Boosts:
- Swap soy sauce for teriyaki, hoisin, oyster, or sweet and sour sauce.
- Add toasted nuts like cashews or almonds for crunch.
- Spice it up with chili flakes, ginger, or five-spice powder.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro or basil.
For another easy weeknight meal, try my chicken stir fry, too!
How to make easy pork stir fry
Step 1: Make the Homemade Stir Fry Sauce: You'll whisk together soy sauce, water, garlic, honey, and cornstarch.
Step 2: Prep the Pork: Cut the pork into bite size pieces. Stir-fry pork for about 4 minutes, until mostly cooked through.
Step 3: Add Vegetables: Toss in frozen veggies and cook until thawed and heated through.
Step 4: Add Sauce: Pour in the sauce and reduce it until the sauce thickens and coats everything.
Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped green onion or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
What to Serve With Pork Stir Fry
This easy pork stir fry pairs well with simple sides that soak up the sauce and round out the meal. Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew or planning for leftovers, these options keep dinner easy and flexible.
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Serve it over:
- Steamed white rice or slow cooker brown rice
- Jasmine or basmati rice
- Cauliflower rice for a lighter option
Add a quick veggie or side:
- A simple cucumber salad
Turn it into leftovers you’ll actually want:
- Spoon leftovers into containers with rice for easy lunches
- Wrap it in tortillas or lettuce cups for a quick lunch the next day
If you’re looking for more easy dinners that work well for busy weeknights and leftovers, try oven baked pork chops and potatoes or browse my collection of cold lunch ideas for make-ahead options.
For another stir fry variation try my pork and cabbage stir fry.
Make-Ahead & Freezer Tips
This pork stir fry is best enjoyed fresh, but you can do a little prep ahead to make dinner come together faster.
Make-ahead tips:
- Slice the pork and chop the vegetables (if using fresh) up to 24 hours in advance.
- Mix the sauce and store it separately in the refrigerator.
- Keep everything covered and refrigerated until ready to cook.
Freezer notes:
- Cooked stir-fry doesn't freeze well - the vegetables tend to get a bit mushy and lose their texture.
- For freezer-friendly meals, prep and freeze the raw sliced pork and sauce separately in freezer-safe bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then cook fresh with vegetables.
If you’re looking for dinners that freeze well after cooking, check out my freezer meal recipes for more make-ahead options.
Pork Stir Fry FAQs
Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temp of 145°F.
Cook the pork quickly over medium-high heat and don’t overcook it. Slicing it thinly across the grain also helps keep it tender.
Absolutely! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.
Yes. To make this pork stir fry gluten-free, use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in the sauce. Double-check any bottled stir-fry sauces or seasonings, as gluten can hide there.
Absolutely. Thinly sliced chicken breast or chicken thighs work well in this recipe. Cook the chicken the same way as the pork, making sure it’s fully cooked before adding the vegetables and sauce.
Yes! Frozen stir fry vegetables work great and save time. Add them straight to the pan from frozen and cook until heated through and tender-crisp.
Thinly sliced pork tenderloin or pork loin works best because it cooks quickly and stays tender. Avoid thick cuts or fatty cuts that take longer to cook.
Most stir fry sauces use a combination of soy sauce, a sweetener like honey or sugar, garlic, and a thickener like cornstarch. This recipe keeps it simple while still delivering great flavor.
Yes. You can slice the pork and vegetables up to 2 days in advance and store them separately in the fridge. Cook just before serving for best texture.
Yes, you can substitute bottled sauce if you’re short on time, but this homemade stir fry sauce is quick to mix together and gives you better flavor with simple ingredients.
Another easy skillet dinner we love is this creamy Tuscan salmon with spinach and parmesan.
If you tried this easy pork stir fry recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments.
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Recipe
Easy Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, water, garlic, honey and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Slice the tenderloin in half lengthwise to make 2 pieces, then slice into smaller slices approximately ¼ inch thick. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to lightly coat the pan. Add pork pieces and cook, stirring, until the pork is almost completely cooked, about 4 minutes.
- Add frozen veggies to the pan and cook over medium high heat until thawed and no longer frozen.
- Increase the heat to high. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken and coat the stir fry as it cools.
Video
Barbara O says
Quick meal. Enjoyed a different way to have thin pork loin.
Demsta says
I made this for dinner and it came out. Fabulous thank you Diane two minor changes I fried the pork in sesame oil. And then I added a couple of squeezes of ground ginger in the last five minutes of cooking easy Peezy good stuff. Thank you very much. looking forward to more of your recipes, be blessed!
Mary Dennis says
I made this tonight for dinner. the only thing that I did was I add spaghetti to mine. It was delicious. I plan on making it again. I can't wait to try it with chicken.
DEE Cathcart says
Like the stir fry idea. I have a boneless pork roast that I want to cook. Can I substitute this for the tenderloins by cutting small? Thanks in advance.
Deanne Frieders says
Hi Dee, the pork roast won't be quite as tender as the tenderloin, but it could be substituted.
Joan says
I love this stir fry recipe. It’s was quick and very yummy! Thanks.😉
Deanne Frieders says
Thank you!
Karen Detraglia says
I am donating a meal to a local church so I bought five pork loins and sliced them each into 40 cutlets very thin. I was going to fry them but the more I think about frying 200 cutlets I changed my mind and was going to make a stir fry can I use pork loin thin cutlets?
Deanne Frieders says
Yes, you could use those.
Kelly Gray says
I tried making this tonight. I doubled the recipe for the sauce because I love sauce. I substituted the honey for brown sugar. I cooked stir fry noodles separately and mixed them in with the stir fry. It turned out great, and the thickness of the sauce was perfect. I'll definitely be making this again. 🙂
Iva Steinke says
I made this recipe tonight - quick and very tasty, thankyou for the recipe.
Harriett says
I had leftover pork tenderloin. Perfect quick way to use it. Very tasty. Thank you!
Deanne Frieders says
So glad you liked it!
Laura says
Tasty and simple. Love the large amount of veggies.
Deanne Frieders says
Awesome, so glad you liked it!
Miles Thompson says
It was easy - but pretty bland. The sauce could be more robust and flavourful.
It mist be the quality of the frozen stir fry veg I bought - it needed a lot of cooking.
Still, saved my bacon tonight, and was welcome.
Angie Law says
Good for an easy base but lacks flavor--needs spices, heat, salt
Helen Tawharu says
can you cook these in a ninja foodi
Deanne Frieders says
I'm not sure. Is that like a pressure cooker?
Neri says
Can i substitute brown sugar for the honey? Thanks.
Deanne Frieders says
Yes, you could!
Timothy Groves says
This is what I did, and it came out great.
joshua says
quick question, my sauce was pretty watery still. how thick should it get?
Deanne Frieders says
Hi Joshua, when you bring the stir fry sauce to a boil it and then reduce to a simmer for a few minutes it should thicken - as it activates the cornstarch which is the thickener.
Joshua says
I must've done something wrong. I'll try again. It didn't thicken how I expected. Thanks for the response!
Christina Conte says
I LOVE pork, it's the one reason I could never be vegetarian! 😉 Love this stir fry!
Deanne Frieders says
Wonderful, so glad you liked it!
Cate says
Looks like such a simple and quick dinner, thanks for sharing!
Rebecca says
I love how I have all the ingredients to make this! YUM!
Cookilicious says
30 minutes meals are the best! love this recipe. thanks.
Charla says
My sister in law is a huge fan of quick, tasty and relatively easy pork dishes. Under 30 minutes, I'm sold and know she will enjoy this dish the next time she visits. Thank you!
Christina Conte says
I LOVE pork, it's the one reason I could never be vegetarian! 😉 Love this stir fry!
Rebecca says
I love how I have all the ingredients to make this! YUM!
Cookilicious says
30 minutes meals are the best! love this recipe. thanks.
Charla says
My sister in law is a huge fan of quick, tasty and relatively easy pork dishes. Under 30 minutes, I'm sold and know she will enjoy this dish the next time she visits. Thank you!