Sweet and Sour Pork (咕噜肉) – Carmy

April 10, 2023

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Posted: Apr 10, 2023 Last Modified: Apr 8, 2023 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Always a crowd-pleaser, this Sweet and Sour Pork (咕噜肉) recipe come together in a few simple steps. There’s a reason this is a classic take-out recipe, it’s crispy, full of flavor, and coated in a sticky sweet and sour sauce that’ll make you want to lick your plate clean.

Made without deep frying, this sweet and sour pork is a lightened-up version of the classic Chinese dish. Pan-fried until golden perfection and coated in a flavor-packed sauce, this homemade version will hit the spot.

Close up of a plate with rice and sweet and sour pork.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s shockingly easy to make. I simply toss the cubed pork in some seasoned cornstarch and pan fry it. No need to dredge and bread the pork and deep fry it!
It’s made with kitchen staples, so you can whip up this sweet and sour pork for dinner in next to no time. Almost every single ingredient can be found in my freezer or pantry. The only thing I had to run out for was the bell peppers and pineapples! If you have canned pineapple, then you really only have to grab some bell peppers.
It’s a recipe that the whole family will love. Juicy and tender pieces of crispy pork paired with sweet but tart pineapple chunks and coated in a savory sweet and sour sauce…everyone will want seconds!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make sweet and sour pork.

sweet and sour sauce — to make the sauce, you’ll need soy sauce, rice vinegar (unseasoned!), brown sugar, and ketchup. If you can find dark brown sugar, even better.
pork shoulder — I like to use pork shoulder, but you can use pork tenderloin as well. While I know I should suggest cutting off the fatty bits of the pork, but I love the fatty bit, so I say keep it on!
cornstarch — to give the pork a crispy exterior.
garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper — this is to season the cornstarch.
shallots — or red onions. I like the sweetness of the shallots, and I almost always have a bag of shallots. Red onion is a perfectly fine swap.
red bell peppers — while you can use any bell pepper, I love red as red is the sweetest. Orange and yellow are fine too. I’d avoid green as they’re the least sweet.
pineapple chunks — I like using freshly cut pineapple chunks as I find them more flavourful than canned pineapple, but in a pinch, you can use canned pineapple. I always have a can on hand, so it’s more convenient as well.
oil — use a neutral oil to pan-fry the pork.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Pork

Set of two photos showing sauce mixed and cornstarch mixed with seasoning.

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup in a small bowl and set aside.
Mix together the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Set of two photos showing pork coated in cornstarch and fried in a pan.

Coat the cut pork in the cornstarch mixture.
Add around 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the coated pork. Cook the pork until has browned, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside the pork on a paper towel-lined plate and wipe down the skillet.

Set of two photos showing a pan with shallots, bell peppers, pork, pineapple, and sauce.

Add a splash of oil to the skillet and saute the shallots and bell pepper for a minute before adding the sauce. Let simmer for a minute.
Add the crispy pork and pineapple chunks to the skillet. Toss until everything is well-coated. You can continue to cook until the sauce has thickened to your liking or enjoy it as is.

Overhead view of a large plate of sweet and sour pork garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Try to cut the pork into similar-sized pieces. However, pork shoulder is usually shaped a bit funny (at least it is for me when I portion it out for the freezer) so if you can’t get them uniform, no biggie! Just pull out the smaller pieces on the skillet once they’re done.
Make this spicy by adding sambal oelek to the sauce.
Avoid using a super lean cut of pork as you do not want the pork to dry out as you cook it.
My go-to is serving this sweet and sour pork with jasmine rice but feel free to serve it with whatever you like! My garlic scallion noodles recipe is another favorite.
You can use potato starch instead of cornstarch if you prefer.
I like to garnish my pork with some toasted sesame seeds and green onions, but it’s not necessary.

A plate of sweet and sour pork with rice with a fork in the plate.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the sweet and sour pork in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I like to reheat sweet and sour pork in the air fryer so it stays crispy.
Freezer: you can freeze the cooked pork in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag once cooled. When ready to enjoy, you can saute the shallots and bell peppers with the sauce and add the pork, frozen, to the skillet. Cook until the pork has warmed through.

Overhead view of a plate of sweet and sour pork with rice.

Can I make this in an air fryer?

If you want to make air fryer sweet and sour pork, instead of pan-frying them, lightly spray the cornstarch-coated pork with some oil and place them in a single layer in the air fryer. Air fry the pork at 400ºF for 5 to 6 minutes (or until it has reached 145ºF/63ºC), flipping at the halfway point. Continue with cooking the vegetables and sauce in a skillet.