When I need a dinner that won't take all day (but tastes like it did), I love to make a stir fry. Meat and veggies all tossed with a thick and rich ginger and garlic sauce, this pork stir fry has quickly won a place in my heart.
It started as a recipe in an issue of Bon Appetit, and I only made a few changes. The main one is the sauce. The original had virtually no sauce, which is great if this is all you're having. Maybe I'm hopelessly American, but I like a sauce on my stir fry so I can spoon a little on the rice I'm serving with it. So mine has a little extra.
It also has a strong ginger and garlic flavor which I love, but it's easy to adjust those two ingredients if you're feeling like it might be "too much". Easy to make it your own!
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Ingredients needed for Gingery Pork Stir Fry
For the pork:
- Pork tenderloin
- Cornstarch
- Soy sauce
- Canola or peanut oil
For the sauce:
- Fresh ginger
- Oyster sauce
- Sugar
- Toasted sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- White vinegar
- Chicken broth
Vegetables:
- Sugar snap peas
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves
- Canola or peanut oil, for cooking
How to Make Pork Stir Fry with Snap Peas
Marinate the pork
Using pork tenderloin guarantees incredibly tender pork, so it's worth sticking with that cut. Cut 1 pound of it against the grain into ¼ inch strips or bite-sized chunks. Put the pork in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of canola or peanut oil. Mix well to coat, then set it aside for 15 minutes while you prep everything else.
Make the sauce and prep the vegetables
Peel and grate a 2 inch piece of fresh ginger into a small bowl. Add ¼ cup of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and ½ cup of chicken broth. A whisk helps here, because the oyster sauce is thick. Set the sauce aside.
Trim 8 ounces of sugar snap peas. Slice 1 medium yellow onion into ½ inch half moons, and mince 6 garlic cloves. You'll cook everything with a couple tablespoons of cooking oil. I use peanut oil but canola oil also works.
Cook the pork
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated pork in a single layer, and separate the pieces as well as you can. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, until it's deep golden-brown underneath. Use tongs to move the partially cooked pork to a large plate or shallow bowl. Leave as much oil in the pan as you can.
Cook the peas and onion
Cook the peas in the same pan, tossing them now and then. After about 3 minutes, some of the peas should be blistered in spots. Move them to the plate with the pork.
Now the onion goes in the pan. Cook it for 3 to 4 minutes, and add a splash of oil if the pan looks dry. When the onion is soft and starting to brown, add the garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium.
Bring it all together
Put the pork and peas back in the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir and cook for about a minute. The pork should be cooked through, and the sauce should be thick and clinging to the meat and vegetables.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
I like this over steamed rice, since adding broth gives you a little sauce to spoon over it. Cauliflower rice works too, or you can serve it as is. My hubby likes to add chow mein noodles on top of his because he loves the added crunch. (He's hopelessly American too)
If you're wary of ginger, you can back down on it, but don't leave it out altogether. It balances so well with the garlic!
Storage
Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave. It makes a delicious lunch!
📖 Recipe
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Pork Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
Pork
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola
Sauce
- 2 inch fresh ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth
Vegetables
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas trimmed
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced into ½ inch half moons
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil for cooking or canola
Instructions
- Cut the pork tenderloin, against the grain, into either ¼ inch strips or bite-sized chunks. Place in a medium bowl with cornstarch, soy sauce, and one tablespoon oil. Mix well to coat and set aside for 15 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.1 pound pork tenderloin, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Add the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix together. A whisk is helpful to fully incorporate the thick oyster sauce. Set the sauce aside.2 inch fresh ginger, ¼ cup oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, ½ cup chicken broth
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the coated pork in a single layer, separated as well as you can. Let the pork cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring, until it is deep golden-brown underneath. Use tongs to transfer the partially cooked pork to a large plate or shallow bowl, leaving as much oil behind as possible.3 tablespoons peanut oil for cooking
- Cook the peas in the same pan, tossing occasionally. Cook for about 3 minutes until some of the peas are blistered in spots. Then transfer the peas to the plate with the pork.8 ounces sugar snap peas
- Add the onion to the pan and cook about 3-4 minutes. Add a splash of oil if the pan seems dry. Once the onion is softened and beginning to brown, add the minced garlic. Stir and cook for one minute, then reduce heat to medium.1 medium yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves
- Add the pork and peas back to the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir and cook for about a minute, until the meat is cooked through and the sauce is thick and clinging to the meat and vegetables.
- Serve with steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or just as-is.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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