Quick and easy to make, this Ground Pork Stir Fry is all sweet and savory flavor. It’s better than takeout, but it’s also a healthier dinner option full of protein and veggies. It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and kid-friendly with the sweet juicy pineapple chunks in there.
Ground meat makes the easiest stir fries you’ve ever made! No need to cut up raw meat because it’s already in small bite-sized pieces just ready to be cooked.
We got hooked on ground meat stir-fries while camping because the cleanup is so much easier. And so we’ve been making them for years now. I finally got my Ground Beef Stir Fry written down.
And now today I’m sharing my Ground Pork Stir Fry which is based loosely on my Sweet and Sour Chicken. I know you’ll love the sweet and savory flavors of this stir fry too. Plus pork and pineapple are such a great flavor pairing as well!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground pork Рmakes the perfect flavor pairing here, but you can use ground beef or ground turkey as well. If you use ground turkey you may need a bit more oil for saut̩ing.
- Garlic & ginger – are the backbone of flavor for any stir fry and add a lot of flavor. You can use a garlic press to speed up the prep work and ginger from the tube as well.
- Veggies – I’m using onion, bell pepper, and broccoli here. I don’t recommend subbing in the onion, but you can use other vegetables in place of the pepper or broccoli. Thinly sliced carrots, cabbage, snow peas, and green beans are just a few suggestions that work well in stir-fries.
- Pineapple – I like to use fresh pineapple in this stir fry for a bright pop of flavor, but you can use drained canned tidbits. If you use canned pineapple, reserve the juice and use that in the sauce.
- Sauce – a mixture of soy sauce and orange juice with a touch of tapioca for thickening makes up the stir fry sauce. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos. In place of the orange juice you can use drained pineapple juice as mentioned above or chicken stock. You can also use cornstarch in place of the tapioca starch.
- Red pepper flakes – add a touch of warmth, but you can omit them if desired. Or add more to taste if you like a bit of spice.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: First prep your veggies by dicing the onion, and bell pepper, and cutting the broccoli up into small bite-sized florets.
Tip: Don’t throw away the broccoli stem! Instead peel away the tough outer layer with a peeler then thinly slice it up into bite sized pieces.
Step 2: Next whisk together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce until the tapioca or cornstarch is dissolved. Set it aside as you begin to cook.
Step 3: First sauté the ground pork breaking it up into small pieces. When the pork is just done but still juicy, spoon it out of the pan into a bowl to set aside.
Step 4: Add the oil to the pan if needed and sauté the garlic and ginger for 30-60 seconds before adding the veggies. Sauté the veggies over medium-high heat stirring only as they brown until crisp-tender.
Step 5: Add the pineapple back to the pan and stir just to combine.
Step 6: Then add the ground pork back to the pan along with the stir-fry sauce.
Stir to combine and simmer briefly.
Step 7: Remove the stir fry from the heat and serve with your favorite sides.
Ways to serve this
- With fresh steamed Jasmine rice is our absolute favorite.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired, but this stir fry is pretty enough on its own.
- For a paleo option, try cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash, or Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
- Add my Asian Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad for an extra veggie if desired.
- Try my Coconut Ice Cream with additional fresh pineapple for a simple dessert.
FAQ’s
No, ground pork usually has enough fat to sauté well without adding anything else to the pan.
Cook it over a lower heat just until done. Overdone ground pork tends to get hard and tough just like ground beef. I like to sauté ground pork over high heat so it browns a bit and is still soft with those crispy brown edges.
Yes, it will become drier the longer it’s cooked and tougher with a harder texture as well. You want to cook it until the pink is gone and the pork is just done but still juicy for the best results. Don’t worry about ‘browning’ it, it’s better that you cook it just right than worry about browning it. If you cook it over high, the ground pork will have some browned bits without being overcooked.
Try using the paleo & Whole30 option with coconut aminos, then season to taste with additional sea salt at the end of the cooking time if needed.
Storing leftovers
- Store – place any leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The broccoli will continue to smell stronger as time goes on. I find stir fries are their best right away, but we enjoy the leftovers for lunches for the next 2 days or so.
- Freeze – you can freeze stir fries, but I don’t recommend it because the veggies go all mushy.
- Reheat – add your leftovers to a skillet, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the stir fry is hot. We like to add some leftover rice to the pan along with the stir fry. Rice becomes hard in the refrigerator but reheats well with the stir fry. Add a tablespoon or two of water as necessary to keep it from sticking.
Tips & Tricks
- Try this stir fry with your favorite combination of veggies for stir-fries. Cabbage works well here, and I love adding zucchini during the summer months. Just be sure to add the zucchini when the other veggies are half-cooked because it cooks so fast.
- Use different ground meats here, ground bison, ground beef, ground turkey, etc. are all good. You can use ground chicken as well. But be careful because it sticks easily to steel pans and dries out easily. You will need more oil with ground poultry.
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Gluten-free – be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce option like tamari or coconut aminos
- Dairy-free – this recipe is naturally dairy-free
- Paleo – – use coconut aminos, season to taste with sea salt
Recipe Inspiration
- Stir Fry Sauce – tips and meal prepping to help you with your stir fries!
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Chicken & Veggie Sheet Pan Stir Fry
- Potsticker Stir Fry
- Sweet Chili Chicken Stir Fry
I hope you enjoy this easy Ground Pork Stir Fry recipe! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Ground Pork Stir Fry
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tbsp avocado oil - add more if needed
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 large red onion - 1/2" dice
- 1 large red bell pepper - 1/2" dice
- 6 cups broccoli florets - 1 pound
- 2 cups fresh pineapple - small bite sized pieces, see notes
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tsp tapioca starch - or cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce - tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes - more or less to taste
- 1/2 cup orange juice - pineapple juice, or chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prep all the veggies before you start cooking. For the stir fry sauce whisk the tapioca starch, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and orange juice together until smooth and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet, (12") over high heat. Add the ground pork and break up the pork into small bite sized pieces stirring as it browns. Cook just until the pork is done, but still juicy before removing it from the pan and set it aside.
- There will be a bit of oil in the pan from the pork, about 1 tbsp, add the avocado oil along with the garlic and ginger.
- Sauté 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion, red bell pepper, and broccoli. Cook the veggies until crisp tender, stirring only as they brown.
- When the veggies are just done, add the pineapple and stir to combine. Then add the cooked ground pork along with the stir fry sauce. Cook briefly stirring just to combine.
- Season the stir fry with sea salt to taste if using the coconut aminos and serve with freshly steamed rice.