Teriyaki Pork Stir-fry
Tender pork, crisp vegetables, and a sweet-savory orange teriyaki sauce.
This Teriyaki Pork Stir-Fry is a fast, colorful dinner built around tender strips of pork, crisp vegetables, and a simple homemade teriyaki-style sauce.
Instead of reaching for a bottled sauce, you can make the whole thing with a handful of everyday ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar or honey, orange juice, ginger, garlic, and a little chili.
The pork gets a quick coating of cornstarch before stir-frying, which helps it develop a lightly golden exterior while keeping the meat tender. Everything comes together in one wok or skillet in about 20 minutes.
Why you’ll love this recipe.
Dinner on the table in about 30 minutes
One wok or skillet
No bottled teriyaki sauce required
Short, everyday ingredient list
Tender pork with crisp vegetables
Sweet, savory, tangy, and slightly spicy
Easy to customize with whatever vegetables you have
Great served over rice
A little about Teriyaki Stir Fry.
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique and flavor profile traditionally associated with foods cooked with a glossy sauce made from ingredients such as soy sauce, mirin, and sake, often with sugar.
This recipe is a teriyaki-inspired home-cooking version, rather than a traditional Japanese teriyaki preparation. Instead of mirin and sake, the sauce uses rice vinegar, orange juice, and brown sugar or honey to create a similar balance of salty, sweet, tangy, and glossy flavors.
The addition of chili flakes and sesame seeds gives this stir-fry its own little twist.
Ingredient spotlight.
Pork loin is lean and cooks quickly, making it a good choice for a weeknight stir-fry. The trick is cutting it thinly and against the grain so the pieces stay tender.
Don't underestimate this little tablespoon of cornstarch. Coating the pork before stir-frying helps create a lightly crisp surface and gives the sauce something to cling to.
Soy sauce provides the savory, salty foundation of the sauce. Dividing it between the pork marinade and the finishing sauce seasons the dish in layers.
Orange juice adds brightness and natural sweetness while giving the sauce a subtle citrus note that works beautifully with pork.
Either works. Brown sugar gives the sauce a deeper caramel-like flavor, while honey creates a slightly softer sweetness and beautiful gloss.
Garlic & ginger are the aromatic backbone of the stir-fry. Adding them after the vegetables have had a chance to cook helps prevent them from burning while still releasing their fragrance.
Easy ingredient swaps.
Pork: Pork loin can be replaced with pork tenderloin or boneless pork shoulder. Chicken breast or thighs also work well.
Vegetables: Use whatever is in your refrigerator. Broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, or green beans would all be delicious.
Sweetener: Use brown sugar or honey.
Orange juice: Fresh orange juice is ideal, but bottled 100% orange juice works too.
Chili flakes: Leave them out for a mild version, or add more if you like some heat.
Beginner tips for success.
The cornstarch coating does two useful things.
First, it creates a thin layer around the pork that helps it brown rather than simply steam. Second, as the sauce hits the hot pork, the cornstarch helps the sauce cling to the meat instead of pooling at the bottom of the wok.
That's one reason restaurant-style stir-fried meat often has that delicious glossy, coated finish.
The important part is not to use too much. You want a thin coating, not a thick batter.
Slice the pork thinly. Thin, evenly sized pieces cook quickly and stay tender.
Prep everything before you start. Stir-frying happens quickly, so have your sauce and vegetables ready before the wok gets hot.
Don't overcrowd the pan. If the pork is packed too tightly, it will release moisture and steam instead of browning. Cook in batches if necessary.
Keep the vegetables slightly crisp. Two minutes is enough to cook them while preserving some texture.
Add the garlic and ginger later. They only need about a minute and can burn if added too early.
Have the sauce ready to go. Once it hits the hot pan, it won't take long to thicken and coat everything.
What to serve with Teriyaki Pork Stir-fry.
The easiest pairing is steamed white or jasmine rice, which soaks up that sweet-savory sauce.
You could also serve it with:
Basmati rice
Brown rice
Fried rice
Rice noodles
Steamed edamame
Cucumber salad
Make it a complete meal.
You've already got a great balance of protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates when served with rice.
For an easy dinner:
Teriyaki pork stir-fry + steamed jasmine rice + quick cucumber salad.
The cool, fresh cucumber is especially nice with the warm, sweet-savory pork.
Teriyaki Pork Stir-Fry
This easy Teriyaki Pork Stir-Fry combines tender pork, crisp vegetables, and a homemade sweet-savory orange teriyaki-style sauce. Ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork loin, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Additional sesame seeds, for serving
- 2 bell peppers, cut into strips
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, cut into thin strips
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 green onion, sliced
- Vegetable oil, for stir-frying
Instructions
- Place the sliced pork in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and the cornstarch. Mix well until the pork is evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining soy sauce and rice vinegar with the brown sugar or honey, orange juice, chili flakes, and sesame seeds. Stir well and set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little vegetable oil, then add the pork.
- Stir-fry until the pork is golden and cooked through, about 4–6 minutes. Work in batches if necessary so the pork has room to brown.
- Add the bell peppers, onion, and carrot. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. You want the vegetables cooked but still slightly crisp.
- Add the sliced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the wok. Toss everything together and cook for another 1–2 minutes, allowing the sauce to become glossy and coat the pork and vegetables.
- 15Stir in the sliced green onion and turn off the heat.
- Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately with warm rice.
Notes
- Thin slices are key: Partially freezing the pork for about 20–30 minutes can make it easier to slice thinly.
- Keep the vegetables colorful and slightly crisp rather than cooking them until soft.
- If your pan isn't large enough, cook the pork in batches.
- For a sweeter teriyaki-style sauce, use honey or add a little extra brown sugar.
- For more heat, increase the chili flakes or add a thinly sliced fresh chili.
- Don't have pork? This same method works beautifully with chicken or beef.
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